Chinese pastor’s US arrest order linked to TBML scheme
A US judge has ordered the arrest of a Chinese pastor suspected of being part of a trade-based money laundering (TBML) scheme connected to China, according to a Newsweek report. JianGang ‘Frank’ Lan pastored a church in North Carolina, where agents seized counterfeit Cartier bracelets…
US tops list of world financial secrecy ranking
The US tops the list of countries for enabling banking secrecy, shell companies, anonymous real estate ownership or other forms of financial secrecy, which in turn enable money laundering, tax evasion and the evasion of sanctions according to the Tax Justice Network’s (TJN’s) Financial Secrecy…
US government lost US$640 billion in a year through trade-based tax evasion and money laundering
Trade-based tax evasion and money laundering cost the US government more than US$640 billion in taxable income during 2021 according to a new report commissioned by Sēk Strategies, a Washington-based consultancy firm focused on transparency, accountability, human rights and the environment. The report is based…
Romanian bank and US parent settle with OFAC for trade finance sanctions violations
Romania’s First Bank and its parent company, US investment firm J C Flowers, have entered into a US$862,318 settlement with the US treasury department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for apparent violations of the Iran and Syria sanctions programmes. The bank, which provides letters…
Links to trade in luxury goods and TBML operators exposed in GFI’s report on real estate money laundering
Yachts, private jets, horses, cars, jewellery, high-end watches and art are amongst the assets traded to enable kleptocrats, criminals, sanctions evaders and corrupt government officials to execute global money laundering schemes according to a new report published by Global Financial Integrity (GFI). The report focuses…
Chinese national who used seafood TBML in global drug money laundering scheme pleads guilty
A Chinese national and naturalised US citizen has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a conspiracy to launder at least US$30 million in drug proceeds on behalf of global drug trafficking organisations. Trade-based money laundering (TBML) was used extensively by Xizhi Li, who along with…
TBML remains a key concern for US’ transnational crime agency
The US’ Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has published and submitted to Congress its annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR). Volume II contains a country-by-country analysis of money laundering typologies used to transfer the illegal proceeds of drugs around the world…
Virtual currencies increasingly feeding TBML operations says DEA
Drug traffickers and money launderers are increasingly incorporating virtual currency into trade-based money laundering (TBML) activity as the use of these currencies becomes more widely adopted according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The administration’s recently published National Drug Threat Assessment 2020 says reporting…
TCOs “highly favour” TBML operations to manipulate financial institutions and international trade
Transnational Criminal Organisations (TCOs) continue to highly favour trade-based money laundering (TBML) operations to transport and launder illicit proceeds through the manipulation of international trade and financial institutions according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA’s) recently published National Drug Threat Assessment 2020. It says…
GFI suggests FinCEN reforms for the Biden administration
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has published a policy paper that provides five strategic recommendations the administration of new US President Biden and Congress could use to reform the treasury department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to better protect national security. Enhancing National Security by Reimagining…
