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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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Europol’s Project A.S.S.E.T. across 31 countries uncovered 884 bank accounts, 55 crypto wallets, 80 companies, and 44 properties (including 6 worth €5.64M) linked to organised crime and ML networks

May 22, 2026

The operation was supported by Eurojust, INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC), and key private sector partners from the financial services and cryptocurrency industries. The EPPO and AMLA also participated in the event. These figures represent a significant leap forward in the global effort to disrupt criminal networks and seize their illicit proceeds. The operation also highlighted several new trends and modi operandi in money laundering and financial crime, providing valuable insight for future investigations…

EC marks 10 years of the GDPR, highlighting its global impact in empowering citizens with stronger control over personal data and shaping a rights-based digital framework

May 22, 2026
It explains that GDPR established uniform EU-wide rights, including access to personal data, correction or deletion of information, and the ability to withdraw consent, with strict enforcement through national regulators and significant penalties for non-compliance. The article further places GDPR within a broader EU digital framework alongside the Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, and AI Act aimed at ensuring accountability for tech platforms, fair competition, and safe use of AI…

Egmont Group Chair stressed at the 2026 Wolfsberg Forum that public–private partnerships, stronger legal frameworks, and two-way information sharing are key to tackling cross-border FC

May 21, 2026

The article highlights how collaborative frameworks between FIUs and private sector entities support faster identification of suspicious activity patterns and more effective disruption of illicit financial networks. Greater data sharing, operational coordination, and technological innovation are also presented as key tools for improving AML/CFT effectiveness in response to increasingly complex cross-border financial crime threats…

Companies House and the IPO warn businesses about payment scams posing as official services, urging firms to verify requests and use official GOV.UK channels

May 21, 2026

The alert advises businesses to exercise caution when receiving such requests, particularly those sent to registered office addresses or via email, and to carefully check sender details, website domains, and any disclaimers indicating lack of government affiliation. Organisations are encouraged to verify any suspicious communication directly with Companies House or the IPO before making payments, especially where urgency or payment pressure is applied…

Europol dismantles ‘First VPN’, a cybercriminal network used by ransomware groups to conceal attacks, seizing 33 servers across 27 countries, identifying 506 users, and exposing 21 linked investigations 

May 21, 2026
For years, “First VPN” was promoted on Russian-language cybercrime forums as a trusted tool for evading law enforcement, offering anonymous payments, concealed infrastructure, and services tailored specifically for criminal use. Deeply embedded in the cybercrime ecosystem and frequently appearing in major Europol-supported investigations, it was widely used by offenders to hide their identities and operations while carrying out ransomware attacks, large-scale fraud, data theft, and other serious cybercrimes…

EC launches a €16.55M call for proposals to intensify cross-border intelligence and financial investigations to disrupt organised crime, drug trafficking and human trafficking networks

May 21, 2026

The initiative will fund a wide range of actors including law enforcement agencies, public authorities, civil society, and private partners—to develop tools and operational capabilities that help identify criminal structures, track illicit financial flows, and prevent the infiltration of legitimate economies by organised crime groups. A strong emphasis is placed on financial investigation capacity and cross-border cooperation, reflecting the reality that modern…

The Winnipeg Police Service (Canada) reports Manitoba’s largest-ever drug seizure following a major interprovincial investigation that dismantled a cross-provincial trafficking network and led to 33 arrests

May 20, 2026

Authorities seized more than CAD 37.2 million worth of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs, alongside firearms, cash, vehicles, and illegal cigarettes, with suspects facing 174 trafficking, conspiracy, and proceeds-of-crime charges. Investigators allege the network used commercial transport, courier services, private vehicles with hidden compartments, and cross-border supply chains spanning Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario, and the United States to move drugs and illicit proceeds across jurisdictions…

CoLP’s ‘Operation Seraphim’ led to 31 arrests in a global crackdown on online fraud and ML networks using encrypted platforms, compromised data, spoofing tools, and fraud-as-a-service schemes

May 20, 2026

The operation targeted sophisticated online fraud ecosystems operating through encrypted messaging groups and anonymous digital identities, where criminals were collaborating to facilitate impersonation scams, account takeovers, money laundering, spoofing services, compromised data sales, and “fraud-as-a-service” offerings at scale. Leveraging advanced automation, data analytics, and cross-border intelligence-sharing, investigators identified hundreds of online accounts linked to organised financial crime networks targeting victims across the UK and Europe…

EC consults on the review of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) to assess its effectiveness and emerging developments in crypto and tokenised asset markets, open until 31 Aug 2026

May 20, 2026

A key focus is whether the current rules remain appropriate given the rapid evolution of crypto markets, including new business models, technological innovation, and emerging risks such as market abuse, financial stability concerns, and cross-border regulatory challenges. The Commission will also consult with the European Banking Authority and ESMA to determine whether further policy or regulatory changes are needed to ensure MiCA remains fit for a rapidly changing, globally competitive digital asset landscape…

Companies House’s Business Plan 2026–27 sets out major reforms to boost transparency and tackle economic crime via mandatory identity verification, improved data accuracy, and digital modernisation 

May 19, 2026

The plan sets targets including at least 225,000 actions using the Registrar’s new powers to address abuse and improve data integrity, alongside full rollout of identity verification requirements for company directors and people with significant control. Companies House also plans further digital transformation, enhanced data interoperability, and modernised compliance and customer service capabilities to support economic growth, corporate transparency, and fraud prevention…

UK Govt announces a £30M crackdown on “dodgy” high street businesses linked to organised crime, establishing a new Unit to step up enforcement against ML, tax evasion, and illicit trade

May 19, 2026

The initiative will establish a new High Street Organised Crime Unit, backed by £20 million in enforcement funding and additional officers across key policing regions, alongside £6 million for Trading Standards to strengthen local inspections, compliance, and enforcement. The programme will drive coordinated raids, closures, cash seizures, and arrests across rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts, and sweet shops suspected of being fronts for criminal networks, building on Operation Machinize, which has already resulted in hundreds of arrests and millions in seized criminal assets…

US Executive Order “Restoring Integrity” tightens banking oversight by strengthening due diligence, identity checks, and credit risk controls to crack down on ML, fraud, and illicit cross-border finance

May 19, 2026

It requires the Treasury Department and regulators to issue guidance and strengthen Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) rules on customer due diligence, beneficial ownership verification, and transaction monitoring, with a focus on detecting fraud, money laundering, and abuse of financial services through shell structures, identity misuse, and informal payment channels. It also highlights risks linked to cross-border illicit finance, including cartel activity, human trafficking, and large-scale money laundering networks, and instructs regulators to enhance red-flag frameworks and reporting standards…

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