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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 UK FIU’s SARs in Action Dec 25 reveals a 300% surge in CSAM-related SARs, the new SARs Digital Service, crackdowns on live-streamed abuse and sextortion and over £1.9M recovered via DAML SARs

December 5, 2025

The issue details several case studies, including SARs that uncovered mule-account networks linked to large-scale fraud, enabled rapid restraint of assets in a cross-border money-laundering case, and provided vital intelligence on organised drug-trafficking groups using cash-intensive businesses and crypto exchanges to disguise proceeds. It also shares practical guidance on improving SAR submissions — such as clearer narratives, better risk indicators and more precise transaction information…

FinCEN’s 2025 Financial Trend Analysis on Ransomware shows that between 2022–24, FIs reported 4,194 ransomware incidents in 7,395 BSA filings, with total payments over $2.1B, peaking in 2023 at $1.1B

December 4, 2025

The analysis highlights a sustained rise in high-impact ransomware incidents, with attackers increasingly using techniques such as double extortion, pig-butchering–linked access, and rapid laundering of proceeds through mixers, chain-hopping and cross-chain bridges. It also underscores the critical role of BSA reporting in identifying ransomware wallets and disruption opportunities, urging financial institutions to strengthen red-flag detection, timely SAR filings and collaboration with law enforcement…

EU Commission presents new EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan against drug trafficking to protect citizens, disrupt criminal networks and strengthen cross-border enforcement against organised crime

December 4, 2025

The new strategy outlines a comprehensive, multi-year framework combining prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation and public health measures designed to disrupt organised drug trafficking, reduce drug-related harms and support demand-reduction efforts. It also sets out enhanced coordination across EU member states to close loopholes in cross-border trafficking, strengthen judicial and border-control cooperation, and deploy data-driven tools to monitor and respond to emerging drug threats…

Europol leads an international takedown of a vast crypto fraud network laundering over €700M, triggering arrests, asset seizures, and a major blow to cross-border financial crime

December 4, 2025

The criminal network operated numerous fake cryptocurrency investment platforms, luring thousands of victims with sophisticated advertisements promising high returns. The victims were then repeatedly contacted by criminal call centres, where callers used social engineering to pressure victims into making further payments by showing them inflated returns on fake trading platforms…

EU Commission adds Russia to the EU’s high-risk third-country list for AML/CFT weaknesses, triggering enhanced due-diligence requirements for all EU FIs dealing with Russian-related business

December 3, 2025

Following a technical assessment under the revised anti-money laundering framework, the Commission identifies Russia as having “strategic deficiencies” in its AML/CFT regime and thus classifies it as high-risk under the new delegated regulation. As a result, EU entities subject to AML rules must apply enhanced vigilance measures — including stricter customer-due-diligence and transaction monitoring — when conducting transactions involving Russia or Russian-linked counterparties…

UNODC’s Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 reveals that opium poppy cultivation has surged to a decade-high, driven by conflict, economic hardship, and shifting global drug supply dynamics

December 3, 2025

The 2025 Myanmar Opium Survey 2025 finds that poppy cultivation increased by 17% year-on-year — from 45,200 to 53,100 hectares — marking the largest area under cultivation since 2015. Although yield per hectare fell due to instability, overall production edged up to about 1,010 metric tons, underscoring Myanmar’s continued status as the world’s primary source of illicit opium and raising serious concerns over renewed heroin supply to global markets…

OECD’s 2025 Enhanced Monitoring Report finds progress in tax transparency across 25 jurisdictions, but key gaps in information-sharing and implementation still hinder the fight against tax evasion

December 2, 2025

The 2025 Enhanced Monitoring Report by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes reviews 25 jurisdictions under the standard for Exchange of Information on Request (EOIR), assessing their legal regimes, practical exchange performance, and follow-up on previous peer-review recommendations. It finds that while many countries have addressed earlier deficiencies—improving access to beneficial-ownership, accounting, banking and tax-information records—some still fall short on responsiveness, timeliness, or capacity to deliver requested information, underscoring ongoing risks of secrecy, tax abuse…

FATF updates its 2023 Consolidated processes and procedures for AML/CFT mutual evaluations and follow-ups, establishing a unified, stricter, and more transparent global framework 

December 2, 2025

The Universal Procedures define standardised processes including assessor selection, confidentiality and conflict-of-interest safeguards, consistent timelines, quality control and uniform follow-up mechanisms — to ensure that reviews of countries’ compliance with FATF Recommendations remain rigorous, comparable and fair across all jurisdictions. It also mandates new procedures for emerging issues — such as a dedicated process to address unintended consequences for non-profit organisations (NPOs) — reflecting FATF’s commitment to balancing enforcement of AML/CFT standards with protection of legitimate civil-society activities…

AMLA Chair appears before EP’s ECON and LIBE Committees to present AMLA’s progress, priorities, and answer MEPs on high-risk countries, crypto-assets, drug-related ML, and law-enforcement coordination

December 2, 2025

She highlighted AMLA’s immediate priorities for 2026: focusing on level-2 mandates with the greatest industry impact, preparing for direct supervision from 2028, developing standards and tools to enhance FIU effectiveness and cross-border cooperation, and establishing an internal risk-analysis function to guide risk-based approaches at both EU and national levels…

Companies House publishes the ‘Register of People with Significant Control’ guidance, detailing how UK companies must identify and record individuals or entities with substantial ownership or control

November 28, 2025

Under the PSC regime, firms must identify individuals or legal entities that meet defined “significant control” criteria — for example holding over 25% of shares or voting rights, having the power to appoint/remove a majority of directors, or otherwise exercising significant influence — and submit this data to Companies House. The system now centralises all PSC registers at Companies House …

FinCEN issues an alert warning financial institutions about cross-border transfers linked to the smuggling and exploitation of illegal migrants

November 28, 2025

The alert highlights financial patterns tied to human-smuggling operations — including rapid small-value transfers, funnel accounts, structuring, and transactions involving high-risk corridors in Latin America — and provides red-flag indicators to help institutions identify related illicit activity. It stresses that timely SAR filings, detailed narratives, and cooperation with law enforcement are essential to disrupting smuggling networks and protecting vulnerable migrants from exploitation.

FSB releases its 2025 G‑SIB list, keeping 29 banks with some bucket shifts, highlighting stricter capital, resolvability, and compliance requirements to safeguard against systemic and FC risks

November 28, 2025

The designation requires these banks to hold higher loss-absorbing capacity, meet Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity (TLAC) standards, maintain robust resolution plans, and adhere to enhanced supervisory expectations, underscoring their systemic importance and the need for strong governance, risk management, and compliance to safeguard global financial stability…

 

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