All articles tagged with #money laundering
Liberia's justice ministry has charged former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor with drug trafficking and money laundering after detaining her at Roberts International Airport; prosecutors say she illegally imported, sold and transported controlled drugs and helped facilitate trafficking, as part of a crackdown on transnational drug networks, with three foreign nationals charged in absentia as part of the same case.
Federal prosecutors charged Heidi Beirich, a former SPLC executive and current anti-extremism analyst, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit money laundering tied to the SPLC’s informant program; the SPLC denies wrongdoing and a federal judge allowed the case to proceed.
The U.S. Treasury permanently repealed a rule requiring domestic companies to report their beneficial owners to federal financial-crimes investigators; foreign-owned entities and funds must still report foreign ownership, and Treasury will delete existing data on U.S. owners. Supporters say the move reduces compliance burdens without compromising security, while critics warn it could aid criminals by weakening ownership scrutiny.
US FinCEN fined UBS $125 million—the largest penalty against a broker-dealer for Bank Secrecy Act violations—after finding UBS Financial Services failed to implement an effective AML program and to properly screen over $10 billion in foreign currency transactions from 2019–2023. The penalties, also levied by the SEC, CFTC and FINRA, label UBS a repeat offender and criticize a flawed Excel-based monitoring system that missed hundreds of alerts and weak due diligence on high-risk clients, including a Russian oligarch with ties to Putin. UBS says it has remediated its AML program and views the action as closure on a legacy matter.
Capital One disclosed in a Florida court filing that it closed more than 300 Trump Organization accounts in 2021 due to anti-money-laundering patterns, denying political motivation and noting a months-long, law-enforcement–style review; the Trump Organization has challenged the rationale, while Capital One says affected clients were allowed to find new banking services as the litigation unfolds.
Capital One says it closed more than 300 Trump Organization accounts in 2021 after an anti-money-laundering review, a disclosure tying AML concerns to the Trump business for the first time. The bank argues the closures followed months of AML analysis in line with policy and regulatory guidance and is seeking to dismiss a Florida lawsuit alleging debanking for political reasons, noting the case has faced dismissals and amendments while the broader policy environment around banks remains charged.
David Braddon, already serving a life term for killing 18-year-old Conner Marshall in 2015, admitted this year to using a prison phone to orchestrate more than £50,000 in transfers between bank accounts, directing his mother and a former prison officer (with others) to move funds across accounts for 59 people, including relatives of prisoners. The scheme was uncovered after a prison officer received a message and authorities seized a suspect’s phone; Braddon’s accomplices were jailed (his mother Karen Graham and Claire Jones received multi-year sentences, with Nadine Marshall delivering a victim-impact statement). Braddon was given a further three years and seven months for possessing a phone in prison and for handling criminal property, to be added to his life sentence.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, is accused of a $32 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme; after fleeing to Jamaica under the alias Harley Newman, she was captured and returned to South Florida to face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Her arrest marks the fourth 'Most Wanted Fraudster' captured in five weeks as the FBI's crackdown has returned more than 30 high-value targets and nearly $1.8 billion in fraud proceeds.
U.S. authorities say James 'Fergie' Chambers Jr., heir to Cox Enterprises, is tied to a transnational funding network backing anti-police protests and Hamas-supportive groups; he was detained in Ibiza on an international warrant and faces extradition to the United States on money-laundering and support-for-Hamas charges, with prosecutors asserting they are tracing nefarious funding behind violent protests as part of a broader DOJ investigation.
A former Amityville nurse, Julie DeVuono, ran a large-scale scheme selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards for 162 families, earning about $1.5 million; she pleaded guilty to forgery and money laundering and was hit with a record $544,000 civil penalty by the New York State Department of Health, plus forfeiture of $1.2 million, 840 hours of community service, and five years of probation after laundering $236,980 to pay a mortgage.
The Sunday Times reports that Nigel Farage’s long‑time ally, aristocrat George Cottrell, provided security and social‑media support to Farage before his election, prompting questions about whether those benefits needed registering; Reform UK says no rules were broken since the help was private prior to Farage’s return to Parliament. Cottrell, a controversial figure with a US money‑laundering conviction and later crypto/finance ties, has been described as the “Farage whisperer” and has been linked to fundraising, social media management, and a high‑cost private residence used during Farage’s campaigns. The piece also notes Farage’s £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, which is under Parliamentary Standards Commissioner review, with Reform defending Farage against any misconduct. The report highlights ongoing scrutiny of Farage’s network and the line between personal support and political obligations.
Director Carl Erik Rinsch was sentenced to 30 months in prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix of about $11 million. Netflix had funded a $55 million sci‑fi project, Conquest (formerly White Horse), that produced no episodes; prosecutors say Rinsch used the funds for stock market and cryptocurrency bets and to buy luxury items, including Rolls‑Royces and a Ferrari. He cited health issues, but the judge said deceit persisted and emphasized deterrence against fraud.
Carl Rinsch, director of 47 Ronin, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for defrauding Netflix of about $11 million through wire fraud and money laundering, including using funds for risky securities trades and then suing Netflix for more money to finish the show; the court noted an untreated mental health condition and potential influence of improper medication, and he was ordered to pay $11 million restitution and three years of supervised release.
Director Carl Rinsch, known for 47 Ronin, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering tied to defrauding Netflix of about $11 million during the production of the never-completed sci-fi series White Horse (Conquest); the judge cited his mental-health issues and letters from Reeves and others, and ordered roughly $11 million in restitution, outpatient mental-health treatment, and drug abstinence, with Rinsch to surrender on Sept. 1.
Hollywood director Carl Rinsch was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for defrauding Netflix of about $11 million intended to finish an unfinished sci‑fi series, diverting funds to a personal account, investing in cryptocurrency, and buying luxury items; Netflix had allocated roughly $55 million for the project. He faces three years of supervised release, $11 million in forfeitures and a $700 fine, and apologized in court.