The protests continue, and the teachers strike seems to be expanding – though only in the public (state) schools, we passed a private one yesterday and it seemed to be in full flow.
Meanwhile, though the news seems to mention more cases of dengue and hantavirus, a reminder today that Covid-19 is still around, with one of the corregimientos registering an increase in actie cases being the one in which we live.
29 JULY 2022
NEW BOOK BY ONE OF FRANCE’S LEADING SECURITY EXPERTS: AN A-Z THAT ANALYSES THE FUNDING MECHANISMS USED BY TERRORISTS
Senator Nathalie Goulet has spent the past decade working on the terror threat in France, gaining insight into the extent of terrorist infiltration of lucrative markets, such as art, arms, drugs, counterfeiting, crowdfunding, and cryptocurrency. The book is in French (naturellement!)
https://www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats/livres/taper-les-terroristes-au-portefeuille-1397551
UK COMPANIES HOUSE CORPORATE PLAN 2022 TO 2023
On 26 July, Companies House published its Corporate Plan which sets out the work it plans to do to progress towards its strategic goals – including the new Register of Entities. It also looks forward to a further Economic Crime Bill, which will enhance the agency’s powers to query information, increase checks to verify identities, and introduce measures to improve the exchange of intelligence between Companies House and UK law enforcement bodies
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/companies-house-corporate-plan-2022-to-2023
CREDIT SUISSE UNIT AGREES TO PAY BONDHOLDERS $22.6 MILLION IN BRIBERY CASE
On 22 July, media carried a Reuters report saying that the bank’s European subsidiary, Credit Suisse Securities Europe, had pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud investors in Mozambican bonds has agreed it owes them $22.6 million in restitution.
https://fcced.com/credit-suisse-unit-agrees-to-pay-bondholders-22-7-2022/
INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST NGO AKSI CEPAT TANGGAP (ACT)
On 15 July, the Jakarta Post reported that the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) was investigating suspicious transactions involving the philanthropic body. The allegations include taking more than permitted for pay of its executives and the potential of links between payments made and terrorism – after an Indonesian who received funds was arrested in Turkey on suspicion of being linked to Al-Qaida.
https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2022/07/14/poor-act-of-philanthropy.html
DUTCH REGULATOR TO INVESTIGATE ONLINE LOTTERIES
On 28 July, iGB reported that the KSA had launched an investigation into lottery operators that are “increasingly adding online game elements to their offering”, something they are not licensed to do.
https://igamingbusiness.com/lottery/online-lottery/dutch-regulator-to-investigate-online-lotteries/
UK AUDIT REGULATOR HANDS DOWN RECORD FINES FOR AUDIT FAILURES
On 28 July, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Financial Reporting Council said financial sanctions during the year ended 31 March totalled £46.5 million before settlement discounts, up from £16.7 million the year before. It also said it resolved more cases than in previous years.
CHINA: MINISTER IN CHARGE OF TECH REGULATION UNDER INVESTIGATION
On 28 July, the Wall Street Journal reported that China’s anti-corruption investigators have opened a probe into Xiao Yaqing, a government minister who plays a leading role in managing the country’s strategic semiconductor and digital technology sectors — and one of the highest-ranking officials to be targeted in Xi Jinping’s crackdown on graft in recent years.
THE MYSTERIOUS STORY OF A VENEZUELAN CARGO AIRCRAFT DETAINED AT BUENOS AIRES’S MAIN AIRPORT AND POSSIBLE LINKS WITH IRAN’S ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS
On 29 July, the Wilson Center carried a post about, in June, a Boeing 747 cargo Jumbo Jet belonging to EMTRASUR, a subsidiary of Venezuelan state-owned airline CONVIASA, having landed in Buenos Aires, apparently bringing auto parts from Mexico. It needed to refuel, as it no longer was able to make it to its planned refuelling stop in Bolivia. Denied fuel in Argentina over concerns about US sanctions against Venezuela, the plane departed 2 days later for Uruguay or Paraguay, but it was not permitted to land in either country and instead, it returned to Buenos Aires, where it remained. Airport Security Police searched the aircraft. It emerged that it had been purchased by the Venezuelan state-owned airline from an Iranian state-owned airline. Aboard were not only 12 Venezuelans, but also 7 Iranians. Argentine authorities detained the plane and seized the crew’s passports while judicial authorities investigated. They identified one member of the crew as an Iranian linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is said that authorities were hard pressed to explain the presence of the Iranians, and why the airplane had been allowed to land in Argentina while Uruguay and Paraguay were unwilling to let it enter their territory.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/argentina-mysterious-plane
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO RESERVES $545 MILLION FOR US SANCTIONS SETTLEMENT
On 28 July, Compliance Week reported that BAT had set aside the funds for the resolution of an investigation into apparent sanctions violations by the DoJ and OFAC.
GAFILAT: PARAGUAY MUTUAL EVALUATION APPROVED AND NOT PLACED ON GREY LIST
On 29 July, various media in Paraguay reported that the FATF-style regional body had approved the report, which followed an on-site visit last year, but that monitoring of Paraguay would continue. The report is said to be due to be published within a month. The decision was announced in Ecuador, where the XLV Plenary and meeting of Working Groups of GAFILAT was held.
https://es-us.vida-estilo.yahoo.com/abdo-ben%C3%ADtez-celebra-paraguay-super%C3%B3-023901509.html
EU ADDS 2 NEW SUBSTANCES TO ITS PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS LIST
EU Commission Delegated Directive 2022/1326/EU has added 2-(methylamino)-1-(3-methylphenyl)propan-1-one (3-MMC) and 1-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)propan-1-one (3-CMC) to the Annex to Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA.
UK: GENERAL LICENCE FOR WIND-DOWN OF BUSINESS WITH ROSBANK
HM Treasury issued an updated version of the General Licence, extending its scope to 30 September.
INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION INTO PARAGUAY’S HORACIO CARTES
On 28 July, an article from Insight Crime says that former Paraguay president, Horacio Cartes, is facing the worse moment of his political career: accused of money laundering at home, he also has US authorities on his tail.
https://insightcrime.org/news/paraguay-inside-investigation-horacio-cartes/
VENEZUELAN SPY AND ALLEGED DRUG TRAFFICKER LINKED TO LUXURY FLATS IN BARCELONA
An article from OCCRP on 28 July says that Pedro Luis Martin Olivares is a former Venezuelan intelligence chief wanted in the US for drug trafficking; and that his family has managed to acquire millions of dollars’ worth of property in Spain.
https://www.state.gov/pedro-luis-martin-olivares-new-target/
UN SECURITY COUNCIL SANCTIONS COMMITTEE GROUP OF EXPERTS’ FINAL REPORT ON DRC
On 28 July, the UN reported that the Security Council Committee established pursuant to UN SCR 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had discussed the Group of Experts’ final report. The report dated 14 June is available online. Among the comments made in the report is that some military materiel was transferred to the Congolese defence and security forces without prior notification to the Sanctions Committee, and banking documents referring to “the acquisition of agricultural goods” rather than to military equipment or training revealed several unnotified transfers and a system aimed at concealing those transfers because of a reported misinterpretation of the sanctions regime concerning the DRC.
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N22/338/70/PDF/N2233870.pdf?OpenElement
CANADA: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA ORDERED TO REVEAL WHO’S BEHIND 97 OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS
On 27 July, CBC reported that the Royal Bank of Canada has been ordered to divulge the real owners of 97 offshore corporations that used its services, but says that a critic is wondering why it’s taken the Canada Revenue Agency 6 years to acquire a fount of information that could help detect tax cheats.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/royal-bank-cra-bahamas-offshore-court-1.6533070
REMITTANCE AND AML INNOVATION: FOUR TOP CHALLENGES FOR 2022
A post from the UK Finance blog advises compliance professionals to break innovation obstacles into parts. It says that discussions with compliance teams in remittance and cross-border payment firms revealed 4 categories of challenges – managing AML/CFT risk with legacy technology; navigating the evolving regulatory landscape; managing partnerships and regulation; and accommodating crypto and CBDC.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUPPORTING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
On 22 July, a report from Eurojust and the accompanying factsheet builds on the work of the European Commission, Eurojust and eu-LISA in preparing for digital judicial cooperation. It offers a high-level overview of the related legal and policy issues. Additionally, the report explores Al use-cases to highlight how it benefits international judicial cooperation.
INDEPENDENT REVIEW INTO THE SFO HANDLING OF THE UNAOIL CASE
This report into the case has been presented to HM Attorney General and investigates alleged failings of the SFO over disclosure requirements and other problems.
ISLE OF MAN UPDATES SANCTIONS GUIDANCE
On 29 July, the Isle of Man followed the UK in issued updated guidance following changes to the secondary legislation relating to Russia financial and trade sanctions.
https://www.gov.im/media/1371360/russia-sanctions-guidance-july-2022_compressed.pdf
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualized-the-top-25-u-s-newspapers-by-daily-circulation/
US DHS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO COMBAT IMPORTATION OF GOODS PRODUCED WITH FORCED LABOUR
On 29 July, KPMG reported that the Department of Homeland Security had issued a news release advising of a strategic partnership between its Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) and an international NGO – Liberty Shared – to enhance its ability to investigate forced labour in the supply chain. DHS says that such partnerships with NGO and civil society organisations are essential for the Department, including Customs and Border Protection and CCHT, to identify corporations using forced labour in their supply chains, advance counter-human trafficking law enforcement operations, protect victims, and enhance prevention efforts.
US: 6 INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN LARGE-SCALE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT RING WITH SUSPECTED TIES TO MURDER OF A SHERIFF’S DEPUTY
On 28 July, a news release from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported the arrest arrested of 6 individuals in Texas for their alleged roles in a large-scale catalytic converter theft ring that is suspected of fencing stolen catalytic converters for the 3 individuals charged with the murder of a sheriff’s deputy.
DUBLIN SOLICITOR ACCUSED OF DECEPTION AND MONEY LAUNDERING ALLEGED INSURANCE FRAUD CASE
On 29 July, Sunday World reported that an Irish solicitor, Thomas Quigley, 74, has been sent for trial accused of deception and money laundering in an alleged insurance fraud case. The charges relate to a woman’s personal injury compensation claims totalling nearly €30,000.
FORMER RANGERS FC OWNER CRAIG WHYTE TO SUE OVER WRONGFUL ARREST FOR FRAUD
On 29 July, the BBC reported that the former owner of Rangers, Craig Whyte, is to sue the Crown Office and Police Scotland for £10 million for wrongful arrest, charged with taking over the Glasgow football club by fraud. He was acquitted by a jury 2 years later.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-62354444
ENGLISH HIGH COURT DECISION HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCLOSING DETAILS OF ASSETS WHEN SEEKING TO RESIST ORDERS FOR SECURITY FOR COSTS AGAINST A NON-RESIDENT CLAIMANT
On 29 July, an article from Conyers said that, on the facts of the case, the Judge had no doubt that it was just to make an order for security on the grounds that there is a real risk that the Defendants would face substantial obstacles to enforcing a costs order against the Claimant – the Claimant having had been found (in the earlier determination of a claim against him, upheld on appeal) to have acted fraudulently and dishonestly.
A HISTORY OF WHISTLEBLOWING IN AMERICA
On 29 July, an article from NAVEX said that 30 July is the National Whistleblower Appreciation Day in the US. The article claims that the history of whistleblowing in America extends back to the late 1700s, with the first protections being enacted shortly after the United States of America was founded in 1776. It pointed out that, in more recent US history, 2 laws have been passed in the past few decades that provide more explicit and timely protection for whistleblowers. However, the protections discussed in the first part of the article referred only to federal employees. Then, in the aftermath of the Enron and WorldCom scandals, Congress passed the well-known Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This Act extended protections to whistleblowers outside of the government to publicly traded companies. In 2014, a Supreme Court decision changed the interpretation of the Act to include private contractors and subcontractors of public companies, as well as privately-owned companies, if they provide services to publicly traded organisations.
https://www.navex.com/blog/article/a-history-of-whistleblowing-in-america/?source=JD%20Supra
HOW HONDURAS’ ATLANTIC CARTEL LAUNDERED MILLIONS
On 29 July, an article in Insight Crime reported that the case of a Honduran money launderer soon to be sentenced in the US has shed light on the importance of brokers and US bank accounts for repatriating drug money. Kensy García Torres, a financial broker for a Honduran cartel, recently pled guilty to laundering over $1.8 million in drug money between 2018 and 2019.
https://insightcrime.org/news/honduras-atlantic-cartel-us-money/
https://twitter.com/LeeJone50103071/status/1552945652275023872?s=20&t=4Tyz0JtcfMyNoJ4Rb8p6gQ
US DoJ CHARGES RUSSIAN AGENT WITH CONDUCTING FOREIGN INFLUENCE OPERATIONS
On 29 July, Lawfare reported that a federal court in Florida unsealed an indictment against a Russian national, Aleksandr Ionov (also designated by OFAC on 29 July), who allegedly worked for the Russian government to “orchestrate a years-long foreign malign influence campaign that used various US political groups to sow discord, spread pro-Russian propaganda, and interfere in elections within the United States”. The DoJ alleges that from at least December 2014 until March 2022, he was the president of the Russian-funded Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia, worked under the supervision of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to recruit and direct political entities in the US.
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