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US DoJ announced that the Dubai-based Wall Street Exchange will pay over $9.2 m to settle a bank fraud investigation

The company admitted responsibility for past actions of its former executives including failing to disclose ML violations and misrepresenting facts to Bank between 2015 and 2018. Despite regulatory actions against its subsidiary, Forex, WSE maintained banking relationships by misreporting the company’s compliance status. The case highlights the importance of robust AML measures, with WSE agreeing to enhance its compliance program…

Vietnamnet Global: Da Nang police have dismantled a US$1.3 billion ML operation, arresting suspects including a bank employee and seizing counterfeit documents and evidence

Da Nang police have uncovered a massive ML scheme, with T.Q.T., a 36-year-old from Hai Chau District forging IDs to establish 187 shell companies and open over 600 bank accounts. These accounts used to launder nearly 30 trillion VND ($1.3 billion) facilitated criminal activities such as fraud and online gambling. Several accomplices including a bank employee were arrested for their roles in the operation. Authorities are now working to recover…

Global Witness warns of a concerning shift for environmental and human rights protections from executive orders issued by the new Trump administration

The statement criticises President Trump’s recent executive orders for threatening global progress, accusing his administration of prioritizing profits and dangerous ideologies over people, communities, and the environment, while vowing to continue exposing those fueling the climate crisis…

 

Companies House updates its transition plan for reforming its role under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, adding two key implementation dates

There’ll be new responsibilities for:  all new and existing company directors, people with significant control of a company (PSCs), anyone who files information on behalf of a company. This is a large and complex set of changes which will be introduced in phases over the coming years. The ongoing operation of the changes will be paid for by an increase in Companies House fees, on a cost recovery basis. We review our fees every year to make sure they’re set at the right level. We increased some of our fees on 1 May 2024.

 

APGML finds that Samoa has made progress in addressing the technical compliance deficiencies identified in its Mutual Evaluation and Follow-up Reports

Samoa has made advancements since its 2015 Mutual Evaluation Report (MER), including amendments to legislation and issuing guidance for financial institutions.
Moderate to major shortcomings remain in areas such as ongoing due diligence, enforcement of BO requirements, and supervisory frameworks, particularly concerning international legal persons and VASPs.

BVI Govt publishes draft regulations setting out the conditions under which 3rd parties will be able to access personal information held in its central register of beneficial ownership

Proposals  will allow access to specific groups with a legitimate interest, such as financial institutions, media, civil society, and academics, to access beneficial ownership registers. Stakeholder feedback is sought on the definition of legitimate interest and protection mechanisms…

 

SEC Acting Chairman Uyeda launches a Crypto Task force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets

The Task Force’s focus will be to help the Commission draw clear regulatory lines, provide realistic paths to registration, craft sensible disclosure frameworks, and deploy enforcement resources judiciously…

US DoJ charges CLS Global FZC LLC, a cryptocurrency financial services firm, with ‘wash trading’- fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volumes

CLS Global a UAE-based cryptocurrency firm has agreed to plead guilty to charges of market manipulation and wire fraud, paying a fine of $428,059. The company is banned from U.S. cryptocurrency markets and must submit annual certifications ensuring compliance. The charges stem from involvement in “wash trading” through a fake crypto company, NexFundAI…

MENAFATF notes Iraq’s progress in confiscating criminal proceeds, prosecuting ML/TF cases, and enhancing international cooperation, as well as challenges in supervision and TFS implementation

MENAFAT undertook its assessment of the effectiveness of Iraq’s measures to protect the financial system from abuse and its level of compliance with the FATF Recommendations, from 6 to 23 August 2023…

 

 

Canada releases data on assets frozen and blocked transactions under the Special Economic Measures Act from Feb 2022 – Dec 2024

The RCMP has announced significant progress in enforcing Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act with substantial assets frozen and financial transactions blocked. Since February 24, 2022, approximately CAD $140.2 million in assets have been frozen and over CAD $317.5 million in transactions blocked under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. In addition, under the Belarus regulations…

GCFP publishes the Enterprise Fraud Risk Assessment Guide, offering a structured approach to identify, assess, and mitigate fraud risks, targeting the £81bn annual fraud risk in the public sector

It also considers fraud risks in public-private partnerships (PPPs), where shared responsibilities, complex regulatory environments, evolving compliance requirements, and funding streams create heightened vulnerabilities across various sectors and jurisdictions…

GFI releases report on Digital Asset Ecosystem in El Salvador: Challenges and risks to countercheck Financial Crime

Provides a thorough analysis of technological advancements, financial crime prevention, and personal data protection in the wake of Bitcoin’s adoption as legal tender in 2021…

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