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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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MONEYVAL publishes Typologies report on ML, TF, and PF linked to conflict proceeds, showing how illicit funds are laundered to finance violence through complex schemes exploiting weak states

March 12, 2026

The report identifies how armed conflict creates opportunities for criminal and terrorist actors to generate illicit funds through activities such as trafficking, extortion and sanctions evasion, which are then laundered via formal financial systems, cash movements and trade-based schemes. It highlights that weak governance, corruption and disrupted regulatory oversight in conflict-affected regions enable these flows, calling for stronger international cooperation, financial intelligence and targeted risk assessments to detect and disrupt conflict-related illicit finance…

FATF’s report on ‘Understanding and Mitigating the Risks of Offshore VASPs’ warns that offshore crypto providers create AML/CFT blind spots, enabling fraud, ML, and TF through weak oversight

March 11, 2026

The report explains that offshore VASPs often operate from one jurisdiction while serving customers in others, exploiting inconsistent licensing, supervision and enforcement rules to evade anti-money-laundering controls and obscure the movement of illicit proceeds across blockchains. FATF highlights typologies including layered wallet transfers, cross-chain transactions and “nested” relationships where unlicensed offshore providers access services through regulated exchanges, and urges countries to adopt activity-based supervision, strengthen international cooperation and sanction non-compliant…

Nasdaq Verafin’s 2026 Global Financial Crime Report reveals a sharp surge in illicit activity, with $4.4 trillion lost in 2025 up $1.3 trillion since 2023, driven by fraud, drug and trafficking, and AI‑enabled criminal schemes

March 11, 2026

The report highlights that 90% of financial crime professionals have observed more AI-driven attacks, while 75% of institutions plan to deploy AI for detection, underscoring both the growing threat and the role of technology in fighting it. It calls for enhanced collaboration, intelligence sharing, and next-generation tools to disrupt sophisticated criminal networks and safeguard individuals and communities worldwide…

NCA’s UKFIU SARs in Action (Mar 26) warns UK victims are losing millions to scams, with 143 payment diversion fraud cases averaging £82,000 per victim and crypto fraud reaching 12.6M online impressions

March 11, 2026

The issue also features the Crypto Dream Scam Nightmare campaign warning of crypto investment fraud, reaching millions through social media and advising victims to verify platforms via the FCA Firm Checker and report to Report Fraud. Money laundering in social housing is addressed, emphasizing the need for robust AML compliance and vigilance by housing associations and professional enablers. Updates on international cooperation through CARIN showcase asset recovery collaboration across 60+ jurisdictions. Practical guidance is provided on updating SAR Portal contacts…

Home Office launches a refreshed Fraud Strategy for 2026–2029 aimed at disrupting fraud networks, strengthening law-enforcement capabilities and improving protection for victims

March 10, 2026

In a launch speech, Home Office minister Lord Hanson highlights the need for stronger collaboration between government, law enforcement, financial institutions and technology companies to tackle fraud, which represents a major share of crime affecting individuals and businesses in the UK. The strategy focuses on disrupting fraud before it reaches victims, including new capabilities such as an Online Crime Centre to coordinate intelligence and operational action against organised fraud networks.

FinCEN expands its Geographic Targeting Order along the U.S. southwest border, requiring MSBs to report and verify $1,000–$10,000 cash transactions to disrupt Mexico-based cartels

March 10, 2026

The order mandates that money services businesses in specified counties along the U.S.–Mexico border report cash transactions above a lowered threshold of $200, aiming to detect and disrupt illicit financial flows associated with drug cartels and transnational criminal organisations. FinCEN states that the enhanced reporting will strengthen law-enforcement visibility into cross-border financial activity and support efforts to combat money laundering, narcotics trafficking and related criminal networks operating in the region…

GASA’s Director, in the podcast “Fighting Asia’s Scam Compounds”, reveals the surge of organised scam compounds and calls for urgent global action to dismantle these sophisticated cyber fraud networks

March 10, 2026

He explains how these “scam compounds” operate like mini criminal hubs, orchestrating online fraud, romance scams, and identity theft at scale. The episode highlights the huge economic and social impact of these scams, the exploitation of workers and victims, and the complex international networks involved. Mueller stresses the need for cross-border cooperation among governments, law enforcement, and private sector platforms, as well as public awareness, to disrupt these operations and protect consumers from increasingly sophisticated cyber-enabled fraud…

AMLA holds its first public hearing on 24 Mar 2026 to gather stakeholder feedback on 2 draft RTS: Business Relationships & CDD – Register here to participate in the sessions

March 9, 2026

The hearing will run in two online sessions (10:00–12:00 CET for business relationships, 13:30–15:30 CET for CDD) and is open only to registered participants, who will receive access codes to join. Stakeholders can provide oral feedback during the sessions, while the public consultation remains open until 8 May 2026 for written submissions, ensuring AMLA collects a broad range of input to make the standards practical and effective before final adoption…

Singapore Authorities crack down on fund management firm – Capital Asia Investments, exposing major AML failures and alleged links to a global money laundering network, with over S$160M seized

March 9, 2026

The probe centres on suspected money laundering and failures to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) and regulatory obligations, with regulators identifying serious control weaknesses in the company’s compliance framework. Investigations were triggered by financial intelligence linking the firm and related entities to a transnational money laundering network, with suspected proceeds originating from overseas organised crime, including scams…

UK Govt launches its new and expanded Fraud Strategy 2026–29, backed by £250M, with a new Online Crime Centre deploying AI detection and real-time intelligence sharing to crack down on organised fraud

March 9, 2026

The initiative will identify and shut down the infrastructure used by criminals such as fraudulent bank accounts, websites, phone numbers and social media channels, allowing authorities to block scam messages, freeze accounts and disrupt organised crime groups, particularly those operating internationally. The strategy reflects a shift toward technology-driven, cross-sector collaboration to proactively disrupt fraud and better protect victims, as fraud currently affects 1 in 14 adults and 1 in 4 businesses in the UK and costs…

FATF publishes a targeted report on stablecoins and unhosted wallets, warning that these fast-growing crypto tools, facilitating over 80% of criminal virtual asset transactions, are fueling global ML/TF risks

March 7, 2026

The report highlights the rapid growth of stablecoins—over 250 in circulation with a market value exceeding USD 300 billion by mid‑2025—and their increasing use in illicit finance, accounting for roughly 84% of illicit virtual asset transaction volumes, often via unhosted wallets that bypass regulatory oversight. Their price stability, liquidity, and interoperability make them attractive for legitimate use but also for ML…

White House proclaims a bold crackdown on Western Hemisphere cartels and terrorist gangs, pledging coordinated military, financial, and legal action with 17 allied nations to dismantle their networks

March 7, 2026

The declaration calls for coordinated action among the United States and allied countries to strip criminal organisations of territory, financing and resources that enable violence, drug trafficking and intimidation. It also commits the U.S. to training and mobilising partner-nation militaries and strengthening cooperation to counter external influences and transnational organised-crime networks operating in the region…

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