Financial Crimes Enforcement Network

November 5, 2024 | Anthony Ruggiero |

Chinese Money Launderers’ Guilty Pleas Highlight China’s Role in America’s Fentanyl Crisis

Two Chinese-born individuals pleaded guilty last week to laundering tens of millions of dollars of drug proceeds in coordination with individuals in China and other countries. The case highlights the role...

September 10, 2024 | Amit Sharma, Max Meizlish

How to Give Americans Back Control of Their Digital Identities

Putting data privacy first amounts to more than a technical upgrade; it will be nothing short of a strategic shift toward a more secure and resilient society.

October 23, 2023 | Michael Sugden, Elaine K. Dezenski

Hamas’ Cryptocurrency Use Draws Attention to Terror Finance Enforcement Gaps

More than 100 Democratic and Republican members of Congress sent a letter to the White House last Tuesday urging the Biden administration to take action to stop terrorist organizations from raising funds...

July 18, 2023 | Elaine K. Dezenski |

Potential Consequences of FinCEN’s Beneficial Ownership Rulemaking

August 30, 2022 | Elaine K. Dezenski, Tyler Stapleton

How American Lawyers and Accountants Help Fuel the War in Ukraine

These enablers are successful because U.S. law exempts them from the rules that make it hard for American banks to do business with criminals.

June 6, 2022 | Jiwon Ma, Trevor Logan

Treasury Sanctions Cryptocurrency Exchange, But International Enforcement Still Lacking

The U.S. Department of the Treasury in May sanctioned a major digital-currency mixer, Blender.io, which North Korea has used to launder $20.5 million in funds stolen from a gaming-focused blockchain project...

May 20, 2022 | Matthew Zweig, John Hardie

Consider Designating Russia as a Jurisdiction of Primary Money Laundering Concern

Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) last week called on the Treasury Department to designate a Russian bank and two related entities as institutions of “primary money laundering concern” (PMLC) under Section...

February 22, 2021 | Matthew Zweig, Alireza Nader, Richard Goldberg

Biden Administration Should Not Provide Sanctions Relief for Terrorism

As President Joe Biden looks to rejoin the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran is likely to pressure the Biden administration to provide broad sanctions relief,...

January 8, 2021 | Richard Goldberg, Mark Dubowitz

Why Biden’s Plan to Rejoin the Iran Deal Makes No Sense

This week’s escalation of tensions by Tehran looks like blackmail to force Biden to abandon sanctions—and give up leverage over the regime.

September 30, 2020 | Richard Goldberg, Mark Dubowitz

Designating Iran’s Financial Sector Would Not Impact Humanitarian Trade

According to an exclusive Bloomberg report this week, the Trump administration may be considering a sanctions designation of Iran’s financial sector in its entirety pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)...

September 23, 2020 | Aykan Erdemir |

Iran’s Turkey-Based Sanctions-Evasion Scheme More Extensive Than Previously Reported

Iran’s sanctions-evasion schemes involving Turkey “started earlier, lasted longer, extended further, and involved more people and countries” than previously known, according to a series of deeply...

July 12, 2020 | John Hardie |

Time to Close the Legal Loopholes that Facilitate Russian Illicit Finance

It is long past time to close this gaping hole in America’s defenses against illicit finance and malign influence.

March 27, 2020 | Yaya J. Fanusie |

Banks Are Most Likely Exposed to Crypto-Assets Unknowingly

U.S. financial regulators are watching closely to see how financial institutions’ exposure to the crypto-asset industry is affecting their bank anti-money laundering compliance. As the broader public...

March 26, 2020 | Richard Goldberg, Saeed Ghasseminejad

IMF Should Reject Islamic Republic’s Loan Request

The Islamic Republic of Iran has requested a $5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Tehran confronts a perfect economic storm combining President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure...

March 4, 2020 | Mathew Ha |

U.S. Sanctions and Indicts Chinese Enablers of North Korean Cyber Theft

The U.S. government sanctioned and indicted two Chinese nationals on March 2 for helping North Korea launder the proceeds of its cybertheft operations. In its indictment, the Justice Department (DOJ) showed...

December 9, 2019 | Mathew Ha, Trevor Logan

DOJ Charges Cryptocurrency Developer with Helping Pyongyang Evade Sanctions

The U.S. Department of Justice arrested Virgil Griffith, an American cryptocurrency developer, last week on charges of helping the North Korean regime evade sanctions by using blockchain technology and...

December 13, 2018 | Emanuele Ottolenghi, Jose Luis Stein

Trump Should Cut Hezbollah’s Lifeline in the Americas

A crackdown is long overdue.

November 5, 2018 | Toby Dershowitz, Serena Frechter

FDD Resource Guide Documents Risks Facing German Companies that Do Business with Iran

New Guide Helps Banks, Companies, Compliance Managers, and Policymakers Assess Hazards

October 10, 2018 | Mathew Ha |

Treasury Targets North Korean Sanctions Evaders in Turkey

The U.S. Treasury Department last week sanctioned a Turkis...

July 13, 2018 | Yaya J. Fanusie |

Good Crypto, Bad Crypto

Blockchain Projects Gaining Legitimacy While Spawning An Underground