Log in/out

Our extensive knowledge at your fingertips

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.

Browse the resource database or make a sub-selection:

Menu

Latest editions

Search

U

FCA issues updated Enforcement Guide (ENFG), effective 3 June 2025 for all new investigations, aiming to improve access to key information, boost transparency, efficiency, and regulatory clarity

June 9, 2025

Notable updates include a U-turn on publicity policy, dropping plans to name firms under investigation unless in exceptional or specified cases (e.g., unauthorised activity). It clarifies when lawyers may attend compelled interviews, limiting joint representation to avoid conflicts. The FCA also formalises its stance on accepting firm-commissioned reports under limited privilege waivers…

EU adopts an enhanced cyber crisis management blueprint to boost preparedness, detection capabilities, and drive cross-border action against large-scale complex cyber threats

June 6, 2025

Aligned with the NIS2 Directive and the Cyber Solidarity Act, the blueprint introduces a clear five-phase crisis lifecycle—detection, analysis, escalation, response, and recovery—while defining roles for key entities like ENISA, the CSIRTs Network, and EU-CyCLONe. It reinforces EU-wide cooperation, enhances threat detection, and ensures swift operational and political coordination across borders. With a focus on civil-military collaboration, public communication, and continuous improvement through a rolling annex, the blueprint marks a significant step…

Europol busts major cocaine ring in Spain’s Canary Islands – seizing 4 tons, arresting 50, and exposing cross-border ML schemes in a wake-up call for stronger FC enforcement

June 6, 2025

The investigation uncovered the use of hidden maritime routes and covert storage hubs to traffic large volumes of cocaine, with criminal proceeds likely funneled through a network of illicit financial channels across multiple EU countries. Europol’s coordination played a key role by facilitating cross-border intelligence sharing, improving both the efficiency and timing of enforcement actions…

INTERPOL-led global crackdown on child sexual abuse material uncovers transnational financial crime links, resulting in 20 arrests and 68 suspects identified across 12 countries

June 6, 2025

The coordinated effort, spanning 12 countries across Europe and the Americas, has resulted in the arrest of 20 suspects, including professionals such as a healthcare worker and a teacher involved in exploitation activities. Beyond these arrests, authorities have identified 68 additional suspects, with investigations ongoing to further dismantle the complex criminal networks involved. The operation highlights the critical role of cross-border…

EU sets out its International Digital Strategy to strengthen global ties, advance AI and cybersecurity, and bolster digital finance systems against illicit flows and cross-border FC

June 5, 2025

The European Commission and High Representative have unveiled the EU’s new International Digital Strategy, aiming to boost global digital partnerships, drive secure tech development, and promote a rules-based digital order aligned with EU values. Key priorities include AI, secure infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital governance, with immediate steps toward implementation…

US DoJ seeks to recover $7.74M laundered for North Korea via stolen identities, fake remote IT jobs, and cryptocurrency transactions to evade sanctions and fund illicit operations

June 5, 2025

The investigation revealed that these North Korean IT operatives used stolen identities to secure remote jobs at various companies worldwide, including blockchain development firms, allowing them to generate illicit cryptocurrency revenues for the North Korean government. To launder the funds, they employed advanced techniques such as structuring transactions into small amounts, chain hopping between blockchains, token swapping…

BoE and London BIS’s Project Hertha tested AI to detect FC in real-time retail payments, boosting illicit pattern detection by 26% and account identification by 12%, while revealing key limitations

June 5, 2025

The project focused on identifying illicit finance patterns in real-time retail payment systems through advanced transaction analytics. Notably, it achieved a 26% improvement in detecting previously unseen criminal behaviours and a 12% increase in the identification of illicit accounts compared to conventional methods. These findings suggest that AI-driven analytics could serve as a powerful supplementary tool for banks and payment…

US Govt seizes 145 darknet and web domains, along with crypto funds linked to BidenCash – a marketplace that trafficked 15M+ stolen cards, served 117K users, and made $17M in illicit gains

June 4, 2025

Between Oct 2022 and Feb 2023, BidenCash released 3.3 million stolen card records for free as a tactic to attract more users. The leaked data included full card details, names, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses. Following the seizure, the marketplace’s domains have been redirected to law enforcement-controlled servers to prevent further criminal activity…

Europol’s Referral Action Day targets 2,000+ online extremist links in a coordinated push to disrupt youth radicalisation and combat terror-linked AML risks from illicit financing

June 3, 2025

The Referral Action Day took aim at online extremist content targeting minors, resulting in the referral of over 2,000 jihadist and right-wing propaganda links. The operation highlighted the increasing use of AI and emotionally manipulative content by terrorist groups to radicalise youth and is part of broader efforts to prevent the exploitation of minors in criminal and terrorist activities…

AUSTRAC imposes US$5K cash limits on crypto ATMs to curb rising scams targeting seniors, mandating operators to enforce EDD, clear scam warnings, and tougher transaction monitoring

June 3, 2025

These actions come amid troubling findings that older Australians, particularly those aged 60 to 70, are disproportionately using crypto ATMs and are often victims of scams and fraud facilitated through these machines. With the number of crypto ATMs skyrocketing from just 23 in 2019 to over 1,800 in 2024, and annual transactions valued at approximately $275 million, AUSTRAC’s crackdown aims to stem the rising tide of illicit activity…

CPS secures a £2.5M confiscation order against a convicted money launderer who moved an estimated £93–£110m in illicit cash from the UK to Dubai via couriers flying with £500K per trip

June 3, 2025

Alfalasi was the ringleader in this sophisticated money laundering operation, which also involved several co-defendants. He was sentenced to nine years and seven months’ imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court on 28 July 2022 after he pleaded guilty to removing criminal property from England and Wales…

OECD’s updated Common Reporting Standard 2025 expands global tax transparency by including e-money, CBDCs, and crypto-related investments, while tightening due diligence rules

June 2, 2025

Released as a consolidated text, the updated CRS aligns with the Crypto‑Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), introducing stricter due diligence and reporting obligations for financial institutions and crypto-asset service providers. The framework also clarifies exemptions for genuine non-profit organisations and provides updated guidance to ensure consistent application across jurisdictions…

No results found.