Mexico Exonerates Ex-Defense Chief and Enacts Law Pausing Enforcement Cooperation with the U.S. |
On November 20, 2021, the Mexican government exonerated its former defense secretary Salvador Cienfuegos of United States corruption charges after enacting legislation pausing law enforcement... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-23 |
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French Donor Contribution to U.S. Alt-Right before Capitol Assault Shows Need to Apply Counter-terrorism Financial Enforcement Tools |
In December 2020, approximately one month before the assault on the U.S. capitol, Laurent B., a French national, transferred the equivalent of € 400,000 to alt-right groups in the United... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-23 |
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U.S. Justice Department Brings Civil Forfeiture Suit Against Kleptocrats |
On December 30, 2020 the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The DOJ is alleging that commercial... |
Kayla DeAlto |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-23 |
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South Korean Court Reverses 2018 Order on “Comfort Women,” Compensates 12 WWII Sex Slaves |
The Seoul Central District Court ordered Japan’s government to pay reparations to the families of 12 women forced to work as sex slaves, also called “comfort women,” during Japan... |
Julia V. Brock |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-23 |
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Trump Administration Reinstates Cuba to List of State Sponsors of Terrorism |
On January 11, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo announced that the Trump Administration has designated Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism “for repeatedly providing support... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-14 |
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Terrorism |
UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs Votes to Remove Cannabis from List of Schedule IV Narcotics |
On December 2, 2020, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted with 27 States in favor, 25 against, and one abstaining, to remove cannabis from its list of Schedule IV narcotic drugs. ... |
Miranda Bannister |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-14 |
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United Nations |
Deutsche Bank Settles FCPA and Commodities Fraud for Over $130 Million |
On January 8, 2021, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (Deutsche Bank) agreed to pay more than $130 million to settle the government’s investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-13 |
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Fraud |
FinCEN Will Require Persons to Report Virtual Currency as Part of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts and Will Require Recordkeeping for Transfers into Crypto Wallets |
FinCEN is moving rapidly for reporting crypto currency and assets in two regulatory projects. FinCEN will require reporting of virtual currency held in a foreign account. In addition, FinCEN will... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-13 |
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ACLU |
Canada Extradites Two Canadians to Face Fentanyl-Trafficking Charges in North Dakota |
On January 6, 2021, two Canadian nationals arrived in North Dakota to face charges concerning the alleged trafficking of fentanyl.[1]
[1] U.S. Department of Justice, Two... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-13 |
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Drug Enforcement, Drugs & Trafficking |
European Commission Adopts a New Counter-Terrorism Agenda and a Proposal for Amending Europol Regulation |
On December 9, 2020, the European Commission presented a new Counter-Terrorism Agenda for the EU to step up the fight against terrorism and violent extremism and boost the EU's resilience to... |
Michael Plachta |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-09 |
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Terrorism |
Congress Passes Anti-Money Laundering Act over President’s Veto |
On January 1, 2020, the Senate voted to override President Trump’s veto of the annual military policy bill (the National Defense Authorization Act – NDAA). Division E of the Act is the... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-09 |
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Money Laundering |
British Court Denies U.S. Extradition Request for Assange Based on Mental Health Concerns Arising Out of Potential U.S. Incarceration |
On January 4, 2020, Judge Vanessa Baraitser of Westminster Magistrates’ Court denied the extradition request of the United States for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 49, because of Assange... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2021-01-09 |
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Extradition |
U.S. Charges Former Senior Libyan Intelligence Officer for 1988 Pan Am Flight 204 Bombing |
On December 21, 2020, high-level United States officials announced new charges against a former Libyan intelligence operative, Abus Agela Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi (Masud), for his role in... |
Bruce zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2020-12-31 |
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Terrorism |
Spain Extradites Canadian Man to the U.S. on Charges of Psychic Mail Fraud Scheme |
On December 21, 2020, Spain extradited to the United States a Canadian citizen accused of directing a decades-long psychic mail fraud scheme. On the following day, the defendant, Patrice Runner, 54... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2020-12-31 |
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Fraud |
Twentieth Anniversary of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime |
The year 2020 marked the 20th anniversary of the adoption and signing of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC or TOC Convention), which had taken place in... |
Michael Plachta |
37 |
1 |
2020-12-31 |
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Organized Crime |
A Holiday Retrospective from the Editor |
We at the IELR send you the best wishes for a warm and joyous holiday season. 2020 was momentous for the international enforcement community, and we are grateful to have had you following along... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2020-12-31 |
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UK Extradites Member of “The Dark Overlord” Hacking Group to the U.S. |
On December 18, 2019, a United Kingdom national, Nathan Wyatt, 39, appeared in United States District Court in St. Louis on charges of aggravated identity theft, threatening to damage a protected... |
Bruce Zagaris |
36 |
1 |
2020-12-30 |
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Fraud |
GOLD LAUNDERING: THE DIRTY SECRETS OF THE GOLD TRADE – AND HOW TO CLEAN UP by Mark Pieth (Elster & Salis Ag, 2019, 299 pp.) |
The book gives a critical look at international efforts to regulate the gold supply chain, including soft law and self-regulation. The book shows the international community has not yet... |
Bruce Zagaris |
36 |
1 |
2020-12-28 |
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Book Review |
SNC-Lavalin Pleads Guilty to Corruption-Related Fraud |
On December 18, 2019, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. settled criminal charges concerning the work it did in Libya with its construction division, pleading guilty to one count of fraud and ending a long-... |
Bruce Zagaris |
36 |
1 |
2020-12-27 |
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Fraud |
U.S. Indicts Kenya National for Conspiring to Hijack Aircraft on Behalf of al Shabaab |
On December 16, 2020, the United States Department of Justice announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Cholo Abdi Abdullah with six... |
Bruce Zagaris |
37 |
1 |
2020-12-24 |
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