In Sweeping Reorganization, DOJ to Disband Cartel Task Force, Merge Money-Laundering Section
The U.S. Justice Department will shut down its flagship anti-cartel task force as part of the most far-reaching DOJ shakeup in two decades, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.
Congress Expected to Subpoena Banks Linked to Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein remained embedded in Wall Street’s elite financial networks in the years before his 2019 death, maintaining accounts at more than 20 banks and executing large transactions with prominent investment firms, according to new reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
Report Alleges Trump’s Ambassador Shielded Bukele From Investigation
A previously undisclosed report by the Inspector General for the U.S. State Department and officials interviewed by ProPublica allege that former Ambassador to El Salvador Ronald D. Johnson protected Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele from American and Salvadoran law enforcement efforts.
SWIFT to Launch Blockchain to Facilitate Stablecoin Payments
International payments cooperative Swift will launch a permissioned blockchain to route transactions among global banks as part of a bid to modernize cross-border payments and blunt the rise of dollar-pegged stablecoins.
FinCEN Pushes Real-Estate Reporting Enforcement to 2026
The U.S. Treasury Department has postponed enforcement of its new residential real-estate reporting rule until March 1, 2026, issuing a temporary exemptive order to give the industry more time to prepare.
Money Laundering Tied to Pig-Butchering Scams is Increasingly Sophisticated, Report Finds
Pig-butchering schemes have scaled into a multibillion-dollar criminal industry, according to a new report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic cited by CoinDesk.
U.S. Drug Prosecutions Fall to Decades Low as Money-Laundering Cases Plummet: Report
U.S. federal prosecutions for drug crimes have fallen to their lowest level in decades this year after the Trump administration redirected agents to immigration enforcement, according to a Reuters analysis.
Chinese Crypto-Launderer Pleads Guilty in London Court
A woman accused of running a multibillion-pound investment fraud in China has pleaded guilty in London to laundering bitcoin linked to the scheme.
Ex–Nodus Chair Pleads Guilty to $13.6 Million Fraud
The former chairman of the board at Puerto Rico–based Nodus International Bank, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a $13.6-million scheme that contributed to the institution’s 2023 collapse.
Ex–Ronald McDonald House Director Charged with Stealing from Charity
The former executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Marshfield, Wisconsin, has been charged with taking over $100,000 from the nonprofit.