On August 17, 2107, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced a settlement in a lawsuit against the two psychologists who designed and implemented the CIA’s program to render detainees helpless.  The settlement occurred after the plaintiffs successfully overcame efforts by the psychologists to dismiss the case and a jury trial was scheduled to start on September 5, 2017.

On August 26, 2017, the acting United States Attorney Bridget Rohde of the Eastern District of New York announced the indictment of two French bank managers for participating in a scheme to transmit false and misleading information concerning the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), a global benchmark interest rate to which trillions of dollars of financial transactions are tied. 

On August 24, the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced that it plans to fine the U.S. branch of the Pakistan-based Habib Bank up to $630 million for a series of anti-money laundering violations dating back to 2006.

On July 31, 2017, the Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN) published a comprehensive manual for European countries dealing with the return of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs).

In late November 2013, the president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, announced his country’s decision to suspend its bid for membership in the European Union in favor of maintaining trade relations with Russia. The announcement led to mass protests and deadly clashes between civilians and law enforcement. Yanukovych, several members of his cabinet, and a group of private citizens allegedly linked to his regime left the country. After the new cabinet took over, Ukrainian prosecutors brought charges against Yanukovych, various former government officials, and other individuals.  Ukraine appealed to INTERPOL in order to locate and arrest the former president and others who were facing charges but managed to leave the country. 

The two volumes discuss criminalized power structures (CPS) that pose obstacles to the success of any peace process undertaken during or after a civil war or other period of intense political violence. This review is limited to Volume II.

On August 18, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed in a unanimous opinion written by Circuit Judge Danny J. Boggs the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by Senator Rand Paul and other individuals who claim to be subject to Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR).The suit sought to enjoin the enforcement of FATCA, the IGAs, and the FBAR. The plaintiffs now appeal the dismissal of their lawsuit for lack of standing.

On August 22, 2017, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced the issuance of revised Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) that require U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies used to pay for luxury residential real estate in seven metropolitan areas.[1]  After the recent enactment of the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act, FinCEN is revising the GTOs to include a broader range of transactions, such as transactions involving wire transfers.  FinCEN also extended the GTOs to include transactions conducted in the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii.[2]

On August 11, 2017, Israeli law enforcement officials arrested businessman Beny Steinmetz, acting Bezeq Chairman David Granot, and strategic Consultant Tal Silberstein for questioning in a police investigation of allegations of money laundering.