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UK Finance reports bank manager and accomplice jailed for £7.3M fraud, laundering funds through fake business accounts

A London bank manager and his accomplice were jailed for nine-and-a-half years for laundering £7.3M through 394 fake business accounts. Between 2017 and 2019, Rukon Miah used his role to open fraudulent accounts with counterfeit documents from Jan Ciecierski, funneling stolen funds to offshore banks. The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) uncovered fraudulent IDs and bank cards, securing their conviction…

UK Finance publishes guidance on the Failure to Prevent Fraud offence, set to take effect on 1 Sept 2025, to help financial services comply with upcoming regulations

Although the guidance is aimed at the financial services sector it may also be of assistance to organisations in other sectors. It comprises 3 sections: Part 1: Guidance aimed at assisting firms to understand the offence; Part 2: Guidance on the types of reasonable prevention procedures that might be proportionate; Part 3: Guidance on the circumstances in which reasonable prevention procedures would not be reasonable…

BaFin warns against the website amgfinancialeu.com and points to suspected identity fraud

BaFin warns against the website amgfinancialeu.com. According to its findings, financial and investment services as well as crypto-asset services are offered there without permission. The operator of the website appears only under the name AMGfinancialEU, without mentioning a legal form. He claims to be based in Zurich, Switzerland, at LLB Swiss Investments AG and UK…

GI-TOC paper explores the Russia’s Wagner Group and Africa Corps’ post-Prigozhin evolution, focusing on their evolving role in illicit markets, and the implications for African peace and security

Russia’s Africa Corps and Wagner Group remain critical tools in its geopolitical arsenal, combining military intervention, economic exploitation, and political manipulation. Without strategic countermeasures, their continued expansion will destabilise African nations, fuel illicit economies, and challenge global security…

 

Home office launches ransomware crackdown – proposals to cut payments to cybercriminals, boost intelligence & strengthen response

It sets out plans to fundamentally reshape the UK’s approach to ransomwareHome Office aims to: (a) reduce ransomware payments to deter attacks, (b) strengthen intelligence for disruption and investigation, and (c) enhance threat understanding for future interventions, including international cooperation…

 

 

 

 

US DOJ convicts Las Vegas business owner in $24M cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme targeting over 400 investors

A Las Vegas entrepreneur was convicted of fraud and money laundering for running a $24M cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, deceiving over 400 investors with false claims of AI-powered crypto mining, guaranteed 30% returns, and FDIC-backed security. Prosecutors revealed Brent Kovar, 58, misused investor funds for luxury expenses and fake repayments while using fraudulent marketing to lure victims…

US DoJ sentences founder of Miami-based cryptocurrency token CluCoin to 27 months for wire fraud, with $1.14m in restitution and asset forfeiture

Initially focused on charity Taylor later shifted CluCoin’s focus to NFTs, gaming, and a metaverse platform. To drive interest, he organized “NFTCon: Into the Metaverse” in Miami in April 2022. Following the event, Taylor accessed the funds from CLU investors and transferred approximately $1.14 million to his personal account, which he lost gambling at online casinos. The FBI investigated the case with Assistant US Attorneys prosecuting and handling…

FATF president delivers speech at No Money for Terror conference in Munich

The speech underscores the importance of international cooperation, effective frameworks, and collaboration with the private sector to track and dismantle financial networks that support terrorism. The FATF’s role in enhancing financial intelligence and prosecuting terrorist financing is emphasized, along with the necessity of leveraging technology and intelligence-sharing.

ESMA’s 2025 Risk Monitoring Report warns of market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, cryptocurrency corrections, rising cyber threats, and the need to strengthen EU capital markets

ESMA reiterates warnings about speculation, despite booming crypto markets and notes growing cyber threats amid geopolitical tensions. The EU’s corporate financing environment is considered weak, although credit risk might ease with lower interest rates. In addition, the debt maturity wall from 2025-2028 raises sustainability concerns.

 

OFSI’s financial services threat assessment report warns of rising sanctions evasion risks, underreporting, and crypto-facilitated breaches

The report examines emerging tactics used by bad actors, including the misuse of cryptoassets and intermediaries to circumvent regulatory controls, as well as the persistent issue of underreporting breaches…

 

 

US DoJ convicts two Estonian nationals for operating a multi-faceted cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, defrauding hundreds of thousands worldwide in a $577 million fraud

The dashboard displayed fake profit data while founders spent the proceeds on luxury properties, vehicles, and investments. They have agreed to forfeit over $400 million in assets which will be used to compensate victims through a remission process. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and face up to 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 8. The investigation was supported by Estonian authorities…

Europol arrests 6 suspects in a multi-million-euro investment fraud and ML scheme, that deceived victims with fake investment opportunities

During the action day, EUR 133 800 worth of cash in various currencies was seized in Israel along with expensive watches. To date, French investigators have recovered approximately EUR 450 000. Investigations remain ongoing to identify further suspects and trace additional financial losses…