Day: July 21, 2019

21^st July 2019

PANAMA MOVES TO STRIP TANKER OF FLAG AFTER GULF INCIDENT

On 21^st July, The National amongst others reported that Panama’s maritime authority had begun the process of withdrawing the registration of an oil tanker MT Riah that was towed to Iran after it disappeared from ship tracking maps in the Strait of Hormuz on July 14^th.  This follows the case of the Iranian oil tanker Grace 1 which is accused of violating EU sanctions on Syria – Panama said that  the Grace 1 had been removed from its registry on May 29^th.  Panama’s maritime authority had already said that it would withdraw use of its flag from more vessels that violate sanctions and international legislation, following the removal of about 60 ships linked to Iran and Syria from the Panamanian registry in recent months.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/gcc/panama-moves-to-strip-tanker-of-flag-after-gulf-incident-1.888697

UK AND CAYMAN INVESTIGATE GOLD SMUGGLING SCHEME

The Cayman Compass reported on 20^th July that the NCA is working with Cayman Islands authorities to investigate the  of gold seized at London’s Heathrow airport on 1^st June and thought to be part of South American drug cartel operation that used the Cayman Islands.

https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/07/20/uk-cayman-investigate-gold-smuggling-scheme/

IRELAND: CHANGES TO GAMBLING LAW IS FUELLING FEARS OF MONEY LAUNDERING

An article in the Irish Independent on 21^st July said that gambling bodies are concerned an increase in the maximum wager allowed on betting machines would lead to increased money laundering, and would enable criminals to place bigger bets and make greater gains on their wins if they look to conceal money generated through crime.  Under the original provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries Bill, the stakes would rise from 3 cents per spin to €10.  The amendment allowing for the increase was withdrawn before the Dail took its summer break but is set to be revisited in September.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/changes-to-gambling-law-is-fuelling-fears-of-money-laundering-38330930.html

‘WOLF OF WALLSTREET’ MOVIE PRODUCER RETURNS $14 MILLION WORTH OF GIFTS BOUGHT WITH 1MDB FUNDS

The Independent in Singapore reported on 20^th July that movie producer Joey McFarland, who made the “The Wolf of Wall Street”, is returning to the Malaysian government millions of dollars in gifts and company funding allegedly given by Low Taek Jho in the wake of a money laundering scandal involving his movie production company, Red Granite Pictures.  The items include a vintage French “King Kong” poster, a Jean-Michel Basquiat art piece and several luxury watches altogether worth $14 million.  The co-founder of Red Granite Pictures, ex-prime minister Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz, has been arrested and faces 5 charges of money laundering after being accused of misappropriating $248 million in 1MDB funds.

http://theindependent.sg/wolf-of-wallstreet-producer-returns-usd14-million-worth-of-gifts-bought-with-1mdb-funds/

FORMER MALDIVES PRESIDENT PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES OF MONEY LAUNDERING

Reuters on 21^st July reported that Abdulla Yameen, the former president of the Maldives, has pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering.  He is accused of receiving $1 million of government money through a private company, SOF Private Ltd, which has been implicated in a corrupt deal to lease tropical islands for hotel development.

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-maldives-trial/former-maldives-president-pleads-not-guilty-to-charges-of-money-laundering-idINKCN1UG0LZ

MALTA: JUDGE ORDERS PROSECUTION TO SPEED UP OIL SANDAL CASE

Malta Today on 21^st July reported that a judge has ruled that the Attorney General is breaching the fundamental human rights of 2 men by delaying their case for over 6 years and ordered the prosecution to close its evidence by the end of 2019.  2 business partners in bunkering firm Island Bunker Oils had been charged with corruption and money laundering.  However, although proceedings began with great momentum, this soon dwindled and no progress was registered in the case for 6 years.

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/court_and_police/96411/enemalta_oil_scandal_judge_orders_prosecution_to_speed_up_case?src=ilaw#.XTSvIHdFx9C

MOLDOVA HAS SUSPENDED ITS CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT (CBI) PROGRAMME

On 21^st July, Kenneth Rijock in his blog reported that Moldova had said on 17^th July that it had suspended its new Citizenship by Investment programme, known as MCBI, “pending further review”.  Applications that have already been approved will be completed, but no new application shall be accepted at this time.

http://rijock.blogspot.com/2019/07/moldiva-suspends-its-new-citizenship-by.html

CHINA TO TACKLE CORRUPTION IN BELT AND ROAD PROJECTS AND EMBED ANTI-CORRUPTION OFFICIALS

On 18^th July, the FT reported that the Chinese Communist party’s top graft inspector plans to expand its anti-corruption campaign overseas by embedding officers in countries participating in projects.

https://www.ft.com/content/a5815e66-a91b-11e9-984c-fac8325aaa04

 

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On 26^th June, Illicit Trade reported that the USCG had intercepted a garlic smugglers’ boat.  A cutter had stopped a go-fast vessel that was found to be illegally smuggling more than 3.5 tonnes of garlic (worth around $30,000) from Haiti to the Dominican Republic.  This was the largest seizure of its kind ever made by the US Coast Guard.  Apparently, garlic smuggling is a rising problem across the globe and has had a negative impact on the agricultural industry in the Dominican Republic over the past few years.  The Dominican government took the traffickers into custody to prepare them for prosecution.  The article also says that the smuggling of garlic has become a major issue for economies in SE Asia and Europe, which have been targeted by gangs trafficking huge shipments of the plant from China, which was estimated to be responsible for 72.8% of global garlic exports in 2016.

https://www.illicit-trade.com/2019/06/us-coast-guard-seizes-over-3-5-tonnes-of-smuggled-garlic-from-traffickers-boat-in-caribbean/

This blog is primarily for my own use, to keep informed and up to date. However, if you would like to say thank you (and perhaps help me get a new, better laptop when I am away…) you can “buy me a coffee” at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 19^th July, a release on Mondo Visione from the US DoJ announced that it had signed an addendum to a non-prosecution agreement with Banque Bonhôte & Cie SA, Ltd under the Swiss Bank Program.  The original non-prosecution agreement was signed in 2015.   At that time, Bonhôte reported that it held and managed 63 US-related accounts, with assets under management exceeding $88 million, and paid a penalty of $624,000.  Under the new agreement, Bonhôte acknowledges it should have disclosed additional US-related accounts to the DoJ at the time of the signing of the original non-prosecution agreement.  The Swiss Bank Program of 2013 provided a path for Swiss banks to resolve potential criminal liabilities in the US relating to offshore banking services provided to US taxpayers.

http://www.mondovisione.com/media-and-resources/news/us-justice-department-announces-addendum-to-swiss-bank-program-category-2-non-pr-1/

This blog is primarily for my own use, to keep informed and up to date. However, if you would like to say thank you (and perhaps help me get a new, better laptop when I am away…) you can “buy me a coffee” at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

A news release from Europol on 19^th July advised that Greek police, supported by Europol, dismantled an organised criminal group smuggling migrant from Turkey to Greece and facilitating their secondary movements to other EU Member States.  The criminals used commercial flights in regional airports and the network was providing the migrants with genuine documents which resembled the migrant and/or forged documents.  The gang was even using a specific hair salon in Athens to enhance the resemblance of the migrants to the legal owner of the travel documents.

https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/smuggling-network-creating-look-alikes-busted-in-greece

This blog is primarily for my own use, to keep informed and up to date. However, if you would like to say thank you (and perhaps help me get a new, better laptop when I am away…) you can “buy me a coffee” at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

The Sunday Post on 21^st July carried a feature saying that Scots investigators have helped bust a €200 million scam when tuna fish caught for canning were treated with chemicals before being sold as fresh.  This was a European-wide probe into the operation, while experts warn of a worldwide explosion in food fraud with faked, mis-sold produce generating £11 billion a year.  In the tuna scam, the fish is illegally treated with vegetable extracts containing a high concentration of nitrates to alter the colour and give the impression of freshness, and this can represent a serious risk to public health.  Samples taken from fishing vessels and processing plants across Europe resulted in 51 tonnes of frozen tuna being seized, mainly in Spain, and Scotland is said to be an end-user of tuna products from global imports.  The article also contains a report into the international Operation Opson targeting food fraud.

https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/fraudfraud-notorious-fraud-how-crime-gangs-are-carving-up-11bn-market-in-forged-foodthe-real-meal-or-fake-food/

 

This blog is primarily for my own use, to keep informed and up to date. However, if you would like to say thank you (and perhaps help me get a new, better laptop when I am away…) you can “buy me a coffee” at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

WA Today on 21^st July reported that a guilty plea in a London court has alleged what the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have not said – that Australian construction giant Leighton Holdings bribed its way to a billion-dollar contract in Iraq.  A guilty plea by Basil Al Jarah, Iraq manager for Unaoil, raises the question why not a single former Leighton executive been charged with bribery.  It could mean further investigation into the former Leighton executives who hired or dealt with Unaoil.  If the guilty plea by Jarah and his testimony is correct, the conspiracy continued for almost 2 years after AFP began its probe into the very same bribery.  Court files name Jarah’s alleged co-conspirators as the 3 members of the Ahsani family who managed Unaoil.  The SFO recently dropped criminal investigations against the Ahsanis, but the investigation into Unaoil, the company, continues.  The FBI also continues its own investigation into the company and the Ahsani family.

https://www.watoday.com.au/business/companies/guilty-plea-in-london-exposes-australian-company-for-alleged-corruption-20190721-p52972.html

http://www.fcpablog.com/blog/2019/7/19/uk-enforcement-former-unaoil-partner-pleads-guilty.html

This blog is primarily for my own use, to keep informed and up to date.  However, if you would like to say thank you (and perhaps help me get a new, better laptop when I am away…) you can “buy me a coffee” at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y