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Hui Ka Yan, the founder of Evergrande, has been sentenced to life imprisonment following the collapse of the Chinese property giant that became one of the most prominent symbols of the country's prolonged real estate crisis. The court also ordered the confiscation of Hui's personal property, marking a dramatic conclusion to the criminal case against the businessman who once stood among Asia's wealthiest individuals. Hui, also known as Xu Jiayin, pleaded guilty earlier this ye

Ireland is preparing to introduce a significantly tougher anti-money laundering framework for the gambling industry as part of the country's first National Anti-Money Laundering, Countering Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing Strategy. The reforms are designed to reduce the risk of gambling businesses being exploited to conceal criminal proceeds, strengthen oversight of higher-risk gambling activities and improve the ability of authorities to trace m

Saudi Arabia has introduced additional scrutiny on bank transfers destined for the United Arab Emirates, subjecting some transactions to enhanced checks normally associated with jurisdictions considered higher risk for money laundering and other financial crimes. The measures have reportedly resulted in delays and rejected payments for some businesses and are creating new compliance challenges for companies that regularly move funds between the two Gulf economies. The additio

The Bank of Lithuania has temporarily prohibited UAB Lux International Payment System from providing financial services to both new and existing customers after identifying what it described as serious deficiencies and possible breaches of money laundering and terrorist financing prevention requirements. The intervention was imposed while the central bank conducts an ongoing inspection into the electronic money institution's activities. The restriction was announced on 4 Augu

A Cuban national has pleaded guilty in the United States to participating in an international migrant-smuggling operation that allegedly helped thousands of Cuban nationals enter the country through illegal and fraudulent means while generating substantial criminal proceeds. The case also involved asylum fraud and an extensive money laundering component, highlighting the close financial links between organised migrant smuggling and the movement and concealment of illicit fund

South Korean police have referred eight people to prosecutors in connection with a payment fraud case involving Gmarket customer accounts, alleging that the individuals helped launder criminal proceeds by providing bank accounts used to receive and move funds generated through unauthorised transactions. Investigators have yet to identify the hacker believed to have organised the original scheme and are continuing to trace the movement of the proceeds. The case relates to unau

The United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has rejected Dutch digital bank bunq’s application for a national banking charter, citing significant concerns about the proposed institution’s capitalisation, management experience, business strategy and ability to operate safely and profitably in the U.S. market. The decision represents a setback for bunq’s plans to establish a full banking presence in the United States and highlights the demanding regulatory expec

The UK Government is preparing to strengthen its powers to tackle businesses and premises suspected of being connected to organised crime, money laundering and other forms of illicit activity on the country's high streets. The proposed measures would significantly extend the period for which certain premises can remain closed while investigations are carried out and would give local authorities greater control over the expansion of gambling venues. At the centre of the propos

Ireland's financial sector is facing a growing money laundering threat, with new industry research indicating that illicit financial activity has increased significantly over the past two years and that criminal networks are increasingly turning to digital channels to move and conceal their proceeds. The findings highlight the growing challenge for financial institutions as criminals move away from traditional cash-based methods and increasingly exploit digital payments, fint

A federal jury has convicted a Georgia man for his role in laundering more than $2.7 million obtained through romance scams and other online fraud schemes that targeted victims, including elderly individuals who were persuaded to hand over substantial portions of their savings. The case demonstrates how online fraud networks can rely on financial intermediaries, business accounts and international transfers to convert stolen funds into proceeds that are more difficult to trac

Ireland is introducing new anti-money laundering requirements aimed at strengthening controls within the gambling industry and preventing criminal organisations and terrorist groups from using gambling businesses to disguise and legitimise illicit funds. The measures form part of a broader effort to strengthen Ireland's financial crime framework and bring greater scrutiny to transactions and customers in a sector considered vulnerable to money laundering risks. The new rules

Brazil is introducing a new safeguard for cryptocurrency transactions that will require regulated institutions to delay certain outbound virtual asset transfers for 24 hours before allowing them to proceed. The measure, adopted by the Central Bank of Brazil, is designed to give financial institutions additional time to identify potentially fraudulent or illicit transactions before digital assets leave their control and are transferred to foreign platforms or privately control

A network of companies based in the United Arab Emirates has been identified as playing a central role in financial structures used to move money connected to Iran, highlighting the continuing challenges posed by sophisticated shadow banking and sanctions-evasion arrangements. The networks have been used to facilitate payments linked to Iranian oil and other commercial activities while attempting to conceal the origin and destination of the funds. The structures identified by

The Cypriot passport has strengthened its position in the latest international passport rankings for 2026, rising one place to 13th position in the Henley Passport Index. Cypriot citizens can now travel to 175 destinations without having to obtain a visa in advance, either through visa-free entry or by obtaining a visa upon arrival. The improvement marks a step forward from 2025, when Cyprus ranked 14th globally. Nevertheless, the country remains one position below its highes

World Liberty Financial is facing increased scrutiny after a $100 million purchase of its governance tokens was linked to a businessman who is the subject of an ongoing money laundering investigation in the United Kingdom. The investment, made through an entity connected to the UAE-based Aqua1 Foundation, has raised questions about the source of the funds and the due diligence applied to investors in the Trump-linked cryptocurrency venture. The investment represents the large

Cryptocurrency exchange HTX has come under renewed scrutiny over changes to its on-chain wallet infrastructure, with blockchain intelligence analysis indicating that the platform has repeatedly rotated wallets across several major networks. The activity has raised concerns among compliance professionals because frequent changes to the addresses used to hold and transfer exchange assets can make it more difficult to identify and monitor the financial flows associated with a la

A former Goldman Sachs investment banker has been convicted in the United States for his role in a bribery and money laundering scheme connected to the development and financing of a major power plant in Ghana. The conviction follows a federal trial in which prosecutors presented evidence that the banker used his position, financial expertise and international connections to facilitate payments to Ghanaian public officials while concealing the movement and purpose of the fund

Singapore authorities have charged two individuals for allegedly laundering proceeds derived from impersonation and romance scams, reinforcing the country's continued efforts to combat the movement of illicit funds through personal bank accounts. The case highlights the increasing focus of law enforcement on individuals who knowingly or recklessly facilitate the transfer of criminal proceeds, even when they are not directly involved in committing the underlying fraud. Accordi

Sri Lanka has taken decisive action against unlicensed online gambling by blocking access to 24 betting and gaming websites, including major international platforms such as Stake, bet365, Betway and 1xBet. The move follows a directive issued by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), which instructed all telecommunications service providers across the country to immediately restrict access to the identified websites. The enforcement action was annou

Indian authorities are intensifying one of the country's largest real estate money laundering investigations, with Raheja Developers Chairman Navin M. Raheja and Managing Director Nayan N. Raheja at the centre of a probe involving the alleged diversion of thousands of crores of rupees collected from homebuyers. The investigation, led by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), has resulted in the attachment of assets worth more than ₹1,600 crore as authorities continue tracing funds