Money laundering
Guatemala's Congress passed comprehensive anti-money laundering legislation with 147 votes. Decree 15-2026 represents significant update to country's legal framework for combating financial crimes.
Money laundering
Security and justice ministers from all Mercosur member states and associated countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia) signed the 'Asunción Commitment 2026 against Corruption and Organized Crime' at the 55th Meeting of Interior Ministers and 63rd Meeting of Justice Ministers (May 26-29) in Asunción.
Money laundering
Chile hosted a summit in early June 2026 with Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia to establish joint measures against organized crime and violence.
Money laundering
Belgian prosecutors opened investigation into Wise Europe over allegations accounts were used to launder proceeds from fraud, corruption and drug trafficking.
Sanctions
Proyekt investigation revealed that former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev, oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Yevtushenkov were beneficiaries of the A7 cross-border payment network evading sanctions.
French naval forces intercepted the oil tanker Tagor in the Atlantic Ocean on May 31, 2026. The vessel was under sanctions from the US, EU, UK, and Ukraine since February 2026.
Money laundering
Operation Chameleón concluded its preliminary stage in late May 2026, investigating a corruption and money laundering network within the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intrant), involving former director Hugo Beras and businessman José Ángel Gómez Canaán. The SeNaSa 2.
Bribery & corruption
Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), represented by president Mazin Al-Kahmous, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Syria's Central Commission for Control and Inspection, chaired by Amer Al-Ali, to strengthen joint efforts against corruption and cross-border financial crimes.
Terrorist financing
US Department of State designated Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), Brazil's two largest criminal organizations, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists on May 28, 2026, with Foreign Terrorist Organization designations effective June 5, 2026.
Other
France has become the global epicenter of crypto-related kidnappings, accounting for 70% of worldwide cases with 41 kidnappings in less than 5 months of 2026 (averaging one every 2.5 days). 88 individuals have been charged across 12 cases.
Money laundering
DOJ unsealed an indictment charging Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu, both Chinese nationals, with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG.
Money laundering
Colombian Technical Investigation Corps arrested Chinese citizen Haibo Zhang (alias Chokan) who allegedly directed extensive international money laundering operation. Operated from Bogotá and Valle del Cauca, established organization's central infrastructure.
Bribery & corruption
Ecuador's National Assembly accelerated the process to abandon the SUCRE system after investigation exposed that Colombian businessman Alex Saab allegedly participated with former president Rafael Correa in irregular financial operations.
Sanctions
UK imposed major sanctions package on May 26, 2026 targeting cryptocurrency exchanges and illicit finance networks used by Russia. First application of correspondent banking and payment processing restrictions to crypto exchanges.
Money laundering
Greg Lindberg, 56, Tampa, Florida, sentenced to 12 years for orchestrating multibillion-dollar insurance fraud and bribery scheme (2016-2019).
Sanctions
The UK sanctioned 18 cryptocurrency exchanges, payment providers, and individuals for helping Russia bypass international trade blockades using digital assets. Major targets include HTX (formerly Huobi Global S.A.), which is suspected of channeling over $1.
Money laundering
Global Remit Currency Services, an international money transfer company, faces police investigation for suspected serious violations of Israel's anti-money laundering law.
Sanctions
UK designated cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Global (HTX), which channeled over $1.5 billion to Russia, along with 3 Georgian crypto exchanges and the A7 network that moved $9.3 billion through A7A5 ruble-backed stablecoin in four months.
Money laundering
A Georgian citizen was sentenced to 37 months in prison for laundering more than $1.1 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds to his co-conspirators located abroad.
Fraud & scams
Interpol Operation Rameses (October 2025 - February 2026) dismantled cybercrime infrastructure across 13 Arab countries including Gulf states. Police identified approximately 3,867 victims and arrested 201 suspects, with 382 additional individuals identified as connected to cyber fraud.
Other
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency Corporate Crime Circle Karachi arrested Faisal Abu Bakar and Ali Raza during a targeted raid at XPO Maritime Logistics on Shahrah-e-Faisal. Authorities seized Rs5.45 million Pakistani currency, US$44,140, and 45,155 UAE dirhams.
Iran relies on hawala networks operating through exchange houses and brokers in Dubai, Kuwait, and Gulf Arab states, with entire Telegram channels tracking daily 'hawala (Emirati) dirhams' rates between Dubai and Iran and Omani rials into Iranian accounts.
Money laundering
OCCRP and 12 partners gained access to over 3,800 files of evidence, police reports, chat logs from French investigation into Sky Global, company behind Sky ECC encrypted phones.
Money laundering
UAE Minister Abdulla bin Touq toured Dubai Gold Souq to meet with traders as part of enforcement efforts against illicit gold transactions linked to money laundering and terrorism financing. The initiative targets 'dirty gold' - precious metals with origins in illegal financial flows.
Money laundering
Swiss regulator FINMA launched consultation (until June 9, 2026) on partially revised AML Ordinance addressing beneficial ownership transparency, Embargo Act compliance to prevent sanctions breaches, and FATF recommendations implementation.
The SEC charged 21 individuals for their alleged involvement in a decade-long insider trading scheme that used information misappropriated from multiple global law firms and resulted in millions of dollars in illicit profits.
FINTRAC issued a $24,750 administrative monetary penalty to RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc., a real estate brokerage with locations across southwestern Ontario. The company failed to properly assess and document risks related to money laundering and terrorist financing offences.
Fraud & scams
World Bank updated its listing of debarred firms and individuals on May 5, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the World Bank Debarment list includes 1,386 firms and individuals barred by World Bank Group from receiving Bank-financed contracts due to fraud, corruption or collusion.
Sanctions
Reuters investigation found that brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi (using surname Aghamir) turned Nobitex into Iran's dominant cryptocurrency provider managing ~70% of Iran's crypto transactions.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police Operation 'Tri-Force Sentinel' dismantled international fraud network in cooperation with FBI and Chinese Police. Arrested 276 individuals (mostly Southeast Asian) operating 9 fraud centers engaged in High-Yield Investment Scams (HYIS) and cryptocurrency fraud.
Money laundering
Dubai Police, in coordination with FBI and Chinese Ministry of Public Security under UAE Ministry of Interior, dismantled nine scam centers and arrested 276 individuals involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes including 'pig butchering' scams, high-yield investment fraud, and virtual currency fraud.
Fraud & scams
Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, known as 'pig butchering' scams.
Other
FCA secured guilty plea from Aaron Chalmers (Geordie Shore personality) for illegal financial promotions on social media. Part of week-long international operation (April 20-26) with 17 regulators targeting illegal finfluencers. FCA commenced criminal proceedings against 2 additional individuals.
Money laundering
The ACPR Sanctions Commission issued a reprimand and a pecuniary sanction of €1.3 million to MoneyGram International SA on 19 March 2026.
World Bank announced 21-month debarment of Roger Bokandenga, Congolese national, for corrupt practices in small and medium enterprise development project. Bokandenga received kickback from winning company in exchange for facilitating contract award.
Money laundering
The Central Bank of the UAE rolled out fresh anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing guidelines, tightening expectations for banks and money transfer operators, with clearer supervisory expectations across customer verification, trade finance monitoring and correspondent banking.
UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation imposed £390,000 penalty on Apple Distribution International Limited (Irish subsidiary) for making two payments totaling £635,618.
The Insider investigation analyzed Russian companies' foreign trade data for 2024-2025 and identified over 6,000 foreign firms (including ~4,000 Chinese and Hong Kong, ~300 Turkish, 120 UAE, and 60 Indian companies) directly or indirectly supplying the Russian military-industrial complex while ignoring international sanctions.
Money laundering
The 2026 US National Money Laundering Risk Report identifies Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) as the two main transnational organized crime threats, capable of infiltrating banks, remittance companies, exchange houses, and law firms to recycle billions.
Money laundering
Bellingcat investigation revealed Daniel and Christy Kinahan, leaders of €1.5 billion Kinahan cartel, photographed at Dubai MMA event in June 2025, marking most recent sighting since U.S. government placed multi-million dollar bounties on them.
Fraud & scams
INTERPOL's 2026 Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment warns fraud is now central to organized crime, intersecting with human trafficking and cybercrime. AI-enhanced fraud 4.5 times more profitable than traditional methods. Agentic AI systems can autonomously execute complete fraud campaigns.
Sanctions
Investigation analyzing 2024-2025 foreign trade data identified over 6,000 companies trading with sanctioned Russian enterprises and defense contractors, including approximately 4,000 Chinese firms (Henan New Silk Road International delivered 100+ turbojet engines worth $3M to sanctioned Chipdevice…
Other
In March 2026, Bahrain proposed a decree-law introducing tougher penalties—including possible jail terms and fines of up to BD1 million—for violations of regulations governing financial activities supervised by the Central Bank of Bahrain.
Money laundering
On February 18, 2026, a federal jury in Pennsylvania found Charles Hunter Hobson — a former U.S.-based coal company executive — guilty of violating the FCPA and other federal criminal laws for alleged bribes paid through a third party to secure lucrative contracts with a state-run company overseas.
Money laundering
EU's Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) launched consultations in February 2026 on three draft regulatory technical standards: (1) customer due diligence, (2) criteria for identifying business relationships, occasional transactions, and linked transactions, and (3) financial sanctions, administrative measures, and periodic penalty payments.
FATF added Kuwait and Papua New Guinea to jurisdictions under increased monitoring (grey list) at February 11-13, 2026 plenary. Both made high-level political commitments to strengthen AML/CFT regimes.
Money laundering
Renat Abramov, 36, Bank of America relationship manager in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for participating in scheme to launder $8+ million in fraudulently obtained Medicare reimbursements.
The FATF indicated that if Myanmar makes no further progress by June 2026, it will consider countermeasures related to anti-money laundering deficiencies.
Fraud & scams
A Dubai civil court ordered two women convicted in a fake online trading scam to pay Dh700,000 in compensation to a man who lost his savings after being lured into investing through a bogus global markets platform.
A vast international money laundering network linked to fake cryptocurrency investment fraud was dismantled in late October 2025, as announced by the Paris prosecutor's office in November 2025. Nearly $700 million were laundered online through this vast network.
Dubai security authorities disrupted two international money laundering networks worth 641 million dirhams. First network involved 461 million dirhams with 25 suspects including an Emirati and British nationals.
Money laundering
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) reported that Kuwait has appropriate legal and regulatory framework for anti-money laundering but noted serious deficiencies preventing effective results in combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
Abu Dhabi Global Market's Financial Services Regulatory Authority imposed a $360,000 fine on Wise Nuqud Ltd, a licensed money service provider, for failing to establish adequate anti-money laundering systems and controls.