Another development in the Odebrecht-linked corruption cases here in Panama. The Supreme Court of Justice has applied precautionary measures on Linda Gesto Johnson, aka Periquito Uno’, a personal friend of former President Ricardo Martinelli and one of those involved in the Odebrecht case. It rejected a writ of habeas corpus and she is prevented from leaving the country.
30 OCTOBER 2022
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN LEBANON AND ISRAEL ON THE DELIMITATION OF THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)
On 26 October, the blog of the European Journal of International Law published a post about the historic agreement to delimit the 2 countries’ territorial seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, saying that the Agreement is ground-breaking for several reasons. The post provides some observations on the Agreement and implications for the Cyprus–Lebanon–Israel tripoint delimitations in overlapping maritime areas between the 3 coastal states.
HAITIAN AMBASSADOR WARNS CRIMINAL GANGS MAY OVERRUN COUNTRY
On 30 October, the Guardian reported that the Haitian ambassador to Washington has appealed to the international community to accelerate talks on deploying an armed intervention, warning that criminal gangs were in danger of taking over the country. This comes as heavily armed gangs have blocked off Haiti’s main fuel terminal, bringing much of the country to a halt.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/30/haiti-ambassador-usa-criminal-gangs
GERMAN EXPERTS STUDY IMPACT OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN AND RUSSIA
On 30 October, Eurasia review reported that researchers have analysed the economic impact of jointly implementing punitive measures in the context of the 2012 Iran and 2014 Russia sanctions. They find that coalitions serve two crucial purposes — they not only magnify the economic cost imposed on the target but also reduce domestic costs for sanctioning states.
17 OF THE 260 NORWEGIANS IDENTIFIED IN THE C4ADS DUBAI PROPERTY DATABASE HAVE BEEN CONVICTED, CHARGED, OR ARE WANTED FOR CRIMINAL OFFENCES IN NORWAY
On 22 October, E24 in Norway published a report saying that it has so far found 260 people of Norwegian background registered with 380 properties in Dubai in a leak from 2020. 17 of them have been convicted, charged, charged or wanted for criminal offences in Norway. The majority of the offences involve serious crimes that have yielded, or can yield, great benefits: fraud, extensive theft, aggravated robbery, tax fraud, VAT evasion, drugs and money laundering.
See also – the C4ADS Dubai Property Database
https://c4ads.org/multimedia/the-c4ads-dubai-property-database/
MATERIAL CHANGES PROPOSED TO DUTCH AML ACT
On 24 October, Simmons & Simmons reported that, on 21 October, the Dutch Minister of Finance submitted the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering Action Plan Act (to Parliament. This would amend the Dutch Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act and some amendments may result in material changes to the way firms currently organise their AML procedures.
https://www.raadvanstate.nl/@122774/w06-20-0354-/
GUN VIOLENCE IN EUROPE – 7 COUNTRY STUDIES
On 27 October, the Flemish Peace Institute announced that 7 country studies – for Belgium, Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Spain and Sweden – as part of the Project TARGET second plhase, in which dedicated research teams analysed the situation in 7 European countries in depth.
https://vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/en/target/
https://vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu/en/report/pulling-the-trigger-gun-violence-in-europe/
ISRAEL COMPANY INDICTED FOR SMUGGLED $243 MILLION WORTH OF DIAMONDS
On 30 October, the Jerusalem Post reported that reported an indictment filed in Tel Aviv against Reuven Shmalov on Sunday, the CEO of LLD Diamonds, owned by the businessman Lev Leviev. The indictment is said to be part of a plea agreement signed between the parties last month. LLD will plead guilty and be convicted of smuggling and money laundering, and Shmalov will also confess and be convicted of smuggling and money laundering and will be sentenced to a year and a half in prison and a fine. Both the company and Shmalov also have forfeiture orders made.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-720997
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/police-arrest-6-over-massive-diamond-smuggling-operation-571093
US: INDICTMENT CHARGES UKRAINIAN NATIONAL WITH INTERNATIONAL CYBERCRIME OPERATION
A news release from US DoJ on 25 October advised that an unsealed indictment charges Mark Sokolovsky, 26, a Ukrainian national, for his alleged role in an international cybercrime operation known as Raccoon Infostealer, which infected millions of computers around the world with malware. Sokolovsky is currently being held in the Netherlands pursuant to an extradition request by the US. In March 2022, concurrent with Sokolovsky’s arrest by Dutch authorities, the FBI and law enforcement partners in Italy and the Netherlands dismantled the digital infrastructure supporting the Raccoon Infostealer, taking its then existing version offline.
HOW FRAUDSTER BERNIE MADOFF’S WORLDLY GOODS ARE FINALLY HELPING THE THOUSANDS HE DESTROYED
On 27 October, Sky News carried a story saying that a taskforce from US Marshals Service – the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Management Staff taskforce – was sifting through his monogrammed socks, silk slippers and wife’s mink coats for the sale of all sales.
AUSTRIAN ENGINES, SOUTH KOREAN AND MALAYSIAN MICROCHIPS, US PARTS FOUND IN IRANIAN MOHAJER-6 DRONES
On 25 October, yahoo News reported that parts from Japanese, Chinese and US manufacturers have also been recovered from the wreckage of drones that have been shot down.
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y
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