The US Treasury has published its 2022 National Illicit Finance Strategy, addressing the threats, vulnerabilities, and risks to the United States’ financial system identified in March’s National Risk Assessment (NRA). The 32-page document outlines the Treasury’s recommendations on closing regulatory […]
Financial Crime
An internationally coordinated operation has seen the US place sanctions on notorious Irish organized crime group Kinahan, key members of its controlling family, associates, and associated businesses. A $5m reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of gang […]
The USAA Federal Savings Bank (USAA FSB) has been fined $140m after admitting that despite repeated warnings, it willfully failed to implement and maintain an anti‑money laundering (AML) program that met the minimum requirements of the US Bank Secrecy Act […]
Money laundering underpins most forms of organized crime by disguising illicitly-obtained financial assets as “clean” and allowing nefarious groups or individuals to profit from illegal activity. While the amount of money laundered globally in one year is estimated to equal […]
A Chicago woman has been convicted of fraud and tax offenses after cashing her dead grandmother’s pension checks and creating false tax returns. The Justice Department reports that Eunice Salley (aka Eunice Sally Dobyns, aka Oya Awanata-Bey, aka Oya Awanata) […]
The latest set of explosive revelations concerning bank accounts of the rich and powerful has seen Switzerland’s second largest bank, Credit Suisse, face accusations of widespread, systemic failures of due diligence. Suisse Secrets is an international investigation – involving more […]
South Korea’s largest telecom provider is to pay $6.3m to settle a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) action over alleged bribes. KT Corp, which is publicly traded and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, engaged in multiple schemes […]
If there’s one pain point that stands out in the ComplyAdvantage State of Financial Crime 2022 report, it’s cybercrime. Our annual survey of 800 compliance professionals globally asked firms about their biggest compliance-related pain points (Figure 1) – 45% said […]
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) has issued new guidance designed to help firms identify suspicious behavior related to forced sexual servitude. While sex work is largely legal or decriminalized across Australia and subject to regulation, forced sexual […]
Delays by the UK government in introducing legislation to combat economic crime are being questioned in a major new report. The Treasury Select Committee is calling for a raft of measures, including the creation of a new government department to […]
The former CEO of Swedbank has been charged with fraud and market manipulation following investigations into money laundering in the Baltics. If convicted she could face up to six years in prison. Birgitte Bonnesen was chief executive of Sweden’s oldest […]
From regime change in Myanmar and Afghanistan to a spotlight on environmental crime at COP26 and the explosive Pandora Papers leak, 2021 has been another landmark year for compliance professionals. But what events from this year are likely to set […]