Brazil’s PCC Has Grown from a Prison Gang to a Cocaine Superpower
Brazil’s First Capital Command, or PCC, has expanded from a prison gang founded in Sao Paulo state in 1993 into what authorities describe as the largest criminal group in the Americas, with some 40,000 members and affiliates operating in nearly 30 countries.
New York Sues Coinbase and Gemini over ‘Event Contract’ Wagers
New York Attorney General Letitia James sued crypto exchanges Coinbase and Gemini on Tuesday, accusing them of operating prediction markets that violate state gambling laws.
U.S. Blacklists Network Allegedly Linked to Iran’s Arms Procurement
The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday imposed sanctions on 14 individuals, entities, and aircraft in Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates that it said were involved in arming Iran with missiles and drones.
Congo to Restrict USD Transactions in Bid to Leave FATF Gray List
The Democratic Republic of Congo will begin restricting cash transactions in U.S. dollars from next April in an effort to curb money laundering, strengthen oversight of the financial system, and rebuild confidence in the Congolese franc.
Ex-Swedbank CEO’s 2024 Conviction Overturned by Swedish Supreme Court
Sweden’s Supreme Court has acquitted former Swedbank chief executive Birgitte Bonnesen, overturning the only prison conviction handed to a senior Nordic banker in connection with one of Europe’s biggest money-laundering scandals.
U.S. Extends Lapsed Sanctions Waiver on Russian Oil Sales
The Trump administration has extended for about a month a sanctions exemption covering some Russian oil already at sea, reversing course just two days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would not renew the waiver.
ENRC Wants $168mn for Mishandled SFO Probe That Spanned a Decade
Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation is seeking more than $168 million in compensation from the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO), law firm Dechert, and former Dechert partner Neil Gerrard over losses it says arose from a decade-long criminal investigation.
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.
EU to Impose Sanctions on Entities Blocking the Strait of Hormuz
The European Union will widen the criteria for its Iran sanctions regime to include people and entities responsible for obstructing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Five Banking Giants Tied to Alleged Iran Sanctions-Evasion Scheme
Five of the world’s largest banks have been drawn into allegations that they unwittingly processed payments tied to a sanctions-evasion and money-laundering scheme benefiting Iran.