Author: gracechurchfcp

Corruption & economic crime prosecutions on the rise but white-collar criminals let off the hook

Prosecutions
New data on key corruption and economic crime offences in Spotlight’s enforcement tracker has revealed big increases in prosecutions across the board in 2024-25. But looking beyond the headline numbers, what story does this data really tell us about the state of anti-corruption enforcement in England and Wales? Domestic corruption enforcement surgesMisconduct in public office (MIPO) prosecutions rose by 104%, and convictions by 56% in 2024-25 compared to the previous year – a record-breaking spike coinciding with recent news headlines of high-profile MIPO investigations. This is the main offence for prosecuting corruption in the UK. Abuse of position prosecutions –…

Holidaymakers warned over social media scams for fake accommodation

Fraud, Scams
Holidaymakers have been advised to carry out amateur detective work to ensure they do not book into fake accommodation this summer, as research showed a third of travellers had seen an increase in potential travel scams on social media. Consumer experts have urged holidaymakers to do a reverse image search on photographs of holiday homes and check their locations on an online map to verify they are real. People may be booking in a hurry this year as many have left it later than usual because of uncertainty around the impact of the Iran war, increasing the risk of falling…

Sri Lanka sees ‘alarming’ rise in cybercrime as scam networks relocate from south-east Asia

Fraud
Experts have warned that Sri Lanka is emerging as a hub for transnational cybercrime, after a crackdown in south-east Asia pushed Chinese-run criminal networks to relocate their vast scam operations. Sri Lankan police spokesperson Fredrick Wootler said the country was witnessing an “alarming increase of cybercrimes” perpetrated by people entering the country as tourists, and then illegally setting up scam operations targeting people across the world. Authorities in Sri Lanka have carried out more than a dozen raids on alleged scam operations in the country since the beginning of the year, arresting and deporting almost 700 foreigners accused of involvement.…

Investment fraud in UK soared to more than £220m lost last year, trade body says

Fraud
Increasingly elaborate investment scams involving gold, cryptocurrencies and wine have soared in the past year with more than £220m lost to the fraud, according to a report. UK banks reported almost 15,000 investment scams in 2025 as criminals use artificial intelligence to dupe people out of their money. About £221.5m was lost to scams in which people were persuaded to move their money to a fake investment or a fictitious fund, a rise of 40% from the year before, according to the report from UK Finance. This particular fraud is popular among criminals as it often has high returns, according…

Armenia Asked to Freeze Magnitsky-Linked Funds

Tax Evasion
Shortly after the Swiss Supreme Court ordered the confiscation of funds tied to the notorious Magnitsky tax fraud, the money quietly vanished. In April, Europe’s top human rights watchdog sounded the alarm, revealing that millions of dollars had been drained from Swiss accounts and redirected into financial institutions in Armenia and Israel. But despite the explicit warning from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), authorities in Yerevan took no visible action. Now, new transaction records have revealed exactly where a portion of that money landed in the Armenian financial system—and the apparent regulatory paralysis that allowed it…

As the 2026 World Cup Looms, a Shadow Tournament of Cyber Fraud Begins

Fraud
Just days before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, cybersecurity experts are raising the alarm over a massive, highly sophisticated surge in digital fraud targeting soccer fans worldwide, offering them fake tickets, nonexistent travel packages, counterfeit merchandise, suspicious betting apps on websites impersonating FIFA. The tournament, which has drawn unprecedented global interest, has become the “perfect bait” for opportunistic hackers and criminal syndicates, according to David Gonzalez Cuautle, the awareness and research manager at the cybersecurity firm ESET. “Cybercriminals tend to operate in seasons and with specific themes,” Gonzalez Cuautle said in an interview with OCCRP, adding that the…

Hungarian Prosecutors Vow Action on Graft Claims, but Target Anti-Corruption Chief

Corruption
Hungary’s top anti-corruption watchdog has called for a sweeping investigation into the government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, alleging a vast procurement scheme that may have bilked European taxpayers out of billions of euros, according to Politico. But in a striking twist, Hungarian prosecutors told OCCRP they are pressing criminal charges against the very official demanding the inquiry. Politico cited on Monday Ferenc Pál Biró, the head of Hungary’s Integrity Authority, as saying that “high-level politicians can and may well be prosecuted” over alleged manipulation of state contracts. The watchdog had claimed that three unnamed companies received roughly 10…

FINMA Flags Remaining Gaps in Anti-Money Laundering Risk Assessments Despite Industry Progress

Money Laundering, Risk Assessments
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has published supplementary guidance on money laundering risk analysis, acknowledging improvements across the financial sector while warning that significant weaknesses remain in how some institutions assess and manage financial crime risk. The guidance builds on FINMA’s Guidance 05/2023 and follows a renewed review of money laundering risk analyses conducted at more than 30 banks previously inspected in 2023, alongside assessments of numerous other banks and institutions supervised under Switzerland’s Financial Institutions Act (FinIA). The regulator said banks have made measurable progress since its earlier guidance was issued, particularly in defining risk tolerance and…

Egyptian Tycoon Detained in Organized Crime Probe

Money Laundering
Egyptian authorities have detained the prominent businessman Sabri Nakhnoukh and frozen his assets, accusing him of leading an organized crime syndicate involved in money laundering, theft, and illegal weapons possession. Prosecutors allege the group used a private security firm as a front for its operations. The arrests, which include Nakhnoukh’s brother and several co-defendants, stem from an investigation triggered by a violent brawl at a Cairo car dealership last week. Nakhnoukh, 63, has long been a polarizing figure in Egypt. Historically known for collaborating with state security to suppress protests under former President Hosni Mubarak, he was sentenced to life…

Ahead of World Cup, Mexico Quietly Orders Banks to Tighten Terror-Finance Controls

Counter Terrorist Financing
Two months ahead of the World Cup, Mexico’s financial intelligence agency asked banks, brokerage firms, and other financial entities in the country to increase surveillance of transactions that could be linked to terrorism financing and the profiliation of weapons of mass destruction. The non-public directives were sent to financial institutions in April. OCCRP obtained a copy of the document that outlines risk indicators designed to flag illicit money flows. Experts consulted by OCCRP pointed out the timing of the instruction and the fact that the World Cup context is propitious for the increase of risk levels in financial operations. The…

Italy Dismantles Underground Bank that Moved €100 Million a year for Organized Crime Groups

Financial Crime
Italian authorities have dismantled a major underground illegal bank that moved up to 100 million euros ($116 million) annually to finance operations for domestic and international drug traffickers and organized crime syndicates, police announced Monday. The illicit bank, operated since 2021 by a Chinese national, is believed to have processed payments between 80 and 100 million euros ($93-116 million) a year over at least a three-year period. Headquartered in the Tuscan city of Prato, the bank had established branches in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. According to investigators, among the bank’s clients were the Italian mafia organizations ‘Ndrangheta,…

US Slaps New Round of Sanctions on Cambodia’s Prince Group

Fraud, Sanctions
The U.S. Treasury Department today announced a new package of sanctions targeting nine individuals and 26 companies it says are associated with Cambodia’s Prince Group, which is accused of engaging in cyber-scams and forced labor. “Southeast Asia-based criminal organizations often recruit individuals to work in scam centers under false pretenses, such as by offering fake technology or customer service jobs at the centers’ connected casinos, resorts, and front companies,” the Treasury Department said in a statement. “Once the individuals arrive at the compounds, the operators confiscate their passports and use debt bondage, physical violence, the threat of forced prostitution, and…

Ukraine Exposes $3.5M Scheme to Buy Off Top Anti-Graft Officials

Corruption
Ukrainian authorities claim that they have concluded an investigation into a former prosecutor with Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office and a team of lawyers who are believed to have orchestrated a $3.5 million scheme to buy off the country’s elite anti-corruption prosecutors and judges. The results of the investigation have paved the way for a trial. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the group targeted a suspect in an active corruption investigation. The former prosecutor and the lawyers allegedly promised they could make the case disappear by using the money to bribe prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s…

German Court Sentences Black Market Banker to Nearly Four Years in Prison

Financial Crime
A German man with a history of black market banking allegations was recently sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for moving 33 million euros in illicit funds through the international financial system. Gerard Grischew was sentenced on June 10 in the Berlin Regional Court after pleading guilty to charges of forging documents and operating an unregistered banking system. He will appeal the length of his sentence, his lawyers told the court. Prosecutors said Grischew used forged IDs and strawmen to set up more than dozen companies with accounts at German banks. He allegedly used those accounts to…

At least £325bn of ‘dirty money’ flows through UK each year, says report

Money Laundering
At least £325bn worth of dirty money is flowing through the UK every year, according to research that is causing concern about funding for state investigators and the government’s push into crypto assets. The figure is equivalent to more than 10% of UK GDP and includes illicit funds linked to financial crime, money laundering, corruption, illegal trade and tax dodging, according to the report by the Finance Innovation Lab charity. Including the UK’s crown dependencies and overseas territories, such as Jersey and the Cayman Islands, the figure jumps to more than £788bn annually. The research is believed to be the…

Eurojust supports Joint Italy–Albania operation dismantling organised crime network behind murder, drug trafficking and money laundering

Organised Crime
With the active assistance of Eurojust, the authorities in Italy and Albania have dealt a major blow to organised crime groups (OCGs) involved in large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. During a joint action day that took place on 26 May 2026 in Italy and Albania, 12 suspects were arrested and summonses were issued against three individuals. The investigations are linked to a high-profile murder committed in May last year. Eurojust supported cooperation between the Italian and Albanian authorities by facilitating the establishment of a joint investigation team (JIT). This marks the fifth JIT supported by Eurojust between the Public…

New Council of Europe treaty to strengthen criminal asset recovery

Asset Seizure
The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the 46 Council of Europe member states have adopted an additional protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on laundering, search, seizure and confiscation of the proceeds from crime and on the financing of terrorism (the “Warsaw Convention”) during their annual Committee of Ministers session today. The new treaty modernises the legal and institutional frameworks for asset recovery, in response to increasingly sophisticated, transnational and technologically advanced criminal networks. It enhances the authorities’ capacities to monitor and suspend suspicious transactions and to confiscate assets, including crypto-assets, obtained through criminal conduct. Europe tools up to…

‘Dodgy’ shops handling criminal cash targeted by new specialist unit

Organised Crime
“Dodgy” retail outlets such as vape stores, barbers, mini-marts and sweet shops suspected of being used to launder £1bn of criminal money will be targeted by a new specialist unit, the government has said. A £20m National Crime Agency cell will run and coordinate investigations and raids into UK businesses suspected of acting as fronts for gangsters, the Home Office said. The NCA and police forces in Greater Manchester, the West ­Midlands, Kent and Essex will recruit 75 officers to boost the effort. Labour vowed to crack down on “dodgy” outlets such as US candy shops in its general election…

Zelensky’s ex-chief of staff in court as Ukraine corruption probe escalates

Corruption
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s former right-hand man Andriy Yermak appeared in a Kyiv court on Tuesday, after he was named by Ukraine’s two anti-corruption agencies as a suspect in a money-laundering scheme. Yermak’s lawyer had earlier denounced as “baseless” allegations that the former head of the presidential office had been caught up in a corruption scandal surrounding a $10.5m (£7.5m) luxury construction project outside Kyiv.Hours before the court hearing Yermak told reporters “I do not have any house, I only have one flat and one car”, adding later that he would comment afterwards.For years he was a close friend of Zelensky,…

UK defence firm Ultra Electronics to pay £15m after SFO bribery investigation

Bribery, Corruption
The British defence company Ultra Electronics has accepted responsibility for a failure to prevent bribery and agreed to pay £15m after an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office. The penalties are part of a deferred prosecution approved by the high court on Friday, after an investigation opened in 2018 when the company referred itself to the UK law enforcement agency a month after corruption allegations were published by Algerian media. Ultra agreed to pay a £10m penalty and £4.8m to cover the SFO investigation costs after it admitted failing to prevent bribery in connection with three public sector contracts in…

Finally, the European Court of Justice cracks down on trusts

Tax Evasion
The Tax Justice Network has banged the drum about the threats posed by trusts for decades. On 21 May 2026, the European Court of Justice has finally joined us. They have published rulings that directly relate to trusts regarding two major risks: secrecy and asset protection. As we set out below, these represent a significant step against the widespread abuse of trusts, and we urge authorities across the European Union to take action now. In the first case, the European Court of Justice simply confirmed that access to information on a trust’s beneficial owners based on a ‘legitimate interest’ is…

European Football Set for AML Overhaul as EU Targets Clubs & Agents

Money Laundering
European football is heading toward one of its most significant regulatory shifts in decades, as the European Union prepares to bring professional clubs and agents into its anti-money laundering framework by July 2029. The move, driven by a sweeping reform package adopted in 2024, reflects growing concern among policymakers that the sport’s global scale, financial complexity, and opaque ownership structures make it vulnerable to illicit financial activity. In an interview with Calcio e Finanza, Bruna Szego, chair of the newly established Anti-Money Laundering Authority, outlined how the EU intends to reshape oversight of the football sector and what clubs must…

UK Sanctions Suppliers of Components to Russian Drones Attacking Ukraine

Sanctions
The U.K. announced a fresh wave of sanctions on Tuesday targeting individuals and entities involved in manufacturing drones used in Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has imposed 35 new designations aimed at individuals and various entities that it alleged bolstered Russia’s drone production capabilities and facilitated the exploitation of migrants, it said in a press statement. “These sanctions expose and disrupt the operations of those trafficking migrants as cannon fodder and feeding [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s drone factories with illicit components to target innocent civilians and vital infrastructure,” said U.K. Sanctions Minister Stephen…

Russian Court Orders Takeover of Major Food Producer Amid Wartime Rise in State Seizures

Corruption, Sanctions
A court order to seize billionaire Vadim Moshkovich’s stake in one of Russia’s largest agricultural companies was only the latest in an increasing number of state seizures since the Kremlin’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian authorities have seized control of a major agricultural producer, saying its billionaire founder violated anti-corruption rules while serving as a senator, and accusing him in a separate criminal case of embezzlement — allegations he rejects. A Moscow court ordered billionaire Vadim Moshkovich, his family members, and former Rusagro chief executive Maxim Basov to transfer a controlling stake in the company to the state, Russia’s…

Perfectus Aluminum Agrees to $549.5 Million Settlement Over Alleged Tariff Evasion Scheme

Tax Evasion
Federal authorities have secured one of the largest False Claims Act settlements tied to customs duty evasion after a group of California aluminum companies agreed to pay $549.5 million to resolve allegations they improperly avoided tariffs on imports from China for years by disguising aluminum extrusions as ordinary shipping pallets. The settlement focused on allegations against Perfectus Aluminum and four affiliated warehousing companies accused of evading antidumping and countervailing duties owed on Chinese aluminum imports between July 2011 and June 2014. According to the Justice Department, the companies imported more than 2.2 million aluminum extrusions that had been lightly spot-welded…

Directors of Firms Linked to Sanctioned Cambodian Conglomerate Bought Properties in Japan

Sanctions
Since October, Cambodia’s Prince Group has been under siege from authorities around the world, including the U.S. which dubbed it a “transnational criminal organization.” Japanese authorities have so far remained silent, but flight and property records show that directors of several firms linked to the Prince Group have established a footprint in that country too. In its October 14, 2025, sanctions announcement, the U.S. alleged that the Prince Group operated “industrial scale cyberfraud operations” in Cambodia, which were run out of “compounds reliant on human trafficking and modern-day slavery.” A Prince Group spokesperson dismissed allegations against the conglomerate and its…

OFAC Hits Adani Enterprises With $275 Million Iran Sanctions Settlement

Sanctions
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced this week that Adani Enterprises Limited agreed to pay $275 million to settle allegations tied to 32 apparent violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran after importing liquified petroleum gas that American authorities say actually originated there. According to OFAC, the Ahmedabad-based conglomerate purchased LPG shipments between November 2023 and June 2025 through a Dubai-based supplier that presented the cargo as originating from Oman and Iraq. U.S. authorities say the operation was, in practice, a sanctions evasion pipeline moving Iranian product into the Indian market while routing payments through…

EU Broadens Iran Sanctions Over Middle East Maritime Disruptions

Sanctions
The EU widened its sanctions regime against Iran to target individuals and entities involved in Tehran’s actions disrupting navigation in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, the European Council said on Friday. In its statement, The council said that the updated framework will allow the bloc to introduce restrictive measures, such as travel bans through EU territories and asset freezes, against those linked to Iran’s actions “threatening the freedom of navigation” in the region. Under the new measures, EU citizens and businesses are prohibited from providing funds, financial assets, or economic resources to designated individuals or entities.…

UK Targets Russian Crypto Sanctions Evasion Network

Digital Currencies, Sanctions
Britain imposed a new package of sanctions targeting cryptocurrency exchanges, financial companies, and individuals accused of helping Russia evade Western restrictions and move money for its war economy. The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said the 18 designations target infrastructure used to transfer funds, procure goods, and support Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The measures took effect immediately and include companies and individuals linked to Russia’s financial sector, as well as entities accused of making funds, goods or technology available to sanctioned Russian actors. The sanctions focus partly on the A7 network, which the U.K. described as a Kremlin-backed…

French Court Blocks Extradition of Late Tunisian Dictator’s Daughter

Money Laundering
A French court has rejected Tunisia’s request to extradite the sanctioned daughter of late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali over alleged financial crimes, the Paris Court of Appeal confirmed to OCCRP Thursday. Tunisian authorities accuse Halima Ben Ali, the youngest daughter of the late dictator, of several financial crimes. The charges include laundering funds allegedly acquired while her father held power from 1987 to 2011. “The investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal issued a ruling on April 1, 2026, rejecting the extradition request from the Tunisian authorities for Halima Ben Ali, and lifted the judicial supervision to…

Tunisia Jails Former Anti-Corruption Chief in Move Decried as ‘Judicial Harassment’

Corruption
Human rights organizations and civil society groups condemned the detention of Tunisia’s former top anti-corruption official on financial charges as a politically motivated campaign of revenge aimed at silencing defenders of the nation’s fading democratic institutions. Chawki Al-Tabib, 62, the former head of the National Anti-Corruption Authority and a past president of the Tunisian Bar Association, was ordered imprisoned by an investigating judge on charges of money laundering, abuse of office, and the embezzlement of public funds. The judge also ordered a freeze on Al-Tabib’s assets, Tunisia’s state-run news agency, TAP, reported on Tuesday. The official narrative claims the suspected…

Japan Tightens AML & Counter-Terror Financing Expectations with Risk-Based Framework at the Core

Regulation
Key Takeaways Risk-Based Approach Elevated: Financial institutions must continuously identify, assess, and mitigate ML/FT risks as a core operational capability, not a periodic exerciseBoard Accountability Strengthened: Senior leadership is expected to take direct ownership of AML/CFT strategy, governance, and resource allocationFrom Compliance to Effectiveness: Regulators are focusing on whether controls work in practice, not just whether rules are followedData and Technology Centralized: Strong data governance and effective use of monitoring systems are now foundational to AML/CFT programsCross-Border Risk Intensified: Greater scrutiny is placed on international transactions, correspondent banking, and trade finance exposureDeep Dive New guidance from the Japanese Financial Services…

Russia Launches Probe Into $13.31 Billion Fake Invoice Tax Scheme

Tax Evasion
Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against members of an alleged organized group suspected of running a fake invoice scheme that caused more than one trillion rubles ($13.31 billion) in losses to the country’s budget system. According to the investigators, the group created more than 4,000 shell companies since 2023 and sold fake invoices to nearly 40,000 organizations. The Investigative Committee said the invoices contained false information about the sale of goods, the provision of services, the performance of work, and the transfer of property. The documents were then improperly included in taxpayers’ reporting submitted to the authorities.…

FinCEN Looks to Rewrite AML Rules, Shifting the Focus From Paperwork to What Actually Works

Regulation
Key Takeaways From Volume to Value: FinCEN is proposing a shift away from paperwork-heavy compliance toward measuring how effectively institutions detect and stop illicit finance.Risk-Based Programs Reinforced: Firms would have greater latitude to focus resources on higher-risk areas, rather than spreading efforts thinly across low-risk requirements.Supervisory Clarity: The proposal seeks to reduce subjectivity in exams by distinguishing between design flaws and implementation failures.2024 Proposal Scrapped: The rule replaces FinCEN’s earlier 2024 proposal and aligns with the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020.Deep Dive There has long been an unspoken tension at the heart of anti-money laundering compliance. Banks file more reports,…

French Cement Giant Convicted of Financing Terrorism

Counter Terrorist Financing, Terrorism
A Paris court on Monday convicted French cement giant Lafarge and eight former executives of financing terrorism, ruling they paid jihadist groups millions to keep a Syrian plant running during the country’s civil war. Former CEO Bruno Lafont was sentenced to six years in prison, effective immediately. Seven other former executives received prison terms ranging from 18 months to seven years. The criminal court also fined the company 1.125 million euros ($1.32 million) for the terrorism charge, and levied a joint 4.57 million euros ($5.35 million) customs fine against Lafarge and four executives for violating international financial sanctions. During the…

Moldovan Vladimir Plahotniuc Sentenced to 19 Years for Crimes, Including “Billion Dollar Bank Fraud”

Fraud, Prosecutions
A Moldovan court on Wednesday found businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc guilty of participating in the country’s ‘Billion Dollar Bank Fraud,’ sentenced him to 19 years in prison, and ordered the seizure of more than 1.1 billion Moldovan lei (roughly $64 million) in assets. The verdict by a panel of judges at the Chișinău Court said Plahotniuc “created and managed a criminal organization that committed several crimes, including fraud and money laundering, in particular the theft of financial means from the banking system of the Republic of Moldova with their subsequent laundering.” A former member of parliament, deputy speaker and leader of…

AMLA Moves to Standardize AML Risk Assessments Across Non-Financial Sector, Invites Early Industry Input

Regulation
Key Takeaways Unified AML Risk Framework: The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism is developing a common methodology for assessing money laundering and terrorist financing risks across the EU non-financial sector.Supervisory Alignment: The framework is intended to help national supervisors focus on higher-risk areas and guide decisions on the frequency and intensity of both on-site and off-site inspections.Early Industry Engagement: AMLA is hosting an online roundtable on 4 May 2026 to gather stakeholder input before launching a formal consultation on the methodology.Targeted Participation: Invitations have been extended to EU-level trade associations and representative bodies covering non-financial…

US Congressional Committee Chips Away at Corporate Transparency Act

Regulation
A Republican-led House committee voted on Tuesday to effectively dismantle a landmark anti-corruption law, advancing legislation that would exempt American business owners from a federal requirement to disclose their true identities to the government. The House Financial Services Committee voted 26 to 25 to repeal the Corporate Transparency Act, a bipartisan measure enacted in December 2020. In its place, the panel advanced the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, a bill with strong Republican backing and 191 co-sponsors that would significantly narrow the scope of federal financial disclosures. Under the proposed replacement, foreign nationals would still be required to report their…

EU Greenlights New Law to Standardize Anti-Corruption Penalties

Corruption
The European Council on Tuesday adopted a landmark directive aimed at aligning the prosecution of corruption across the bloc and ensuring that maximum penalties for such offenses are “not set too low.” According to the Council’s statement, the new directive will standardize the EU’s legal framework by replacing two decades-old legislations, a 2003 law on private-sector corruption and a 1997 convention regarding corruption involving EU and member-state officials. First proposed in May 2023, the directive is set to unify the legal definition of corruption among member states and “establishes a common level of penalties to sanction such offenses.” The new…

Canada to create powerful financial crimes agency as US weakens its approach

Regulation
Canada is to establish a new and powerful law enforcement agency to investigate financial crime, in stark contrast to the US, where weakened federal investigators have struggled to pursue fraudsters and the White House has pardoned convicted money launderers. A bill to create the Financial Crimes Agency (FCA) completed its first reading in parliament this week. The legislation was introduced by the governing Liberals and with their parliamentary majority, the party is likely to move it through both levels of government quickly. The new agency, tasked with investigating and prosecuting financial crimes, is the result of a public inquiry that…