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2025 Retrospective |
We at the IELR send you best wishes for the new year. 2025 was momentous for the international enforcement community, and we are grateful to have had you following along with our coverage during... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-23 |
World |
International Law |
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Mexico Sends 37 Nationals Wanted for Serious Crimes to the U.S. |
On January 21, 2026, the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it gained custody of thirty-seven fugitives from Mexico who are defendants in federal criminal cases around... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-23 |
Mexico, United States |
Extradition, International Cooperation, Organized Crime, Transfer of Prisoners |
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U.S. Justice Department Dismisses Case over Commercial Bribery in FIFA |
On December 9, 2025, the counsel for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a brief informing the United States Supreme Court that it was dismissing the criminal case against Hern... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-23 |
United States |
Bribery, Corruption |
|
European Parliament Strengthens the EU Magnitsky-type Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime |
On January 21, 2026, the European Parliament adopted its resolution addressing impunity through European Union (EU) sanctions, including the EU Global Human Rights sanctions regime (so-called... |
Michael Plachta |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-23 |
|
European Union, Human Rights, Sanctions |
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Did the U.S. Plane Resembling a Civilian Plane Used in Boat Strike Violate the Law against Perfidy? |
On January 12, 2026, the New York Times revealed that the United States Department of Defense (DOD) used a secret aircraft painted to appear as though it was a civilian plane in the first attack on... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-23 |
Caribbean, United States |
International Law |
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Individualization of Criminal Involvement Under INTERPOL’s Rules |
In yet another case, the government conducted an investigation that, as it is described in the Commission’s decision, “had led [the government] to the [individual], and upon her... |
Yuriy Nemets |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-16 |
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INTERPOL |
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INTERPOL Adopts Changes to CCF Statute and Rules on the Processing of Data |
At its annual meeting on November 24-27, 2025, in Marrakech, Morocco, the INTERPOL General Assembly (GA) adopted changes to INTERPOL’s Rules on the Processing of Data (RPD) and the Statute of... |
Dr. Ted R. Bromund, Charlie Magri Esq., and Sandra Grossman Esq. |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-16 |
|
INTERPOL, Policy/Directives |
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C$176.9 Million Fine Against Cryptocurrency Exchange From FINTRAC Demonstrates Costs of Non-Compliance |
The C$176.9 million administrative monetary penalty imposed against the Vancouver-based, overseas-operated, cryptocurrency exchange Xeltox Enterprises Ltd., operating under the name Cryptomus, by... |
Simon Grant, Jessica Horwitz, Andrew Bozzato, and Nicole Liu, Bennett Jones LLP |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-16 |
Canada |
Financial Enforcement, Regulation |
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HSBC Agrees to Settle Criminal Cum-Cum Dividend Tax Case |
On January 8, 2026, the French financial prosecutors announced that British-based bank HSBC had agreed to pay a €267.5 million fine to settle criminal charges concerning an alleged dividend... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-01-16 |
France |
Financial Enforcement, Tax Crimes |
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New York Governor Vetoes Entity Transparency for Domestic Companies |
On December 19, 2025, the New York state governor, Kathy Hochul, vetoed a bill that would have obligated domestic (i.e., United States) companies operating in the state of New York to file their... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-09 |
United States |
Counter-terrorism, Financial Enforcement, Money Laundering |
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Over Fifty Delegations Sign Joint Declaration on the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling |
On December 10, 2025, the second International Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling (“the Conference’) assembled in Brussels, hosted by the European Commission... |
Chloe Fontenelle |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-09 |
World |
European Commission, Human Rights, Human Trafficking, Smuggle |
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The Legality of the U.S. Arrest of the Venezuelan President and Wife |
On January 2, 2025, the United States (U.S.) government sent special armed forces into Venezuela to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Shortly thereafter, U.S.... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-09 |
United States, Venezuela |
Arrest, Extradition |
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U.S. Seizures of Venezuela-Linked Oil Tankers Raise Questions About Washington’s Compliance with International and Domestic Law |
On January 7, 2026, the United States (U.S.) military boarded and seized an oil tanker sailing under the Russian flag with alleged ties to Venezuela.[2] In 2024, the U.S. government sanctioned... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-09 |
United States, Venezuela |
International Law, Seizure |
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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 |
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Europol and Law Enforcement Authorities Disrupt Three Cocaine Supply Chains into Europe |
On December 17, 2025, Europol announced that law enforcement authorities in Europe and South America had disrupted efforts by criminal networks to transport cocaine into Europe.
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Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2026-01-02 |
Europe, Latin America and South America |
Drugs & Trafficking, Economic Integration, Europol, Law Enforcement |
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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 |
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Basel AML Index 2025 Shows Stagnation in Global Financial Crime Risk and Growing Relevance of Virtual Assets |
The Basel Institute on Governance released the 14th Public Edition of the Basel AML Index in 2025.[2] The Index provides a comparative assessment of money laundering and related financial... |
Kateryna Boguslavska |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-29 |
World |
Financial Crimes, Money Laundering |
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Bulgarian Court Denies Lebanon’s Extradition Request for Ship Owner in Beirut Port Blast |
On December 10, 2025, a Bulgarian court denied Lebanon’s request to extradite the owner of a ship connected to a cargo of ammonium nitrate, which is alleged to have caused a powerful 2020... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-29 |
Bulgaria, Lebanon |
Extradition, Human Rights |
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Council of Europe Sets to Debate the Immigration Tensions in the Context of the ECHR |
On December 10, 2025, following an Informal Ministerial Conference in Strasbourg on human rights day, the Deputies of the Council of Europe (CoE) Ministers of Justice made unanimously several... |
Michael Plachta |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-29 |
Europe |
European Court of Human Rights, Human Rights, Immigration |
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U.S. Seizes Web Domain Used in $28 Million Bank Account Takeover Fraud |
On December 22, 2025, the United States (U.S.) Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of a web domain and database that criminals employed to carry out a scheme targeting and defrauding... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-29 |
United States |
Cybercrime, Financial Enforcement |