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2025 Retrospective – Compliance Key Developments and Trends in Brazil |
In 2025, Brazilian public institutions intensified measures aimed at strengthening public integrity and tackling corruption. In this context, notable developments included greater coordination... |
Bruno Maeda, Carlos Ayres, Erica Sarubbi, Fernanda Bidlovsky, Beatrice Yokota, Renato Machado de Souza, & Olivia C. Branco |
42 |
3 |
2026-02-27 |
Brazil |
Compliance |
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The Shield of the Americas Summit and American Involvement in Ecuador |
In early March 2026, Ecuador and the United States (U.S.) began coordinated military operations against various criminal gangs across the Andean nation.[2] Currently, Washington is mainly... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
4 |
2026-03-20 |
Ecuador, United States |
|
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Vietnamese National Pleads Guilty in Malaysia to Possessing Protected Wildlife Parts |
On April 11, 2026, Hoang Van Thai, 39, a Vietnamese man, pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing protected wildlife parts without a license. Hoang Van Thai was convicted of possessing 1,022... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
5 |
2026-04-17 |
Malaysia, Vietnam |
Environment, Wildlife Smuggle |
|
U.S. Transfers 14 Mexican Nationals with Drug or Firearm Convictions to Mexico |
On December 9, 2025, the United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) announced that the Office of International Affairs (OIA), with help from the DOJ’s Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP),... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-12 |
Mexico, United States |
Transfer of Prisoners, Treaties |
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EUROPOL Releases its Report “Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment” (IOCTA 2026) |
On April 28, 2026, Europol published the new edition of the “Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment” (IOCTA) 2026, providing an in-depth analysis of the latest trends and... |
Michael Plachta |
42 |
5 |
2026-05-01 |
European Union |
Cybercrime, Europol |
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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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France Enacts Landmark Legislation to Facilitate the Restitution of Colonial Era Cultural Assets: Implications for International Enforcement and Transition of State Assets |
France’s National Assembly and the Senate unanimously adopted an amended version of a landmark bill on April 13, 2026, to facilitate the... |
Abigail Lee |
42 |
6 |
2026-05-21 |
Burkina Faso, France |
Art and Cultural Property, International Cooperation, United Nations |
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UK Office of Financial Sanctions Discusses Ending Sanctions Evasion Through Crypto Assets |
On January 28, 2026, the United Kingdom (UK) Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) discussed the recent blog post by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), which is part of HM... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-02-06 |
United Kingdom |
Economic Sanctions, Financial Crimes |
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“El Mencho,” leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación, is Dead: Takedown Dynamics, Bilateral Intelligence, and the Immediate Security Aftermath |
On February 22, 2026, Mexico’s armed forces executed a high-impact operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, aimed at detaining Rubén “N” (a/k/a “El Mencho”),widely... |
Rodrigo Labardini |
42 |
3 |
2026-02-27 |
Mexico |
Drugs & Trafficking, Law Enforcement, National Security |
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Republic of Congo Gives Life Sentence to Ex-Football Chief over Embezzling FIFA Funds |
On March 10, 2026, a Brazzaville criminal court found former Republic of Congo soccer federation president Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas guilty of embezzling $1.1 million in money from the Féd... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
4 |
2026-03-20 |
Congo |
Corruption, Embezzlement, Sentencing |
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Indonesia Deports Alleged Mafia Boss Wanted by Spain |
On April 7, 2026, Indonesia deported one of Scotland’s highest-profile alleged mafia figures to Amsterdam, ten days after his arrest in Bali. Officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
5 |
2026-04-17 |
Indonesia, Spain |
Deportation, Extradition, INTERPOL, Organized Crime |
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U.S. Court of Appeals Upholds Legality of the Corporate Transparency Act |
On December 16, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion that the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is within the authority of Congress to regulate... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
1 |
2025-12-18 |
United States |
Financial Supervision |
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Legal Implications of a Deadly Crash in Chihuahua Threaten to Strain U.S.-Mexico Relations |
On April 19, 2026, four people, including two United States (U.S.) officers of the Central Intelligence Agency (C.I.A.), were killed in a car crash in Chihuahua state in northern Mexico.[2] ... |
Chloe Fontenelle |
42 |
5 |
2026-05-01 |
Mexico, United States |
|
|
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 |
|
U.S. Persons Found Guilty in Belgian of Cum-Ex Fraud Still Must Face Criminal Trial in Denmark |
In March 2026, the Belgian Court of Appeals found two U.S. advisers guilty of forgery and fraud over a trading scheme employing loopholes to defraud the Belgian government of approximately... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
6 |
2026-05-22 |
Belgium, Denmark |
Financial Enforcement, Tax Enforcement, White Collar Crime |
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Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art to Return 3 Stolen Bronzes to India after Internal Investigation |
On January 28, 2026, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art announced plans to return three sculptures to the Government of India, after conducting an internal investigation and... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
2 |
2026-02-06 |
India, United States |
Art and Cultural Property |
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The Capture of an Olympian-Turned-Kingpin and the Importance of Multinational Law Enforcement Cooperation |
In January 2026, American authorities, working with their Mexican counterparts, apprehended Ryan Wedding, one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, for his role in a multinational cocaine... |
Dimitris Konstantopoulos |
42 |
2 |
2026-02-06 |
Mexico, United States |
Drugs & Trafficking, International Cooperation, Law Enforcement |
|
U.S. Supreme Court Rules IEEPA Tariffs Are Unconstitutional |
On February 20, 2026, the United States (U.S.) Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump imposed through various executive orders. By a 6-3... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
3 |
2026-02-27 |
United States |
Customs, Economic Sanctions |
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U.S. 2026 Money Laundering Risk Assessment Reflects Political Priorities |
In March, the United States (U.S.) Department of the Treasury published the 2026 Money Laundering Risk Assessment (NMLRA). While much of the assessment follows the topics covered by the... |
Bruce Zagaris |
42 |
4 |
2026-03-20 |
United States |
Money Laundering, U.S. Federal Government |
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Former Australian Soldier Charged with War Crimes |
On April 7, 2026, Australian authorities charged a former elite soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, on Tuesday with five counts of war crimes—specifically murder—related to the deaths of Afghan... |
Austin Wahl |
42 |
5 |
2026-04-17 |
Afghanistan, Australia |
Charged with Crimes, War Crimes |
