On September 3, 2021, Global Plywood and Lumber Trading LLC (Global Plywood) received a sentence for importing illegally-sourced timber from the Peruvian Amazon into the United States in violation of the Lacey Act.[1]

                On September 1, 2031, Glenn Arcaro of Los Angeles pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in San Diego for his participation in a massive conspiracy involving BitConnect, a cryptocurrency investment scheme, which defrauded investors from the United States and abroad of over $2 billion.  U.S. law enforcement believes the BitConnect scheme is the largest cryptocurrency fraud ever charged criminally.[1] In a parallel action, on September 1, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced civil charges against Arcaro and three others in connection with the same conduct.[2]

On August 4, 2021, the Mexican government filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the District of Massachusetts against six gun manufacturers and one wholesaler in the United States, alleging they have violated U.S. state and federal laws and Mexican laws concerning arms trafficking.  The 139-page complaint alleges that the gun manufacturers design assault-weapons for distribution to narcotics cartels and transnational organized crime groups in Mexico.[1]

On August 27, 2021, the Swiss government approved the extradition to Germany of Hanno Berger, a German lawyer, whom the German government has requested in a tax evasion case.

Ex-leader Mali leaders Moctar Ouane and Bah Ndaw are allegedly detained without cause. The West Africa court of justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is now demanding answers. [1]

In May 2021, Qatar discovered that a Kenyan security guard, Malcolm Bidali, was publishing blogs about migrant work conditions in Qatar. He was held in solitary confinement for three weeks with no access to legal representation and was later released in June. After his release, Qatar charged him with stealing foreign money and spreading disinformation. [1]

On August 24, 2021, the United States Department of Justice announced it will start returning forfeited funds to FIFA, the world organizing body of soccer; CONCACAF, the confederation responsible for soccer governance in North and Central America, among other regions; CONMEBOL, the confederation responsible for soccer governance in South America; and various constituent national soccer federations responsible for soccer governance in South America; and various constituent national soccer federations (collectively, the “Victims”).  The DOJ granted a joint petition for remission filed by the Victims, recognizing losses and granting remission up to a total of more than $201 million.  The DOJ has approved $32.3 million in forfeited funds for an initial distribution.  The amounts approved for remission have been seized and have been or are expected to be forfeited to the U.S. in the Eastern District of New York as part of the government’s investigation and prosecution in international soccer.[1]

In August 2021, U.S. indictments against an international enterprise based in Florida, a man in southern California, and collaboration by countries with Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database has led to the arrest by Guatemalan law enforcement of a suspected prolific child sexual abuser.

On August 20, 2021, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on seven Russian agents for their involvement in poisoning Alexei Navalny, a Russian political oppositionist and anti-corruption figure. These sanctions come on the anniversary of Navalny’s poisoning on August 20, 2020. He was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent that left him hospitalized and in critical condition. [1]

                On June 2 and 3, 2021, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) announced that, due to an unprecedented financial crisis, it would not be able to conclude the judicial proceedings in the two cases currently before the Tribunal and would not be able to operate beyond July 2021.  The Tribunal also suspended all decisions on filings presently before it and any future filings until further notice.[1]