Halkbank Granted 90-Day Stay in U.S. Criminal Case Amid DPA Talks
A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday granted a 90-day pause in the criminal case against Turkey’s state-run Halkbank, a first step toward a possible dismissal of charges that the bank helped launder billions of dollars in Iranian oil and gas proceeds.
As Chen Zhi’s Pig-Butchering Empire Grew, So Did His Financial Footprint
Once celebrated as a philanthropist and real estate magnate, Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi built a web of political influence and banking relationships that helped shield what authorities now describe as a vast transnational scam and gambling syndicate.
West Africa’s Growing Role in the Global Cocaine Supply Chain
West Africa has become a major and expanding logistics, warehousing, and redistribution hub in the global cocaine trade, with the market in the region larger than ever and increasingly damaging to public health, governance, and security.
European Defense Giant Failed to Disclose NATO Corruption Ban
European defense company Czechoslovak Group failed to tell investors before its January stock market debut that a Spanish ammunition subsidiary had been suspended by NATO’s procurement agency amid a widening corruption investigation.
FATF Flags Dirty-Money Risks of Offshore VASPs
Gaps in the international oversight of offshore virtual-asset firms have made it possible for criminals to commit large-scale fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing beyond the reach of most supervisory bodies, according to FATF.
U.S. Launches New Probe into Binance Transfers Linked to Iran
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Iran’s use of Binance to evade U.S. sanctions, according to new reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
FinCEN Expands Southwest-Border Geographic Targeting Order
FinCEN said Tuesday it has expanded a geographic targeting order (GTO) along the Southwest border, extending the measure into New Mexico for the first time and adding Maricopa and Pima counties in Arizona.
DOJ Outlines Path to Non-Prosecution for Corporate Crimes
The Justice Department released its first department-wide corporate enforcement policy for criminal matters, establishing a uniform framework for how prosecutors handle corporate cases across the department, except antitrust matters.
Hospice Fraud is Growing in LA County Despite Crackdown
Signs of hospice fraud in Los Angeles County are worsening despite a state crackdown, with more than 700 of roughly 1,800 licensed hospices in the county showing multiple warning indicators identified by California auditors.
Cambodia’s Scam Trade May Prove Largely Unaffected by Crackdown
Cambodia’s crackdown on cyber scam compounds has disrupted operations in Phnom Penh and elsewhere, but the multibillion-dollar industry is already showing signs of revival.