DOJ Turns Sights on Mexican Brokers and Crypto Networks Used to Launder Drug Money
The U.S. Justice Department is increasingly targeting corrupt Mexican money brokers in an attempt to disrupt the financial networks used to launder cartel drug proceeds via cryptocurrency and other means, the Associated Press reported.
Mayor of Tequila Arrested in Mexican Corruption Sweep Targeting Cartel-Linked Extortion
The mayor of Tequila, the small Jalisco city widely regarded as the birthplace of bottled tequila, was arrested by Mexican authorities Thursday along with three other municipal officials accused of extorting beer and tequila companies, according to The New York Times.
UK Sanctions Leaders of Sudanese Army and Paramilitary Group over Atrocities
The UK on Thursday imposed new sanctions on six individuals it says are fueling Sudan’s war, including through the recruitment of foreign fighters and financing of military operations.
Top Democrat to Probe Trump’s $500m Crypto Deal with UAE ‘Spy Sheik’
A top Democratic lawmaker has opened a congressional probe into the $500-million investment deal between representatives of Abu Dhabi’s “spy sheik” and the Trump family’s crypto firm World Liberty Financial, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Uzbek Mining Giant Awards $200m in Tenders to Secretive Network of Foreign Firms
Uzbekistan’s state-owned mining giant Almalyk Mining-Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) has awarded more than $200 million in procurement tenders to 10 foreign firms whose ownership and business activity are murky, including companies that reported themselves as “dormant” or “inactive,” OCCRP reported.
Spain’s Top Economic-Crimes Cop and Royal Scion Accused of Running Drug Ring
A Spanish police corruption investigation has widened into a narcotics and money-laundering scandal that links a senior economic-crimes investigator and a son of the Duke of Seville to an international drug-trafficking ring, The Times reported.
Epstein Invested Millions in Coinbase Six Years after Child Prostitution Conviction
Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made an early investment into Coinbase Global Inc. in 2014, putting roughly $3 million into the crypto exchange, according to emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice and reviewed by Decrypt.
U.S. Investigates Sharp Rise in Iran’s Crypto Activity
U.S. investigators are examining whether specific cryptocurrency platforms have helped Iranian officials and state-linked actors evade sanctions as crypto activity in Iran surges, a blockchain researcher with direct knowledge of Treasury’s concerns told Reuters.
Probe Turns Up New Historical Ties Between Credit Suisse and Nazis, Senator Says
A U.S. senator said late Monday that an ongoing investigation into Credit Suisse’s historical ties to Nazi Germany has identified “hundreds” of accounts with potential links to Nazi-era officials and industrialists, including fresh evidence of the bank’s relationship with the SS, Bloomberg reported.
EPPO Launches Investigation into Customs Fraud, Corruption at the Port of Antwerp
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has launched an investigation into suspected customs fraud, corruption and document forgery linked to operations in the Port of Antwerp, alleging a scheme that caused an estimated €11.3 million in lost EU import duties.
