U.S. Mulls Lifting Some Iran Sanctions to Mitigate Oil-Price Surge
The United States may remove sanctions in the coming days on about 140 million barrels of Iranian oil stranded aboard tankers at sea, according to The Guardian, which cited recent comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
U.S. Blacklists Network Accused of Diverting Over $100 Million to Hezbollah
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday it had imposed sanctions on an international network of 16 people and companies that allegedly diverted more than $100 million to Hezbollah since 2020.
Switzerland Approves Strategy to Fight Dirty Money and Terror Finance
Switzerland has approved its first comprehensive national strategy for fighting money laundering and terrorist financing, the country’s Federal Council announced Friday.
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Belarusian Fertilizer Companies and Bank
The United States has lifted sanctions on three Belarusian fertilizer companies and the country’s state investment bank in exchange for Belarus freeing 250 political prisoners, a move made as the war in Iran continues to drive fertilizer prices higher.
Treasury Staff and Lobbyists Oppose Plan to Make Banks Verify Citizenship
Career officials at the U.S. Treasury Department are pushing back against a Trump administration effort that could require banks to verify customers’ citizenship information, as lenders warn the idea would be costly, difficult to implement, and potentially harmful to the economy.
U.S. Regulators Propose Easing Capital Rules for Lenders
U.S. regulators on Thursday proposed easing bank capital rules, a move that would allow the country’s largest lenders to hold billions of dollars less in capital and mark a major win for the sector.
EU to Publish Plan to Fight Digital Fraud Later this Spring
The European Commission is preparing to unveil an action plan against digital fraud before the summer as it seeks to strengthen the European Union’s response to a surge in online scams and cyber-enabled financial crime.
World Bank Bans Three PwC Units for Fraudulent Practices in Africa
The World Bank has barred PricewaterhouseCoopers network affiliates in Mauritius, Kenya, and Rwanda from providing professional services on bank-financed projects for 21 months after finding they engaged in collusive and fraudulent practices tied to an East African power project.
Mexico’s Newest Cartel Kingpin is an American Citizen
The new leader of Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation cartel is an American citizen, a distinction that could complicate efforts by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies to target him even as Washington and Mexico deepen cooperation against drug traffickers.
Russia’s Shadow-Fleet Broker is Banking on Sanctions Lift and Oil Demand
A trader identified by The Wall Street Journal as a central figure in Russia’s shadow fleet has revived his oil business after the Iran war disrupted supplies from the Persian Gulf and boosted demand for Russian crude that had been stranded at sea.