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Fintech Times: UAE Ministry of Economy and Dubai Police sign an MoU to enhance cooperation in developing compliance mechanisms for AML/CFT requirements

The agreement, signed during the World Police Summit in Dubai, will strengthen coordination and information exchange between the two institutions, supporting broader national efforts to combat financial crimes and bolster regulatory integrity…

Yogonet News: Sweden’s Gambling regulator fines PokerStars SEK 7M for AML breaches, citing poor monitoring and due diligence for high-risk customers

The penalty follows an investigation revealing that PokerStars failed to conduct timely and adequate customer due diligence on nine out of ten sampled cases, many involving younger individuals making unusually large deposits. Despite claiming robust real-time transaction monitoring, the operator’s internal risk thresholds were deemed too high to effectively flag suspicious activity early…

AP News: Asia-wide crackdown nets 1,800+ arrests in deepfake and forced labour scams, recovers $20M amid rising cross-border financial crime

This coordinated crackdown, involving authorities from multiple jurisdictions including Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Macao, and the Maldives, uncovered sophisticated transnational financial crime schemes. The operation successfully recovered approximately US $20 million in fraudulent funds. These scams included online shopping fraud, telephone scams, investment and employment fraud, with many victims deceived…

Reuters: BaFin leverages AI to detect market abuse and identify suspicious trading patterns more effectively

Since implementing AI-powered alert and market analysis systems last year, BaFin reports improved accuracy in identifying suspicious trading patterns, significantly increasing the chances of catching offenders. This technological upgrade, combined with expanded investigatory powers under new leadership, reflects BaFin’s commitment to restoring confidence in its oversight capabilities and preventing future regulatory failures…

Asian Banking and Finance: BNM fines BPMB and HSBC Malaysia MYR 493,500 for major AML/CFT lapses, citing persistent gaps in CDD and sanctions screening

The penalties highlight persistent deficiencies in key compliance areas, including CDD and sanctions screening. BPMB was specifically penalized for failing to properly screen existing customers for risk and for inadequate adherence to the Development Financial Institutions Act of 2002, which mandates banks to verify customer identities and assess their exposure to money laundering and terrorism financing risks…

Reuters: Slovakia’s Central bank chief Peter Kazimir found guilty of corruption, a landmark ruling that raises serious concerns over ECB leadership integrity

This conviction is significant not only because of Kazimir’s prominent role in shaping monetary policy for the eurozone but also due to the broader implications it holds for governance standards within Europe’s key financial institutions. The case exposes potential weaknesses in internal oversight and raises urgent questions about the effectiveness of existing safeguards designed to maintain ethical conduct at the highest levels of financial regulation…

Reuters: Turkey detains Fintech Papara founder and 12 others in $330M illegal betting and ML probe, spurring fintech crackdown

In response, regulators have taken decisive action, including appointing the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) as trustee to Papara and imposing daily transaction limits through the Central Bank to curb further illicit flows. This crackdown underscores growing regulatory scrutiny over fintech firms amid concerns that rapidly expanding digital payment services are being exploited for complex money laundering schemes…

Focus Gaming News: US DoJ files 62 ML charges against suspended Philippine mayor Alice Guo amid major offshore gaming investigation

Guo faces allegations stemming from a multi-agency probe led by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). The charges include multiple counts under various sections of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, highlighting a complex scheme involving illicit fund transactions and conspiracies to launder money tied to offshore gaming operations…

The Business Standard: UK NCA freezes £90 m London real estate linked to Salman F Rahman’s family in cross-border corruption investigation

This move targets high-value properties held through offshore companies in secrecy jurisdictions, highlighting increasing international cooperation to trace and restrict assets connected to alleged embezzlement and political corruption. The freezing orders prevent the sale or transfer of these properties, signaling the UK’s intensified focus on disrupting illicit financial flows and enforcing accountability for politically exposed individuals…

Politico: France’s justice minister highlights political hurdles to phase out cash in drug trafficking crackdown, affirming government reluctance to ban banknotes despite AML risks

In a recent clarification following earlier comments suggesting that eliminating cash could help disrupt narcotics-related money flows, Darmanin affirmed that the government is not prepared to pursue such a measure due to its potential impact on everyday life, particularly for small businesses and older citizens. While a 2023 senatorial report estimates the value of France’s illicit drug market at between €3.5 and €6 billion annually…

MLex: Rothschild becomes first Luxembourg bank convicted of laundering $472.5m linked to the 1MDB scandal.

The conviction relates to the infamous 1MDB scandal, in which billions were misappropriated from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, with approximately €433.7 m passing through the bank’s accounts. The court-approved €25 m settlement reflects not only the bank’s failure to adequately verify the source of these illicit funds but also the growing willingness of European authorities to hold financial institutions criminally accountable for historic…

The Guardian: EU to lift economic sanctions on Syria to aid recovery of war-torn country

The European Union has joined the United States in fully lifting economic sanctions on Syria, marking a significant policy shift that comes amid deep concerns over the country’s fragile political transition and escalating financial crime risks. While the move is intended to support Syria’s post-Assad recovery and encourage stability under the transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, financial crime experts warn…

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