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Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing

Over 20 years of articles and reference material

A page dedicated to global, regional, UK and US anti-money laundering developments and initiatives.

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NCA and NatWest launch joint campaign to help businesses combat invoice fraud, urging firms to verify payments, spot fake invoices, and strengthen defences against increasingly sophisticated scams

January 29, 2026

The campaign targets accounts payable and finance teams, offering practical guidance: Check for changes to invoice or bank details, Verify by contacting suppliers directly, and Never transfer money until confident the payment is correct. The initiative is supported by an info sheet, a social media campaign, and the Home Office’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign, aiming to raise awareness, strengthen defences, and disrupt…

US DOJ obtains legal title to over $400M in seized cryptocurrency, real estate, and other assets linked to Helix, a darknet cryptocurrency-mixing service used to launder illicit proceeds

January 29, 2026

The assets were tied to Helix operator Larry Dean Harmon, who pleaded guilty to money-laundering conspiracy, and the forfeiture follows a final court order transferring the seized assets to the U.S. government. Authorities said the Helix mixer processed hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency transactions connected largely to darknet drug markets, underscoring continued enforcement against…

Europol dismantles a transnational migrant smuggling network, arresting 16, raiding six sites, and uncovering a pyramid-style operation funneling people from Türkiye to Western Europe

January 29, 2026

The coordinated action resulted in 16 arrests, searches at six locations, and seizures of mobile phones, documents, and records linked to the criminal organisation. Europol reports the network operated with a pyramid‑style structure, with a core group in Sofia, mainly Bulgarian and Syrian nationals, coordinating transit arrangements and working closely with allied smugglers in neighbouring countries…

OFSI intensifies its crackdown on cryptoasset abuse, through the multi-agency Crypto Cash Fusion Cell and real-time intelligence to trace, disrupt, and stop illicit funds linked to sanctions evasion

January 29, 2026

OFSI is stepping up action against the misuse of cryptoassets, working closely with UK law enforcement and regulators through the multi-agency Crypto Cash Fusion Cell (CCFC)—which brings together the NCA, Metropolitan Police, HMRC, FCA, City of London Police, and OFSI itself—to trace, investigate, and disrupt illicit funds linked to sanctions evasion. By sharing intelligence and partnering with private sector experts like Elliptic, the CCFC rapidly converts real-time data into operational outcomes, sending a clear message that exploiting cryptoassets…

FCA releases its first ‘Enforcement Watch’ Newsletter, revealing 23 new regulatory and crypto misconduct, cases, weak FC controls, and key enforcement priorities

January 28, 2026

In first edition of ‘Enforcement Watch’ newsletter, the FCA explains how it is applying its updated enforcement publicity policy, confirms 23 new investigations opened between June and December 2025, and outlines action across firms, issuers and individuals. It also highlights priority risks including consumer harm, governance and financial-crime control failures, unauthorised and crypto-related activity, and the growing role of cross-border cooperation in tackling scams and misconduct…

EBA launches its Pillar 3 Data Hub, a centralised platform giving public access to harmonised bank data across the EEA, boosting transparency, market discipline, and supervisory oversight

January 28, 2026

The hub publishes data already submitted by large and other institutions, allows users to analyse disclosures through visualisation tools, and enables bulk downloads for deeper research, strengthening transparency, market discipline, and confidence in the EU financial system. Following a testing phase, institutions are now submitting their published Pillar 3 reports to the platform under transitional arrangements, with the first full dataset covering the June, September, and December 2025 reference dates expected to be available by June 2026, marking the completion of the onboarding period…

CBUAE unveils Middle East’s first biometric payment solution, a proof‑of‑concept pilot enabling payments via facial and palm recognition as part of the UAE’s Digital Economy Strategy

January 28, 2026

The initiative is being tested at the Dubai Land Department through the bank’s Sandbox Programme and Innovation Hub, developed in partnership with Network International and powered by PopID, and is designed to boost security, convenience and innovation in the national payments ecosystem while supporting the UAE’s vision of a digitally advanced financial future…

Hong Kong regulators strengthen collaboration to tackle increasingly sophisticated fraud, combining supervision, data-protection oversight, and public awareness efforts to enhance banks’ resilience

January 27, 2026

HKMA and the Privacy Commissioner announced enhanced cooperation to assess and improve banks’ anti-fraud systems and data security controls, with HKMA focusing on the effective implementation of anti-fraud measures and the PCPD reviewing personal data protection practices. They also plan joint publicity, education and outreach efforts with law enforcement and industry partners to raise public awareness of evolving scam tactics and highlight the importance of safeguarding personal and financial information…

FCA launches the Mills Review and seeks input on AI’s long-term impact on retail financial services, including markets, consumer behaviour, and regulation – by 24 Feb 2026

January 27, 2026

The review focuses, in part, on how increased use of AI may both mitigate and exacerbate fraud and financial crime, including risks of more sophisticated scams, automated consumer manipulation, model abuse and weaknesses in oversight, governance and accountability. It aims to inform future regulatory expectations by assessing how firms should deploy AI responsibly to strengthen fraud controls, maintain market integrity and ensure that crime-prevention capabilities keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies…

Europol reports that organised crime is reshaping maritime cocaine trafficking with more sophisticated concealment, route diversification and exploitation of commercial shipping vulnerabilities

January 27, 2026

New Europol analysis identifies evolving tactics used by criminal networks to transport cocaine by sea, including modular concealment methods, use of legitimate maritime supply chains and adaptive routing to evade detection. It underscores the need for enhanced cooperation between law enforcement, port authorities and industry to improve risk indicators, intelligence-driven targeting and collective responses to maritime drug trafficking.

NCA intercepts a £710 million cocaine‑laden semi‑submersible in the Atlantic, teaming up with international partners to arrest four suspects and strike a decisive blow against organised crime

January 27, 2026

Working closely with Portuguese authorities and international partners, the agency provided critical intelligence and operational support that enabled the interception, which led to the arrest of four individuals. The operation dealt a significant blow to organised crime, preventing a major drug shipment from reaching Europe, while investigations continue to dismantle the criminal network behind the smuggling…

AMLA announces it will launch a data collection exercise starting in Mar 2026 to test and calibrate its risk assessment models for the financial sector, paving the way for harmonised EU AML/CFT framework

January 27, 2026

The exercise, conducted with national supervisors and the private sector, involves both entities potentially eligible for direct supervision and a representative sample of institutions remaining under national oversight. The goal is to ensure consistent EU-wide assessment of money-laundering risks and to inform the 2027 selection of up to 40 financial institutions for AMLA’s direct supervision starting in 2028. High-quality data from private sector participants is critical…

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