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A criminal court in Kuwait has imposed seven-year prison sentences on nine individuals convicted of running an online gambling platform and laundering the proceeds of illegal activity, in what authorities characterised as an organised criminal enterprise. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered each of the nine defendants to pay a fine of KD1m (approximately $3.3m). This brings the combined personal fines to KD9m (around $29.7m). The court also levied a

Bank Negara Malaysia has imposed administrative monetary penalties and compounds amounting to USD 273,614 on four separate entities for breaching statutory requirements related to the reporting of suspicious financial transactions. The enforcement actions involve MBSB Bank Berhad, Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (SME Bank), Boardroom Corporate Services Sdn Bhd, and Ilham Secretarial Services, all of which were found to have fallen short in identifying

South Korea has approved a broad package of regulatory changes aimed at reinforcing the credibility of its capital markets and tightening its anti-money laundering framework, with the Financial Services Commission finalizing the revised rules on January 28, 2026. A central feature of the reforms is a significant expansion of mandatory English-language disclosures for listed companies, a move intended to dismantle long-standing linguistic barriers that have limited internation

A massive money laundering operation that funneled $62 million through automated teller machines across Victoria has been dismantled, resulting in significant prison sentences for the main perpetrators. Victoria Police and federal investigators traced the movement of illicit funds during a period of strict public health restrictions, uncovering a sophisticated network that exploited the convenience of intelligent deposit machines. The probe revealed that three men were respon

A criminal court in Kuwait has imposed seven-year prison sentences on nine individuals convicted of running an online gambling platform and laundering the proceeds through a complex financial network, in a case described by authorities as an organised criminal scheme. In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered each defendant to pay a fine of KD1m (approximately $3.3m). The combined personal fines total KD9m (around $29.7m). The court also levied a separate

New research from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has identified specialised underground groups linked to Chinese money laundering operations that processed more than $16.1bn in transaction volume during the 2025 calendar year. According to the findings, these networks handled an average of roughly $44m per day and relied on at least 1,799 active digital wallet addresses to sustain their activity. Chainalysis said the growth of these organisations has dramatically o

German federal police, together with investigators from the Federal Criminal Police Office, carried out wide-ranging searches at Deutsche Bank’s corporate offices in Frankfurt and Berlin on January 28, 2026. The operation was ordered by prosecutors in Frankfurt and is directed at unidentified managers and employees suspected of breaching national financial laws. Investigators are examining whether the bank enabled transactions for foreign entities connected to individuals und

Argentina’s football establishment has been plunged into one of the gravest crises in its history after the Argentine Football Association (AFA) became the subject of sweeping allegations involving dirty money, serious financial irregularities, and potential money laundering. The controversy has erupted at a particularly delicate time, with the national team building toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the country’s football leadership now facing intense scrutiny both at home

A senior advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly urged the Kremlin to consider legalizing online casino gambling as a way to generate much-needed state revenue. According to Kommersant, a leading Russian newspaper covering politics and business, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov has proposed that Putin authorize iGaming as part of broader efforts to strengthen government finances. The recommendation comes as Russia’s economy faces mounting strain from prolong

French naval forces have detained an Indian ship’s captain following the interception of an oil tanker suspected of operating within the covert maritime network that sustains Russian energy exports. The vessel, the Grinch, was stopped on the high seas and escorted under military supervision to the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, where it arrived on January 25, 2026. The ship’s captain, a 58-year-old Indian national, was taken into custody as part of a criminal investigation led by prose

Banco Santander SA has been ordered to pay a penalty exceeding €40 million following an extensive supervisory review of the anti-money laundering arrangements at its digital subsidiary, Openbank. Spain’s anti-money laundering authority, Sepblac, concluded that there were material weaknesses in the internal procedures and control systems governing Openbank’s operations in Spain. The sanction, one of the largest ever issued by the watchdog, reflects heightened regulatory pressu

Cambodia’s National Bank is intensifying measures to combat cross-border crime and money laundering as the country works to avoid being placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list for a third time, amid ongoing enforcement against the nation’s notorious scam hubs. According to local Chinese-language media outlet The Cambodia China Times, National Bank of Cambodia Governor Chea Serey revealed at the bank’s annual work summary meeting that the institution is bols

Kazakhstan’s government has approved a wide-ranging resolution aimed at significantly reinforcing the country’s safeguards against money laundering, terrorist financing, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in what officials describe as one of the most far-reaching financial security reforms in recent years. The new measures are scheduled to take effect on November 20 and represent a comprehensive overhaul of how financial risks are identified, monitored, and

The European Banking Authority (EBA) and the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism have finalized the full transfer of all anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing mandates and responsibilities, marking a major step forward in the European Union’s efforts to combat financial crime. The completion of this handover brings to a close the stand-alone AML/CFT mandate that the EBA has held since 2020 and represents a key mileston

The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) has published updated evaluations assessing the progress of regional jurisdictions in combating illicit financial activities, reflecting technical compliance re-ratings for Suriname and the British Virgin Islands through May 2025. The reports highlight legislative and operational improvements made by both territories and underscore their efforts to align domestic regulations with international standards for transparency and ri

A specialist money launderer who played a central role in supporting fugitive cryptocurrency fraudster Zhimin Qian has been ordered to repay £5,603,305.81 or face an extended prison term. Seng Hok Ling was sentenced to four years and eleven months in November 2025 after admitting involvement in a sophisticated criminal enterprise. On the same day, the primary defendant, Zhimin Qian, received a sentence of eleven years and eight months for her leadership of the conspiracy. The

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) has mandated an external audit of global payments platform Airwallex following concerns over serious non-compliance with financial crime regulations. AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer Brendan Thomas announced the regulatory action on January 22, 2026, citing potential failures in the company’s management of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) obligations. The audit, conducted under sect

Malaysia’s former army chief and his wife were charged on Thursday (Jan 22) with money laundering offences involving close to RM2.2 million (US$543,000), marking another major development in a widening anti-corruption crackdown within the country’s defence establishment. In separate proceedings at the Kuala Lumpur Special Corruption Court, 58-year-old Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and his wife, Salwani Anuar, 26, were each slapped with four charges under the Anti-Money Launder

Australian regulators and tax authorities have kicked off 2026 with a renewed focus on companies and individuals that have failed to meet their tax obligations, signalling a tougher enforcement approach against unpaid tax debts. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO), alongside the corporate watchdog Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has begun taking action against people responsible for managing corporations that have neglected to pay tax liabilities in

The Korea Customs Service has successfully dismantled a major criminal network that laundered 148.9 billion won through unauthorized digital asset transfers, authorities confirmed. Investigations revealed that three Chinese nationals orchestrated the elaborate scheme by exploiting domestic bank accounts and international cryptocurrency platforms between September 2021 and June of the previous year. The suspects have been referred to the prosecution for serious violations of t