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Sri Lanka Raises Alarm Over Escalating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risks
Central Bank of Sri Lanka has issued a significant warning through a newly released national report highlighting a sharp rise in the risks associated with money laundering and terrorism financing during the 2024 and 2025 period. The update, prepared by the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka, concludes that Sri Lanka now faces a high level of threat from illicit proceeds generated by drug trafficking, while the risk related to extremist financing has been eleva
Mar 177 min read


US Treasury Outlines Strategy to Combat Illicit Finance in Digital Asset Markets
United States Department of the Treasury has released an extensive report examining the growing convergence between emerging financial technologies and the enduring threat of illicit finance within digital asset ecosystems. The strategic document highlights the evolving vulnerabilities associated with stablecoins and decentralized financial protocols while proposing the use of advanced technological tools to reduce systemic risk across virtual markets. By emphasizing the inte
Mar 175 min read


AUSTRAC Chief Warns Legal Profession of Expanding AML Obligations Under Tranche 2 Reforms
Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre Chief Executive Brendan Thomas delivered a strong message to the legal community during the Law Society of New South Wales 2026 Annual Conference in a keynote speech titled "How Money Laundering Actually Works, Why It Causes Real Harm, and Why the Legal Profession Now Has a Formal Role in Preventing It". In his remarks, Thomas outlined the significant regulatory expansion taking place under the government’s Tranche 2 reforms
Mar 167 min read


Novobanco Expands Strategic Transformation with Feedzai to Reinforce Financial Crime Prevention
Novobanco has confirmed the continuation of a long-term strategic transformation program with Feedzai aimed at fundamentally reshaping the bank’s financial crime prevention framework. The initiative represents a decisive move toward an intelligence-driven operational model by consolidating previously fragmented compliance processes into a single integrated platform. Through this modernization effort, the bank intends to enhance the quality of risk alerts, shorten investigativ
Mar 165 min read


FATF Warns of Growing Risks from Offshore Virtual Asset Providers Operating Beyond Regulatory Reach
The global financial system is confronting a new layer of risk as the Financial Action Task Force highlights the dangers posed by offshore virtual asset service providers that operate without a physical presence in the jurisdictions where they actively serve customers. According to international regulators, these platforms frequently function outside domestic oversight frameworks, creating vulnerabilities that can be exploited for money laundering and terrorist financing acti
Mar 166 min read


Bishop Arrested at San Diego Airport in Major Embezzlement and Money Laundering Investigation
Law enforcement authorities detained Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta at San Diego International Airport as he attempted to leave the United States following an extensive investigation into alleged financial misconduct. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office began examining the case after receiving documentation in August 2025 from representatives of St. Peter Chaldean Church that pointed to irregular financial activity. After months of investigative work conducted by the Sheriff Fraud
Mar 136 min read


Swiss Authorities Launch Major Money Laundering Probe Into Crans-Montana Bar Owners After New Year’s Eve Fire
Swiss federal authorities have opened a significant money laundering investigation targeting the owners of the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana following the devastating fire that occurred on New Year’s Eve. Jacques and Jessica Moretti are now under close examination by the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) after authorities detected suspicious financial transactions involving hundreds of thousands of Swiss francs. The federal inquiry is focused on det
Mar 135 min read


Rising Illicit Finance Threats Drive Global Push for Stronger Anti-Money Laundering Defenses
The integrity of the global financial system is facing continuous and increasingly sophisticated attacks from a wide spectrum of criminal organizations. According to the 2026 US Treasury National Money Laundering Risk Assessment, illicit proceeds generated through activities such as fraud, drug trafficking, and cybercrime are expanding at an alarming pace. These illegal operations not only inflict substantial economic damage but also pose a broader threat to the stability of
Mar 135 min read


Russian National Charged in U.S. With Laundering $1.2 Million From Major Healthcare Fraud Scheme
Federal prosecutors have charged Nikolai Buzolin with laundering more than $1.2 million tied to a large-scale healthcare fraud operation. Authorities detained the Russian citizen at Los Angeles International Airport after investigators determined he was preparing to leave the United States on a one-way flight to Moscow following the unraveling of a fraudulent medical equipment scheme. The investigation uncovered what prosecutors describe as a carefully structured attempt to c
Mar 125 min read


Global Shifts in Security and Finance Heighten Risks of Terrorist Funding
Since early 2024, global security dynamics have experienced profound shifts, giving rise to renewed threats and unprecedented geopolitical developments that continue to shape the landscape of modern terrorist financing. The prevailing environment has become a fertile ground for radicalization and violent extremism, affecting both individuals and organized groups, many of which are increasingly calling for financial support. According to the US Treasury, “regardless of ideolog
Mar 124 min read


Sanctioned Associate’s £12.7 Million London Property Purchase Raises Fresh Money Laundering Concerns
Authorities in the United Kingdom are under increasing pressure to examine the flow of illicit wealth into the country’s capital after revelations that a sanctioned individual associated with a global criminal organization acquired residential property valued at £12.7 million. The case centers on Yang Jian, who is linked to the Prince Group and reportedly used a Cypriot passport to establish a British company through which he purchased twelve adjoining homes and seventeen par
Mar 126 min read


CBN Introduces Automated AML Systems to Strengthen Financial Crime Detection
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued new technology-driven regulations requiring banks and other financial institutions to deploy automated anti-money laundering (AML) systems to enhance the detection of suspicious financial transactions. In a circular released on March 10, 2026, titled “Baseline Standards for Automated Anti Money Laundering (AML) Solutions for Financial Institutions in Nigeria,” the apex bank explained that the new policy is designed to improve the m
Mar 113 min read


Italian Financial Police Dismantle Tax Fraud Network in Rome and Viterbo
The Italian financial police, the Guardia di Finanza, have carried out twelve precautionary measures against members of a criminal organization suspected of orchestrating an extensive tax fraud and money-laundering scheme operating in the areas of Rome and Viterbo. The measures were executed following a wide-ranging investigation led by the Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, which targeted individuals accused of criminal conspiracy and the issuance of invoices for transactions
Mar 116 min read


€160,000 Fine Imposed on Alpha Bank Cyprus for Abusive Mortgage Contract Terms
An administrative penalty has been imposed by the Consumer Protection Service (CPS) on Alpha Bank Cyprus for the inclusion of abusive clauses in mortgage loan agreements concluded with consumers. The decision, dated 9 March 2026, stipulates the imposition of a €160,000 fine and requires the bank to immediately discontinue the use of the specific contractual provisions. The sanction forms part of a wider ex officio investigation conducted by the Consumer Protection Service int
Mar 113 min read


U.S. Prosecutors Reach Deferred Prosecution Agreement With Halkbank Over Sanctions Evasion Case
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have finalized a major agreement to resolve the long-running criminal proceedings against Halkbank concerning allegations that the institution helped circumvent international sanctions. The deferred prosecution agreement represents a pivotal moment in a legal battle that had once raised the prospect of multi-billion-dollar penalties against the Turkish state lender. Although the arrangement does not require an immediate payment or impose a def
Mar 114 min read


Russian Court Hands Suspended Sentences to Operators of Illegal Poker Club in Smolensk
A Russian court has chosen not to impose prison sentences on the three individuals behind a high-profile illegal poker club operating in the western city of Smolensk. Instead, the district court issued suspended jail terms ranging from 20 to 22 months, according to a report by Russian media outlet Rabochy Put. The three organizers, whose identities have not been disclosed due to legal restrictions, were also ordered to serve two years of probation. In addition, each of th
Mar 102 min read


Uganda Moves Toward Centralised Payment Gateway for Gambling Sector, With Heavy Penalties Proposed for Non-Compliance
Uganda’s authorities are urging the country’s gambling operators to prepare for the introduction of a proposed Centralised Payment System that could soon reshape how betting transactions are conducted nationwide. The system, which is awaiting parliamentary approval, would impose strict requirements on operators and carries a potential penalty of UGX110 million (€26,268) for those who fail to comply. The proposed payment gateway would be licensed by the Bank of Uganda and
Mar 102 min read


British American Tobacco Faces Shareholder Lawsuit After $635 Million U.S. Sanctions Settlement
More than 100 shareholders have initiated legal proceedings in the High Court of Justice in London against British American Tobacco following the company’s $635 million settlement with American authorities over sanctions violations tied to North Korea. The claim centers on allegations that the tobacco giant failed to provide investors with timely and accurate disclosures about its historical business dealings with the sanctioned regime. According to the plaintiffs, the compan
Mar 106 min read


Taiwan Prosecutors Charge Dozens in $341 Million International Money Laundering Scheme Linked to Prince Holding Group
Authorities in Taiwan have formally brought charges against 62 individuals and 13 corporate entities accused of participating in a vast money laundering operation that allegedly processed more than 341.09 million US dollars in illegal funds. The case was announced after an extensive investigation conducted by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, which uncovered a sprawling criminal network connected to the Cambodia-based Prince Holding Group. Investigators believe the org
Mar 105 min read


Mauritius Gambling Regulator Suspends Bet 593 Ltd as Money Laundering Probe Leads to Director’s Arrest
Authorities in Mauritius have ordered the immediate suspension of betting activities operated by Bet 593 Ltd following an investigation into suspected money laundering. The directive was issued by the country’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) after the regulator completed an internal inquiry and referred the matter to the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC), which subsequently led to the arrest of the company’s director on provisional money laundering charges. The suspe
Mar 92 min read
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