Financial Crime Matters — daily FC news

Maduro's operator at the service of Zapatero

Ramón Gordils Montes, Venezuelan diplomat who held 28 positions since 1999, appears in Spanish judicial documents as intermediary between Venezuelan shareholders of Plus Ultra and the influence peddling network allegedly led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. A WhatsApp from March 30, 2020 shows Gordils offering access to 'ZP' (Zapatero). Plus Ultra received €53 million bailout from SEPI funds. Judge José Luis Calama is investigating influence peddling and money laundering.

ESvia Armando.info / El Nacional31 May 2026

Latest 98 stories

MENA Fraud & scams Securities & marketsConvicted; plea deal…

Moshe Kahlon pleads guilty and convicted of securities law violation in Yunit Credit case

Former Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon was convicted on May 31, 2026, in Tel Aviv District Court of securities law violations related to his role as chairman of Yunit Credit (a publicly-traded credit company).

HEvia Calcalist31 May 2026

Money laundering

Latin America Money laundering Traffickingarrested

Senior official close to Milei detained for alleged money laundering and drug trafficking

Facundo Leal, 42-year-old lawyer, former president of state company ARSAT (2022-2026) and former director of ORSNA appointed by the Milei administration in 2025, was detained for alleged money laundering and drug trafficking.

ESvia Infobae América31 May 2026

Other

Latin America Othercharged

Trial for smuggling against former senator Edgardo Kueider will begin this Monday in Paraguay

The Specialized Court for economic crimes in Paraguay will try from June 2 former Argentine senator Edgardo Kueider and his partner Iara Guinsel for attempted smuggling.

ESvia Infobae Argentina31 May 2026

Other

Latin America Otherarrested

Five people captured in Popayán for electoral crimes after detecting attempted vote buying in elections

Five people were captured in the Santiago neighborhood of Cali in Popayán, Cauca, for vote buying. Security cameras documented individuals handing over money and receiving identification cards in public areas.

ESvia Infobae Colombia31 May 2026

Europe Money laundering Fraud & scams Traffickingarrested

Provisional detention for six of 16 arrested in drug trafficking and money laundering scheme

The Court of First Instance in Girona ordered provisional detention for 6 of 16 arrested in operation by the Civil Guard and Mossos d'Esquadra that dismantled drug trafficking and money laundering network in Barcelona/Catalonia and Granada. Four without bail, two with bail of €150,000 each.

ESvia Infobae España29 May 2026

Money laundering

Latin America Money launderingarrested

FGR dismantles money laundering and false invoicing network of 'El Caballito': 8 arrested

The General Prosecutor's Office dismantled the criminal network 'Del Caballito' dedicated to money laundering and issuance of false tax receipts, arresting 8 people including the alleged leaders Michael 'N' and Salvador 'N'.

ESvia Infobae México29 May 2026

North America Money laundering Fraud & scamsconvicted

NJ Man Convicted of Stealing $2.1M in COVID Relief Funds After Submitting Fraudulent Loan Applications

Nikenson Jean Mathurin, 46, of Sparta, New Jersey, was found guilty on May 21, 2026, of three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

ENvia Townhall28 May 2026

Fraud & scams

MENA Fraud & scamsregulatory_advisory

Dubai Police warn residents: Buying stolen credit cards online can lead to prison and Dh2 million fine

Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre warned that criminal networks operating from outside the country are promoting stolen banking data and credit cards through fraudulent online platforms. Under UAE Federal Decree Law No.

ENvia Gulf News28 May 2026

Europe Sanctionsalleged

Russian IT industry pioneer Alexander Galitsky left Russia after all assets seized for alleged Ukraine support

Russian prosecutors demanded on March 11, 2026 to declare entrepreneur Alexander Galitsky and his Almaz Capital fund an 'extremist organization' and confiscate all their assets.

RUvia Meduza27 May 2026

Global Sanctionsalleged

U.K. Sanctions 18 Entities and Persons for Evading Russian Trade Blockades

The UK sanctioned 18 cryptocurrency exchanges, payment providers, and individuals on May 26, 2026, including HTX exchange, for helping Russia bypass international sanctions.

ENvia Chainalysis / UK Government27 May 2026

Europe Money launderingcharged

Guide to navigating the Zapatero and Plus Ultra case: what we know about the investigation

Former Spanish president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has been charged with influence peddling, money laundering and document falsification in the case of the €53 million bailout to airline Plus Ultra in March 2021.

ESvia Newtral / Múltiples medios españoles27 May 2026

Bribery & corruption

Latin America Bribery & corruption Traffickingcharged

Judicial corruption in Rosario: a new repentant confessed and tomorrow the political trial of judge Salmain will be voted

Accountant Gabriel Mizzau declared himself repentant, confessing to having provided accounting advice between 2014-2018 to companies of the Alvarado clan (Logística Santino SRL and Sagrado Corazón de María SRL) to launder drug trafficking money, manipulating financial statements.

ESvia Infobae Argentina27 May 2026

Europe Fraud & scamsinvestigation closed, no…

Closure of investigation targeting Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France insoumise for alleged misappropriation of European public funds

French courts closed on Tuesday 26 May 2026 the investigation opened since November 2018 against Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France insoumise for alleged misappropriation of European public funds. No charges were filed and the case is closed without prosecution.

FRvia French judicial sources26 May 2026

Fraud & scams

MENA Fraud & scamsCivil lawsuit filed;…

State sues Haredi organization alleging it falsified reports on hundreds of students

The Israeli Ministry of Education filed a civil lawsuit against the Haredi organization 'Ohel Yosef' and three senior officials, alleging a decade-long fraud scheme.

HEvia Haaretz26 May 2026

Money laundering

Latin America Money laundering Sanctionsconvicted

Argentine Justice charged the financier convicted in the United States for laundering USD 1.2 billion from Venezuela's oil

Judge Marcelo Aguinsky charged Luis Fernando Vuteff, Argentine financier, with money laundering of illicit sources conducted habitually and imposed an embargo of $5.1 million USD. Vuteff was convicted in the US (December 2024) to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to launder $1.

ESvia Infobae Argentina26 May 2026

Terrorist financing

MENA Terrorist financingconfirmed_conviction

Bahrain jails nine for life over Iran-linked terror plot

Bahrain's High Criminal Court convicted 11 people across two cases for collaborating with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to orchestrate attacks against Bahrain. Nine defendants received life sentences for their role in the Iran-linked terrorist financing and attack plots.

ENvia The National25 May 2026

North America Fraud & scamssentenced

Illinois Woman Sentenced to Prison for Leading 14-Person Pandemic Loan Fraud Scheme

An Illinois woman who pleaded guilty in January 2026 to conspiring with others to defraud the SBA by submitting false applications for EIDL advances and PPP loans was sentenced to prison.

ENvia Townhall24 May 2026

Fraud & scams

MENA Fraud & scamsconfirmed_conviction

She sold luxury dreams that never existed across Gulf and Egypt

Kuwait's Criminal Court convicted one Kuwaiti woman and four accomplices (three Egyptian nationals and one stateless resident) for major real estate fraud.

ENvia Gulf News23 May 2026

Global Money laundering Traffickingindicted

Members of Transnational Money Laundering Organization Charged with Laundering Cartel Funds

An indictment was unsealed charging Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu, both Chinese nationals, with conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with transnational criminal organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación.

ENvia US DOJ22 May 2026

Fraud & scams

North America Fraud & scamsconvicted

Former Prescott Habitat for Humanity Director Convicted of Embezzlement

On May 22, 2026, a jury found Karen Marie Northcutt, 62, of Dewey, guilty of stealing $826,000 from the Prescott Area Habitat for Humanity (PAHH).

ENvia Arizona Court / FBI22 May 2026

Trafficking

Latin America Traffickingcharged

US charges Chinese citizens with laundering money for Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG: they used mirror transfers and overseas accounts

The US Department of Justice formally charged on April 24, 2025 (Eastern District of Virginia) two Chinese citizens, Ruhuan Zhen and Hongce Wu, with conspiracy to launder proceeds from international drug trafficking of the Sinaloa Cartel (CDS) and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

ESvia Infobae México22 May 2026

Europe Sanctionssanctions imposed, subject…

AMF sanctions Ytane Mamou and Elie Houri for insider trading

The AMF Sanctions Commission condemned on 20 May 2026 Mr. Ytane Mamou to a fine of €30,000 and his cousin Mr. Elie Houri to €20,000 for insider trading.

FRvia AMF France20 May 2026

North America Fraud & scams Bribery & corruptioncharged

Two Defense Contractors Arrested for Bribery and Major Fraud Conspiracy Scheme Affecting Department of War Technology Innovation Contracts

Leonard Pick, 62, of Palm Beach Shores, Florida, and Brian Kent, 59, of Tampa, Florida, were charged with orchestrating a bribery and major fraud conspiracy that corrupted the competitive procurement process for a Department of War technology innovation lab in the Pacific.

ENvia US DOJ20 May 2026

MENA Otheralleged

Saudi Capital Market Authority refers CEO and financial managers of Cenomi Retail to prosecution

Saudi Capital Market Authority referred 17 suspects to the Public Prosecution in May 2026, including current and former board members, acting CEO, financial managers, and audit team members of Cenomi Retail company for financial violations.

ARvia Al Arabiya20 May 2026

By region

North America10 Latin America17 Europe21 MENA30 Asia1 Asia Pacific6 Global13

By crime type

Money laundering41 Fraud & scams38 Sanctions18 Bribery & corruption18 Securities & markets11 Terrorist financing11 Trafficking10 Other6 Tax evasion1