Bipartisan Bill Would Make Russian Mercenaries Foreign Terrorists
A bipartisan coalition of U.S. House lawmakers has introduced legislation that would order the State Department to add Russian mercenary groups to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
EU May Ban Crypto Payments Tied to Russia, Restrict Exports for Kyrgyzstan
The European Commission has proposed a blanket ban on cryptocurrency transactions linked to Russia and new trade restrictions on Kyrgyzstan in an effort to close loopholes used by Moscow to fund its war in Ukraine.
HSBC and Barclays Face $12bn Lawsuit Linked to Epstein and Jersey Trust
HSBC and Barclays are facing a $12-billion civil lawsuit involving a now-defunct Jersey trust that has been linked in proposed U.S. legislation to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, The Times reported.
U.S. Targets Hezbollah Ties to Gold Exchange and Financiers
The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a Lebanon-based gold exchange company and a network of individuals behind a procurement and commodities shipping scheme purportedly tied to Hezbollah.
OFAC Lets U.S. Firms Supply Equipment and Tech for Venezuela Oil
The Trump administration on Tuesday authorized U.S. companies to supply Venezuela with equipment, technology, and other support for oil and gas production, issuing a new general license that expands what American firms can do in the country’s energy sector.
Two Wall Street Firms Continued to Work with Russian Oligarch Despite Sanctions
Two Wall Street firms continued to manage a trust held on behalf of Suleiman Kerimov even after the Russian oligarch was blacklisted under U.S. sanctions in 2018, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Bill Would Take on Criminals Seeking to Circumvent AML Laws
Two U.S. senators reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would subject informal-value transfers and blank checks to anti-financial crime laws and strengthen the hand of prosecutors pursuing money-laundering charges.
FCA to Expedite Approval of Defense Funds as Europe Aims to Rearm
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will fast-track approvals for defense-focused investment funds in an effort to make it easier for investors to access stocks and bonds tied to Europe’s accelerating rearmament.
Trump Imposed Terrorist-Grade Sanctions on U.N. Rapporteur and ICC Staff
The Trump administration placed a U.N. human-rights expert and multiple International Criminal Court officials on a U.S. sanctions blacklist typically reserved for terrorists and major criminals, according to a Reuters investigation.
Citi Sees End to Consent-Order Work in 2026
Citigroup executives are increasingly optimistic they can complete the compliance work tied to the bank’s major regulatory consent orders later this year, according to Reuters.