Greek Government Clashes with EU Prosecutor’s Office over Corruption Probe
Greece’s ruling New Democracy party has launched an aggressive campaign against European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruța Kövesi over her office’s investigation into a corruption scandal involving hundreds of millions of euros in European Union farm subsidies.
‘Father’ of Catalan Nationalism Deemed Unfit for €290mn Corruption Trial
A Spanish court has declared former Catalan leader Jordi Pujol, 95, unfit to stand trial in a long-running corruption case alleging his family concealed as much as €290 million in illicitly obtained wealth in Andorra
Web of Shell Firms Tie Trump Operative to Russian Money in Albanian Politics
A network of shell companies tied to sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska helped finance an Albanian conservative party’s hiring of a former Donald Trump campaign operative ahead of Albania’s 2017 general election.
EU to Adopt New Russia Sanctions Package after Hungary Lifts Veto
European Union member states have agreed a new sanctions package against Russia after Hungary lifted its veto, clearing the way for measures targeting Russian oil transport, banks, crypto platforms, and trade in restricted goods.
Suspicious Gamblers Laundered Up to $144mn in Sydney Mega Club
Mounties, one of Australia’s largest club groups, allowed 13 customers to launder as much as A$226 million ($144 million) through poker machines over five years.
DOJ Hits Southern Poverty Law Center with Financial-Crime Charges
The U.S. Justice Department indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on charges that the civil-rights organization fraudulently paid informants inside extremist groups and concealed those payments with bank accounts opened for nonexistent companies.
Republicans Threaten FinCEN’s Budget over Corporate Transparency Rule
U.S. House Republicans are threatening to block all funding for the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) until the agency finalizes a rule requiring companies to report beneficial ownership information.
A Decade on, Nordic Banks Emerge from Russian Money-Laundering Scandal
Nordic banks are finally beginning to move past the Baltic money-laundering scandal that engulfed the region’s financial sector, after nearly a decade of probes, fines, management upheaval, and costly compliance overhauls.
Telegram Hosts a Sanctioned Marketplace Tied to Child Sex Trafficking, Forced Labor
Telegram is still hosting Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language black market that British officials have levied sanctions on and accused of facilitating crypto scams and human trafficking.
Bessent Says E.O. on Banks Collecting Citizenship Proof Is ‘in Process’
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said an executive order that would require banks to collect proof of citizenship from customers is “in process,” Bloomberg reported, describing a potentially sweeping new compliance mandate for U.S. financial institutions.