On November 21, 2024, the Pre-Trial Chamber I (PTC) fast-forwarded the proceedings in the Situation in the State of Palestine before the International Criminal Court (ICC). First, the three-judge panel unanimously rejected Israel’s challenge, submitted on September 26, 2024, based on Article 18(1) of the Rome Statute. Second, the same PTC rejected a second challenge, submitted by Israel on September 28, 2024, based on Article 19 of the Statute (lack of jurisdiction). After having “cleared the decks,” finally, on the same day, the PTC issued three arrest warrants against the residing Prime Minister of Israel - Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Minister of Defense of Israel - Yoav Gallant, and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades).

On November 14, 2024, Frank Butselaar pled guilty to one count of aiding or assisting in the filing of a false or fraudulent tax return.  The guilty plea occurred after seven days of trial testimony showing a sophisticated scheme to shelter income offshore on behalf of ultra-high-net-worth individuals.[1]

                The recent extradition of Evgenii Ptitsyn, a Russian national accused of orchestrating the Phobos ransomware operation, marks a significant milestone in the global fight against cybercrime. The United States, leveraging its strong extradition treaty with South Korea, successfully brought Ptitsyn to Maryland to face charges for his alleged involvement in a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) scheme that victimized over 1,000 organizations worldwide.[1] This case highlights the growing sophistication of ransomware operations, the increasing involvement of transnational organized crime, and the necessity of robust international cooperation to address these threats effectively.

                Steven Kalali, a Ugandan lawyer, has filed suit against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The lawsuit is based on allegations of human rights violations in the Makala Central Prison. The claims are rooted in accusing the government of extreme overcrowding within the Prison, abusing inmates, and committing acts of sexual violence against female inmates.[1]

                Europol has issued a stark warning about the increasing recruitment of minors by transnational organized crime (TOC) networks across Europe. This trend, which leverages evolving digital platforms and encrypted communication, has emerged as a deliberate strategy to exploit minors for illicit activities.[1] Europol’s intelligence notification sheds light on this phenomenon – offering both a glimpse into the methods of criminal networks and a call for urgent action by law enforcement and policymakers. Recent data shows that minors as young as 13 are now active participants in nearly every criminal market, including drug trafficking, extortion, and even murder.[2] Anonymous platforms enable recruiters to disguise their activities as financial or social opportunities for vulnerable youth, while encrypted messaging and custom privacy settings allow the creation of channels untraceable by law enforcement. By employing coded language, slang, and influencer-style communication, recruiters create an ecosystem where criminal activities are framed as challenges or games, making them particularly enticing for younger audiences.

                On November 11, 2024, Eurojust announced its participation in a law enforcement operation, resulting in the indictment of thirty-eight persons and the seizure of 2,000 forged works of contemporary art.  The law enforcement takedown was the culmination of a one-and-one-half-year investigation by Italian authorities, working with Eurojust, Belgian, French, and Spanish counterparts.  The dismantling of the network prevented economic damage of € 200 million.[1]

                On August 28, 2024, two Dutch lawyers brought an action in the European Court of Justice to annul provisions of the European Union Anti-Money Laundering regulation as they apply to lawyers.[1]

                On October 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the sanctioning of 275 individuals and entities involved in furnishing Russia with advanced technology and equipment that Russia “desperately needs to support its war machine.”  The sanctions are directed at both individual actors and sanctions evasion networks across 17 jurisdictions, including India, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Switzerland, Thailand, and Türkiye. OFAC is also targeting domestic Russian importers and producers of key inputs and other materials for Russia’s military-industrial base.

                On October 15, 2024, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that found that the majority of recovered firearms in the Caribbean were traced to the U.S. and trafficked through various means. The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) traces the origin of firearms recovered in Caribbean countries at the request of Caribbean law enforcement agencies or ATF officials in the Caribbean.[1]

                On November 12, 2024, a jury in a U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, found a U.S. defense contractor liable for its participation in the torture of three Iraqi men at Abu Ghraib prison in 2003-2004 in the case of Al Shimari et al v. CACI.  The defendant, CACI, was ordered to pay each of the three plaintiffs $3 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages, for a total of $42 million.[1]