|
A 93-Year-Old Former Belgian Diplomat Faces Trial for Crimes Committed in the Congo and the Effectiveness of International Law Enforcement for Colonial Era Crimes |
In March 2026, a Brussels court ordered a former Belgian diplomat, Étienne Davignon, to face trial for war crimes for his role in the 1961 assassination of Patrice Lumumba, an anticolonial... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
4 |
2026-04-03 |
Belgium, Congo |
Assassination, Human Rights, War Crimes |
|
South Africa Arrests Five Suspected of Recruitment of Nationals into the Russian Military |
On November 27 and 28, 2025, officers from South Africa’s elite Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested four men at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport,... |
Chloe Fontenelle |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-02 |
Russia, South Africa |
Arrest, International Law, Mercenaries |
|
Rio Police Bust Major Wildlife Trafficking Network |
In late September 2025, the State of Rio de Janeiro initiated an anti-wildlife trafficking operation that rescued over 800 wild animals. The animal rescue mission, known as Operation S... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-30 |
Brazil |
Law Enforcement, Organized Crime, Wildlife Smuggle |
|
French Raid on X Highlights Debate on Free Speech |
On February 3, 2026, French police raided X premises in Paris, and prosecutors issued a summons for the social media company’s owner, Elon Musk. The raid follows a larger investigation by the... |
Gavin Neff |
42 |
3 |
2026-02-20 |
France, United States |
Cybercrime, Regulation |
|
U.S. President Issues Executive Order against Foreign Persons Committing Cybercrime and Fraud against Americans |
On March 6, 2026, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) directing relevant executive branch officials to take action to combat cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes targeting... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
4 |
2026-03-13 |
United States |
Cybercrime, Fraud |
|
UN Commission Holds Russia Accountable for Deportation of Ukrainian Children as Crimes Against Humanity |
On March 12, 2026, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine submitted its latest report to the United Nations Human Rights Council (OHCHR) at the sixty-first session.
|
Michael Plachta |
42 |
4 |
2026-03-13 |
Russia, Ukraine |
Crimes against Humanity, Human Rights, United Nations |
|
European Union Adopts New Instrument to Combat and Prevent Corruption |
On March 26, 2026, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a legislative resolution, which approves a new directive establishing a harmonized criminal law framework to prevent and combat corruption... |
Michael Plachta |
42 |
4 |
2026-04-03 |
European Union |
Corruption, European Union |
|
DOJ Charges Two Colombian Nationals with Human Smuggling |
On December 18, 2025, two Colombian nationals, Hernando Manuel De La Cruz Rivera Orjuela (alias “El Patrón”) and Luis Enrique Linero Pinto (“El Calvo”), made their... |
Austin Wahl |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-02 |
Colombia, United States |
Charged with Crimes, Conspiracy, Human Trafficking |
|
Russian Basketball Player and French Researcher Released in Rare Russia-France Prisoner Exchange |
In a prisoner swap facilitated on January 8, 2026, Russia and France agreed to release an imprisoned French researcher in exchange for the return of a detained Russian basketball player, in... |
Chloe Fontenelle |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-30 |
France, Russia, United States |
Extradition, International Cooperation |
|
A Kingpin’s Extradition Signals Renewed International Enforcement Cooperation Between Colombia and the United States |
In early February 2026, Colombian authorities began extradition procedures for an infamous kingpin and leader of the La Inmaculada cartel, Andres Felipe Marín Silva, to the United States (U.... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
3 |
2026-02-20 |
Colombia, United States |
Drug Enforcement, Extradition, International Cooperation |
|
Cartel Broker and Fentanyl Kingpin ‘Brother Zhang’ Arrested in Cuba |
Zhi Dong Zhang, a Chinese national and Mexican citizen with various aliases, such as “El Chino” and “Brother Wang,” has been extradited into United States (U.S.)... |
Austin Wahl |
41 |
12 |
2025-11-07 |
Cuba, Mexico, United States |
Detention, Drugs & Trafficking, Extradition, International Cooperation |
|
U.S. Supreme Court Permits Trump Administration to Deport Migrants to South Sudan |
On July 3, 2025, the United States (U.S.) Supreme Court in an unsigned order permitted the Trump administration to deport eight men who had spent more than one month under guard on a U.S. military... |
Bruce Zagaris |
41 |
8 |
2025-07-11 |
United States |
Immigration |
|
U.S. Notifies its Withdrawal from Int’l Center to Prosecute Aggression against Ukraine and Ends Support for Database on Accountability for War Crimes |
On March 17, 2025, the United States Department of Justice informed Michael Schmid, president of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (EUROJUST), that the United States is... |
Bruce Zagaris |
41 |
4 |
2025-03-20 |
Russia, Ukraine, United States |
War Crimes |
|
Ex-Philippine Mayor Given Life Sentence for Human Trafficking |
On November 20, 2025, Alice Leal Guo, the first-ever female mayor of Bamban — a Philippine city a little over 100 miles north of Manila — was sentenced to life in... |
Austin Wahl |
41 |
12 |
2025-12-05 |
China, Philippines |
Corruption, Human Trafficking, Sentencing |
|
The Case of Vladimir Plahotniuc: How Europe’s Unique Geopolitical Quirks Enable Deep-Rooted Corruption in a Tiny Post-Soviet Republic |
On July 22, 2025, Greek authorities detained infamous Moldovan oligarch, Vladimir Plahotniuc, and another unnamed Moldovan citizen in response to Plahotniuc’s placement on Interpol’s... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
41 |
8 |
2025-08-01 |
Greece, Moldova |
Corruption, White Collar Crime |
|
Council of Europe Acts on Fighting Corruption While Respecting the Rule of Law |
On April 9, 2025, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution and recommendation: Respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption within the Council... |
Michael Plachta |
41 |
5 |
2025-04-10 |
European Union, Europe |
Corruption, Council of the European Union |
|
United States and China Engage in Prisoner Swap |
The United States and China have furthered their diplomatic relations through a recent prisoner swap. The swap secured the release of three Americans who, per the United States government, had been... |
Simran Pandey |
41 |
1 |
2024-12-20 |
China, United States |
Transfer of Prisoners |
|
Equatorial Guinea Requests United Nations Court Obstruct the Sale of Confiscated French Mansion |
On July 15, 2025, lawyers representing the government of Equatorial Guinea pushed United Nations (U.N.) judges to prevent France’s sale of a luxury Parisian mansion, claiming that this action... |
Chloe Fontenelle |
41 |
9 |
2025-08-22 |
Equatorial Guinea, France |
Corruption, International Courts |
|
Crypto Enforcement Overhaul: Shift from Policing Platforms to Investor Protection |
On April 7, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memorandum (the “Memorandum”) to all Department of Justice (DOJ) employees, announcing a significant shift in the... |
Christina Gotsis and Jason Gottlieb |
41 |
5 |
2025-05-05 |
United States |
Bank Secrecy, Financial Enforcement |
|
U.S. Agrees to Share $52.8 Million in Forfeited Corruption Proceeds with Nigeria |
On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement, [1]in which the U.S. agreed to transfer approximately $52.88 million in... |
Bruce Zagaris |
41 |
2 |
2025-01-17 |
Nigeria, United States |
Asset Forfeiture, Asset Seizure |
