December 2, 2021 – raytodd.blog

SON OF FORMER PRESIDENT OF PANAMA PLEADS GUILTY IN CONNECTION WITH INTERNATIONAL BRIBERY AND MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME

A news release from US DoJ on 2 December advised that Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, 39, a citizen of Panama and Italy, and son of former Panama Panamanian President Martinelli, has pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York to laundering $28 million in connection with a massive bribery and money laundering scheme involving Odebrecht SA, a Brazil-based global construction conglomerate. He and his brother, Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares was arrested in Guatemala in 2020, pursuant to a provisional arrest request from the US as they were attempting to depart Guatemala on a private plane. The defendants were charged on 4 February, in a 5-count indictment in connection with this bribery and money laundering scheme. The US continues its efforts to have Ricardo Martinelli Linares returned to the US to face justice.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/panamanian-intermediary-pleads-guilty-connection-international-bribery-and-money-laundering

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UK, US, EU AND CANADA IMPOSE COORDINATED SANCTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE “CONTINUING ATTACKS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN BELARUS”

On 2 December, UK has designated 8 people and Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) Belaruskali, a potash producer said to be a major source of revenue and foreign currency for the Belarusian regime.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1038050/Notice_Belarus_021221.pdf

The US has listed 19 people and 11 entities and 3 aircraft have been identified as blocked property of designated entities. At the same time, OFAC has issued a General License re winding down operations with the Belarusian Potash Company or Agrorozkvit LLC, together with 10 new FAQ.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0512

https://www.state.gov/accountability-for-the-lukashenka-regimes-continued-acts-of-repression-and-disregard-for-international-norms/

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20211202

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/126/belarus_gl5.pdf

17 people and 11 entities have been added to the EU’s Belarus sanctions list, including companies, tour operators and hotels that have contributed to the current EU-Belarus border crisis – re EU Regulation 2021/2124/EU.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/12/02/belarus-eu-adopts-5th-package-of-sanctions-over-continued-human-rights-abuses-and-the-instrumentalisation-of-migrants/

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2021.430.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A430I%3ATOC

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.LI.2021.430.01.0016.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A430I%3ATOC

Canada has designated 24 people (19 of whom are also listed by the US) and 7 entities (all of which were listed by the US).

https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2021/12/minister-joly-announces-additional-sanctions-on-belarusian-individuals-and-entities-in-response-to-ongoing-and-systematic-human-rights-violations.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2021/12/belarus-sanctions.html

VENEZUELAN STOLEN MONEY LEADS TO CARIBBEAN LUXURY PROPERTIES

On 1 December, a report from OCCRP says that people linked to alleged corruption in Venezuela appear to have invested millions in luxury properties in the Caribbean.

https://www.occrp.org/en/openlux/trail-of-venezuelas-stolen-billions-leads-to-caribbean-luxury-properties

CORRUPTING THE ENVIRONMENT: INSIGHTS ON CORRUPTION, THE ENVIRONMENT AND ILLICIT TRADE

The Basel Institute on Governance has published a report containing a collection of insights on corruption, the environment and illicit trade emerges from a monthly webinar series between December 2020 and August 2021. This was a joint initiative of the Basel Institute on Governance and the OECD, and brought together leading voices from the public and private sectors, academia and civil society. In lively panel discussions, they explored critical trends and shared recommendations for addressing the corruption that is destroying our planet and people’s opportunities for sustainable development.

https://baselgovernance.org/publications/corrupting-environment-insights-corruption-environment-and-illicit-trade