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HMT’s new draft crypto rules aim to clamp down on fraud ensuring stricter regulatory oversight, transparency and consumer protection while positioning the UK as a global digital asset hub

This move comes as part of the government’s broader strategy to position the UK as a global leader in digital finance while ensuring that consumers are safeguarded from the risks associated with unregulated crypto activities. Under these new regulations, firms dealing in crypto assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum will be held to high standards of transparency, operational resilience, and consumer protection, bringing them in line with traditional…

US SEC targets a $91m Ponzi scheme operated by 3 Texans, defrauding 200+ investors with false promises of bond trading profits and misappropriated funds

Between May 2021 and February 2024, the trio allegedly ran the scheme through a trust controlled by Alexander, Vanguard Holdings Group Irrevocable Trust (VHG), promising investors guaranteed returns of 3% to 6% per month from international bond trading activities. However, the SEC claims that VHG had no actual source of revenue and that the returns paid to investors were simply Ponzi payments…

UNODC’s latest report exposes how Asian crime syndicates are driving $37bn in global losses through AI-driven cyber fraud and blockchain-based ML schemes

The increasing use of technologies like AI, deepfakes, and underground banking has facilitated the growth of these operations, making them more scalable and harder to detect. The UNODC urges enhanced international cooperation and preparedness to combat the rising intensity and geographical spread of these cyber-enabled crimes. The report estimates that hundreds of scam centres generate…

EBA launches an ESG dashboard to provide centralised, comparable climate risk indicators for the EU/EEA banking sector, focusing on transition risks, green financing, and low green asset ratios

The dashboard reveals a significant exposure of EU/EEA banks to sectors that contribute heavily to climate change, raising concerns over potential transition risks as these companies may be impacted by policy changes, technological shifts, or evolving consumer preferences. While physical risks are somewhat lower, with most countries showing exposures below 30%, the dashboard emphasizes the growing importance of monitoring…

INTERPOL and the Inter-American Development Bank join forces to tackle organised crime in Latin America and the Caribbean, disrupting illicit markets and boosting regional security

The primary focus of their joint efforts will be disrupting illegal markets that fuel criminal activities across the region, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, and arms smuggling. The partnership seeks to strengthen the capacity of national law enforcement agencies, improve regional security measures, and develop coordinated strategies to fight organized crime more effectively. By promoting regional collaboration, the initiative aims…

RUSI’s STR podcast examines the growing issue of online child sexual exploitation and the crucial role financial intelligence plays in detecting, disrupting, and investigating perpetrators

Through the podcast, listeners are exposed to critical discussions on the financial dimensions of this crime, revealing how illicit transactions and financial flows are key to both perpetrating and detecting these heinous activities. Experts from around the world, including law enforcement and financial intelligence professionals, share key insights into emerging detection strategies and the financial indicators that can help disrupt these crimes…

Latvia’s 2024 FIU report reveals key AML developments and strategic priorities, focusing on sanctions centralisation and stronger customs controls amid rising financial crime threats

The report outlines key strategic priorities, with particular emphasis on the centralization of sanctions implementation functions to streamline enforcement and increase efficiency. A notable achievement was the prevention of over 8,500 shipments of sanctioned goods, reflecting enhanced controls at Latvia’s customs checkpoints. These measures were implemented to strengthen the country’s defenses against illicit financial activities…

Federal Reserve Board ends advance crypto reporting thereby withdraws oversight letters and moves toward integrated supervision of digital asset activities

The Federal Reserve Board has announced a significant shift in its approach to overseeing crypto-related activities by ending the requirement for state member banks to provide advance notice of their involvement in crypto-asset and dollar token operations. This move includes the withdrawal of key supervisory letters issued in 2022 and 2023, which previously laid out expectations for crypto activity disclosures and supervisory nonobjection…

FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report reveals a 33% rise in cybercrime losses to $16.6bn, with cryptocurrency fraud surging 66% to $9.3bn, driven by investment scams, extortion, and ATM fraud

The report highlights a surge in two major threats: extortion and phishing, both of which continue to target individuals and organizations across the country. In particular, Alabama has been identified as one of the states with high vulnerability to cybercrime, ranking 26th in the number of complaints filed. Seniors, especially those over the age of 60, have been the hardest hit with losses exceeding $33 million. The report also underscores…

GIABA commends Senegal’s comprehensive overhaul of its AML/CFT/FP laws, especially Act 2024-08, for effectively closing FATF technical gaps and securing multiple re-ratings of key rec.

Since its last review, Senegal has overhauled its AML/CFT/FP framework by enacting a series of laws and decrees—including the landmark Act 2024‑08—that align domestic legislation with the latest WAEMU and FATF standards…

Estonia FIU highlights a sharp rise in ML and sanctions evasion risks in 2024, driven by fraud and remote gambling, leading to €5.7m in asset seizures, tech upgrades and tighter oversight

In its annual report for 2024, Estonia’s FIU found that fraud, tax crimes, and sophisticated sanction‑evasion schemes continued to drive money laundering risks in 2024, with the expanding remote gambling sector adding new vulnerabilities. Despite strong reporting from credit institutions, gaps remain among other obliged entities and state bodies, leading to enhanced tech measures, administrative actions, and €5.7 million in seized assets…

FCA’s AI Sprint explores AI’s growing impact, urging the need for trust, clearer regulations, and tackling AI-driven scams, while expanding initiatives like the AI Lab and Supercharged sandbox 

Insights from 115 experts are driving new initiatives to strengthen AI development in financial services, including an expanded AI Lab, enhanced sandbox testing, and closer collaboration with data and privacy regulators…

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