Daily financial-crime intelligence · Updated 28 Sep 2026, 23:02 UTC
Money laundering
An investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office has dismantled a fraud and money laundering scheme in the optical sector. Twenty-two individuals and fifteen legal entities have been summoned before the Paris correctional court for alleged facts of fraud and organized money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Court of Appeal sentenced a Syrian national to seven years in prison for fraudulently obtaining Kuwaiti citizenship by being added to the citizenship file of a deceased Kuwaiti citizen in 1971. The court ordered the accused to repay KD 600,000 (approximately $1.
Money laundering
The UAE launched the third cycle of its National Risk Assessment on money laundering, terrorist financing, and weapons proliferation financing on 28 September 2026, during the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi.
Money laundering
Alex Saab pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money through Venezuela's CLAP food distribution program and agreed to forfeit USD 195 million to US authorities. According to investigation by Armando.
Money laundering
The UAE announced a regional initiative under its MENAFATF presidency aimed at studying fraud typologies and associated money laundering across the Middle East and North Africa.
Fraud & scams
The TERA scandal extends to 131 funds from seven portfolio managers, affecting 455,758 unique investors holding affected units and approximately $18.3 billion in assets.
Money laundering
Freddy Chacón, alias El Mexicano, was detained in Medellín, confirmed by mayor Federico Gutiérrez on 26 September 2026.
Money laundering
The UAE has announced a coordinated regional response to combat cross-border fraud and money laundering, which officials say have surged due to Middle Eastern conflicts.
Money laundering
On 25 September 2026, the Paris prosecutor and gendarmerie announced the referral to court of 22 people (ophthalmologists, opticians, health centre managers) and 15 entities for organised fraud and organised money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Ariel Alejandro Rodríguez, a former legislative adviser, was captured after being convicted of usurpation and embezzlement of public funds. He received a sentence of three years and three months imprisonment but remained free during appeal proceedings.
Fraud & scams
An Ecuadorian judge upheld preventive detention for ten defendants and house arrest for another in connection with alleged embezzlement of funds during Ecuador's 2024 energy crisis. The investigation focuses on alleged embezzlement in the emergency procurement of electrical generators.
Money laundering
Judge José Luis Calama of Spain's National Court granted bail to Simon Lendeert Verhoeven, a Dutch financier identified as the alleged 'mastermind' of a money-laundering scheme, but imposed restrictions including prohibition from leaving Spain, court attendance every two days, and home searches.
Fraud & scams
Turkish authorities conducted a corruption investigation into Yahşihan Municipality in Kırıkkale, targeting former AKP mayor Ahmet Sungur and former MHP mayor Osman Türkyılmaz, along with 35 suspects including deputy mayors, municipal council members, municipal employees, and businessmen.
Money laundering
The Atacama Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed the detention of nine individuals in an investigation into corruption offences involving active personnel from the National Gendarmerie, Armed Forces and National Social Reinsertion Service, as well as private citizens linked to state supplier companies.
Fraud & scams
Robert Cappelletti, 60, of Middlebury, Connecticut, was indicted on a nine-count federal indictment charging him with five counts of wire fraud and four counts of making illegal monetary transactions.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Naples conducted searches and seizures in an investigation where a cooperative issued invoices for employee training courses that were never provided to workers.
Fraud & scams
An individual was arrested while withdrawing money from an ATM in Warsaw following an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
Swiss federal courts handled approximately 25 decisions involving nearly a dozen Ukrainian cases within one year, primarily addressing corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
Fraud & scams
Peru's Public Ministry opened a preliminary investigation against suspended provincial prosecutor Germán Juárez Atoche for alleged application of 'differential and unequal treatment'. The investigation covers abuse of authority, aggravated concealment, procedural fraud and falsification.
Money laundering
A 42-year-old Nicaraguan woman pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy related to a transnational fraud scheme that obtained over $36 million from more than 400 victims, predominantly elderly individuals. The network posed as attorneys promising timeshare compensation.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP and Schemes, leaked Dubai property records show Alina Shkrobanets, former mother-in-law of dismissed Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, as owner of a $670,000 Dubai villa purchased in 2023 while Kravchenko headed the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.
Money laundering
Ronald Spektor, 23, of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to four to 12 years in prison.
Money laundering
Olamide Shanu, 35, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering after being extradited from Nigeria. He participated in cyber-enabled schemes affecting approximately 150 American victims and generating over $2.
Fraud & scams
Colombian authorities arrested 15 individuals, including three employees of the National Registry Office (Registraduría), for fraudulently issuing Colombian citizenship documents to Dominican and Venezuelan citizens.
Fraud & scams
Tomás Niembro Concha, 64, a Spanish and Venezuelan national and former chief executive officer of Nodus International Bank, was sentenced on September 21, 2026, to 112 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Niembro led a scheme to fraudulently obtain at least $24.
Fraud & scams
Judge Marcela Garmendia of La Plata ordered the detention of Francisco Vila Basualdo, founder of Grupo Delsud, and Eugenia Martínez, Nadia Antonella Lima and Milena del Sol Dell'Aqua, accused of being part of an alleged real-estate fraud network that sold plots without authorization for irregular urbanizations.
Fraud & scams
Sandra Muñoz was arrested at Santiago Airport for involvement in a pyramid scheme operated through the 'Sunflower Technologies' platform between 2023-2025.
Fraud & scams
A Kuwaiti Misdemeanors Court sentenced a former minister and former member of Parliament to six months in prison with hard labour and immediate enforcement on September 21, 2026, after convicting them of fraud and deception.
Fraud & scams
Javier Aguilar, 52-year-old Mexican former Vitol operator, was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn for orchestrating international bribery schemes.
Fraud & scams
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado has ordered Begoña Gómez, spouse of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, to trial before a jury on charges of embezzlement and influence peddling.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Milan, Italy announced on Friday 18 September that it had carried out searches and frozen €2.6 million in assets in an investigation into suspected fraud involving funds from the Italian recovery and resilience plan.
Fraud & scams
Javier Aguilar, 52, a Mexican national and former oil trader residing in Houston, Texas, was sentenced on September 21, 2026, to 48 months in prison for leading two international bribery schemes.
Money laundering
Five Chinese nationals faced judicial examination on September 10, 2026, for organizing an elaborate VAT fraud and money laundering scheme targeting the French tax authorities. Prosecutors allege they orchestrated organized fraud involving approximately €52 million.
Money laundering
Panamanian authorities detained Renauld Delgado Barrios, operations manager of HCG S.A. consortium, as the fifth person charged in Operation Espejismo.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on 18 September 2026 that Italian prosecutors froze approximately €2.
Fraud & scams
Turkish authorities dismantled an international fraud network accused of luring investors worldwide with fake foreign exchange and cryptocurrency trading offers, detaining 201 suspects including 9 Israeli nationals and 45 foreign nationals from 20 countries.
Money laundering
Huawei Technologies faces a criminal trial in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, on charges including racketeering, money laundering, bank and wire fraud, sanctions violations, obstruction, and trade secret theft from five U.S. technology companies.
Fraud & scams
The article examines sophisticated cross-border fraud operations that exploit the credibility of official institutions. Modern fraudsters operate organized networks using international numbers, shell accounts, and call centers to impersonate law enforcement officers, diplomats, judges and lawyers.
Money laundering
Five Chinese nationals face examination in Paris on charges of organizing a sophisticated VAT fraud scheme involving organized fraud, tax fraud, and organized money laundering.
Money laundering
Polymarket's compliance team discovered a $10 million attempted fraud scheme affecting the platform's U.S. betting operations. A payment processor rejected 80% of transactions as fraudulent, far exceeding the standard 1% industry rejection rate.
Fraud & scams
Turkish authorities arrested nine Israeli citizens as part of a widespread operation against an international fraud scheme. According to the report, the network allegedly defrauded victims of approximately $266-3 billion USD through fake investment platforms over approximately a decade.
Fraud & scams
The asset-forfeiture trial for Roxana Baldetti, former Vice President of Guatemala, opened on September 18, 2026. The Public Prosecutor's Office presented 290 pieces of evidence seeking to have 11 assets linked to Baldetti transferred to the State.
Money laundering
Mohamed Sanhadji, logistics and security director for the French national football team, was placed under judicial examination on charges including alleged embezzlement of public funds, active corruption of public officials, active influence trafficking involving public officials, passive influence…
Money laundering
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested suspects in separate operations targeting illegal currency exchange, hawala-hundi networks and fraudulent visa processing on September 19, 2026.
Turkish prosecutors detained 175 individuals in İstanbul and Muğla provinces in four related investigations into a suspected international forex and cryptocurrency fraud network involving money laundering. Nine Israelis were among those arrested. Authorities seized approximately 1.
Fraud & scams
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested five individuals alleged to be involved in hawala-hundi and illegal currency exchange operations. The FIA recovered Rs107 million from the suspects' possession, along with mobile phones and other evidence linked to hawala-hundi transactions.
Money laundering
Mohamed Sanhadji, former logistics and security manager for the French national football team (2004–December 2025), has been placed under judicial investigation on charges including receiving embezzled public funds, active corruption of public officials, influence trafficking, escroquerie, and tax fraud money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Turkish authorities announced the dismantling of an alleged international investment fraud network that operated from Turkey, with prosecutors alleging it defrauded victims worldwide of more than $3 billion.
Fraud & scams
Panama's Public Ministry recorded a significant rise in fraud reports through August 2026, with 4,547 criminal complaints compared to 3,987 in the same period of 2025, representing a 14% increase. Computer program manipulation offences surged 338% from 52 to 228 cases year-over-year.
Fraud & scams
A 31-year-old man residing in the Czech Republic was arrested in Thusis, Grisons, on suspicion of repeated fraud targeting elderly victims in Ticino's Riviera and Mendrisiotto regions.
Money laundering
In Operation Cobra 2.0-A, 28 people were arrested for alleged fraud at the Dominican National Health Insurance (Senasa). The scheme is estimated to have defrauded approximately $250 million.
Fraud & scams
The Department of Justice returned $2.5 million to The Gambia to compensate victims of former President Yahya Jammeh's regime.
Money laundering
Ángel Donald Guerrero Ortiz, former finance minister, and 34 other defendants were brought to trial before the Third Collegiate Court on allegations of administrative corruption and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
The European Commission published an evaluation report on the European Public Prosecutor's Office five years after its establishment in June 2021, showing investigations increased from 515 to 3,602 cases and frozen assets rose from €147 million to €1.
Money laundering
A 51-year-old British man, one of the 12 most-wanted fugitives in the UK, was arrested in Orihuela, Alicante. He was facing an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for fraud and money laundering.
Money laundering
Javier Aguilar, 52, a former energy trader for Vitol Inc., was sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in two foreign bribery schemes.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb filed an indictment on 18 September 2026 against four individuals and two companies for subsidy fraud involving misuse of EU funds.
Fraud & scams
According to ICIJ, Huawei is on trial in Brooklyn federal court on 12 felony charges including racketeering, trade secret theft, wire fraud, and bank fraud.
Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar granted former Prime Minister Najib Razak a conditional royal pardon, allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence for graft under house arrest until August 23, 2028.
Money laundering
A 51-year-old British national, listed among the UK's 12 most wanted fugitives, was arrested in Orihuela, Alicante, Spain. According to an 8.5-year prison sentence issued by UK authorities, the individual is charged with fraud and money laundering offences.
Money laundering
Interpol Colombia arrested eight international fugitives who were wanted by seven different countries. According to reports, the detainees were being sought for crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, arms trafficking, criminal organization, usury and fraud, among others.
Fraud & scams
Police opened an investigation against Netivei Ayalon chairman Idan David on suspicion of CV fraud and other offences.
Fraud & scams
Federal authorities arrested three nonprofit executives accused of diverting at least $12 million in public funds meant for homeless services in Los Angeles. Michael Young allegedly siphoned $7.
Fraud & scams
Salvadoran authorities arrested two criminal network leaders, Rodolfo Giovanni de León Rivas and Leonardo Eduardo Castillo González, who orchestrated a sophisticated identity theft scheme between January and March 2026. The operation created at least 22 fraudulent digital bank accounts.
Fraud & scams
Cyprus authorities participated in an international investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) into alleged VAT fraud involving mobile phone sales across multiple EU jurisdictions.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a False Claims Act complaint against laboratory executives Jay Johnson and Austin Whiles, alleging they orchestrated two testing schemes at Capstone Diagnostics in Atlanta—one targeting faith-based communities through church health fairs and another exploiting…
Fraud & scams
Samir Ousman Alsheikh, 74, a former Syrian prison warden and provincial governor, was sentenced to 60 years in prison for conspiracy to commit torture, three counts of torture, visa fraud, and attempted naturalization fraud.
A former head of Deutsche Bank's private banking team in Frankfurt was convicted and sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term by Frankfurt Regional Court for embezzling €626,000 from affluent clients through breach of trust and theft.
Fraud & scams
Rita Ntusa Anagho, 54, of San Tan Valley, Arizona, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme to defraud Arizona's Medicaid agency by submitting false claims for purported addiction treatment services that were either not provided at all or not provided as billed.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, British authorities froze a luxury London property worth USD 72 million owned by Zhao Chen, a China-born Cypriot citizen, in connection to her husband Wu An Ming (also known as Hu Xiaowei), who has been sanctioned by both the U.S. and U.K. for alleged ties to the Prince Group.
Money laundering
Federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture complaint on September 15, 2026, seeking to seize over $61 million in cryptocurrency held in unhosted wallets on the TRON blockchain. The complaint alleges that two Chinese companies, Blessed Trust and Hexa Whale, laundered approximately $1.
Money laundering
The Department of Justice announced it is transferring $29.7 million to Curaçao representing proceeds recovered from an eight-year fraud and money laundering scheme. Robertico A.
Fraud & scams
Iraqi authorities successfully retrieved Mohammed Ismat Mohammed Saeed from the United Arab Emirates following an international extradition effort. Saeed, a former cashier at the Trade Ministry's Companies Registration Directorate, had been convicted of stealing approximately 1.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Cologne conducted simultaneous searches and arrests on 16 September 2026 targeting an alleged criminal organisation suspected of large-scale VAT fraud involving missing traders and shell companies exploiting VAT exemptions for cross-border EU transactions.
Fraud & scams
Spanish Civil Guard authorities dismantled a sophisticated cybercrime network (Operation Ibermellow) that defrauded over €1 million from 43 victims across Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel provinces.
Money laundering
Gaye C., former director of Coallia (a migrant assistance organization), was convicted by the Tribunal Judiciaire de Créteil on September 11, 2026, and sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
Fraud & scams
Dmitry Shushlebin, 45, a Russian citizen residing in Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and $458,839.69 in restitution.
Money laundering
Law enforcement arrested Michael Young, 46, a founder of Home At Last nonprofit, and Donye Mitchell, 55, CEO of The Big Blue Umbrella nonprofit, on charges of wire fraud for misappropriating more than $7.5 million and $1.2 million respectively in taxpayer funds.
The Argentine Navy disclosed an internal corruption scheme involving 645 improper salary deposits totaling approximately $981 million affecting 23 individuals between July 2022 and January 2026.
Money laundering
Italian authorities allege aggravated fraud and money laundering related to the estate of Felice Riva, a former textile magnate and former president of AC Milan (1960s), who died in Tuscany in 2017.
Fraud & scams
A Colombian judge has confirmed corruption charges against Miguel Quintero Calle (brother of former Medellín mayor Daniel Quintero), Álvaro Villada, Vanesa Álvarez and Sebastián Ortega. They are accused of conspiracy in Metropolitan Area of Aburrá Valley contracts totalling 17.
Fraud & scams
Accountant Efraín Chérigo Moreno was placed under provisional detention following Operation Espejismo, which investigates alleged massive tax fraud against Panama's Dirección General de Ingresos. He is alleged to have manipulated the e-Tax 2.
Money laundering
Two men from Marseille are being prosecuted in Paris for attempted fraud against a magistrate. The accused allegedly submitted false documents to a judge in order to recover seized vehicles and avoid pretrial detention.
Fraud & scams
Ilit Raz, founder and former CEO of Joonko (a human-resources technology firm), pleaded guilty to securities fraud after FBI investigation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Raz forged bank statements and customer documents to raise $27 million from venture capital funds.
Money laundering
Juliet Mora, 42, pleaded guilty on September 14, 2026, to conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a transnational fraud network targeting elderly and vulnerable Americans.
Money laundering
Federal authorities charged twelve individuals—naturalized U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents from Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq—with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with schemes to defraud federal childcare subsidy programs in San Diego County.
Fraud & scams
The Guardia Civil dismantled a cybercriminal network that defrauded over €1 million from 43 victims through a call center that impersonated banking entities.
Money laundering
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched a fresh investigation into an alleged Rs172 billion fraud and money laundering case involving call centres suspected of deceiving victims and transferring illicit funds through multiple financial channels.
Fraud & scams
An investigation has revealed that Lebanon imported overpriced Russian fuel between 2023 and 2025 with allegedly falsified certificates of origin designed to conceal the sanctioned nature of the shipments.
Fraud & scams
Hefu Chai, 36, of Menlo Park, California, and Huaisong Xiang, 30, of Jersey City, New Jersey, were charged with one count of commodities fraud and one count of wire fraud each.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on 14 September 2026 that nine suspects have been charged in Germany in operation Nimmersatt, investigating a criminal network alleged to have imported seriously damaged vehicles from the United States before reselling them after only superficial repairs.
Money laundering
A 25-year-old Parisian computer science graduate identified as Shimon B. was placed under judicial examination on September 11, 2026, for fraud and money laundering in an organized criminal network.
Fraud & scams
A court issued a verdict in a case involving diversion of public funds designated for social housing during Cristina Fernández's administration (2007-2015). The court acquitted Julio de Vido, former Federal Planning Minister, on fraudulent administration charges.
Money laundering
A trial began involving a Mexican real estate project that allegedly caused approximately €750 million in damages. Prosecutors allege systematic fraud where bank administrators improperly favored developers by providing abusive credit with inflated valuations.
Fraud & scams
The Financial Conduct Authority has prohibited Nurul Miah from working in the financial services industry after the Solicitors Regulation Authority found that Miah, as a non-legal manager at Kingly Solicitors Limited, dishonestly caused or allowed more than £28 million of client money to be taken from client accounts without permission between April 2019 and July 2020.
Money laundering
The U.S. Department of Justice announced a coordinated enforcement surge, termed Operation No Doze, targeting pandemic-era fraud in Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs.
Fraud & scams
The UAE is intensifying enforcement against fraudulent academic credentials. Authorities are implementing stricter verification procedures for educational qualifications, with financial penalties forming a key part of the enforcement strategy.
Edwin Omokhuale, 39, was arrested at Dublin Airport on 10 September 2026 while attempting to board a flight to Paris.
Fraud & scams
UK fintech company Revolut confirmed a customer data breach affecting approximately 680 clients through fraudulent requests using a legitimate government agency domain email.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Katowice, Poland filed an indictment on 8 September 2026 at the Circuit Court in Katowice against two suspects accused of attempting to fraudulently obtain €3.3 million in EU funding to establish nurseries across the country.
Money laundering
Brazilian authorities are investigating senator Flávio Bolsonaro, a leading opposition candidate for October elections, for alleged corruption offences related to financing of an unreleased film about his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Fraud & scams
A 34-year-old man was detained on suspicion of participating in a scheme to manipulate Panama's tax system.
Money laundering
Federal Oral Court 4 acquitted Enrique Blaksley Señorans and other co-defendants of alleged fraud and money laundering offences related to the private housing project Verazul.
Fraud & scams
Former Southern Water Chief Executive Officer Matthew Wright has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the Environment Agency and water regulator Ofwat, along with three former colleagues: Philip Barker, Clive Massey and Mark Gregory.
Fraud & scams
The World Bank Group announced a 29-month debarment of African Consulting Surveyors (ACS) and its Managing Director Willem Jan Timmerman for fraudulent and collusive practices in the Mozambique Land Administration Project (Terra Segura).
Money laundering
Carlos García Roldán, alias 'Charly', was arrested in Calella, Barcelona, after nine months at large. He was convicted of continued aggravated fraud, membership in a criminal group, fraudulent insolvency and money laundering to a sentence of 14 years and 9 months imprisonment.
Money laundering
A 26-year-old man is on trial at Grasse criminal court on September 10-11, 2026 for fraud and money laundering. He is accused of contacting victims by telephone while impersonating their banker, obtaining their online banking codes and transferring funds to his own accounts.
Money laundering
Edwin Omokhuale, 39, was arrested by An Garda Síochána at Dublin Airport as he was preparing to board a flight to Paris.
Fraud & scams
Amit Madanlal Lakhanpal, principal accused in the Money Trade Coin (MTC) cryptocurrency fraud case, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates on the strength of an Interpol Red Notice sought by Thane City Police in Maharashtra, India.
Fraud & scams
Alex Beard, former head of oil at Glencore, pleaded not guilty to two corruption charges at London's Southwark Crown Court on September 10, 2026.
Fraud & scams
The Federal Investigation Agency apprehended two suspects in Faisalabad accused of orchestrating an investment scam affecting approximately 4,000 people. Authorities recovered Rs.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Police arrested José Trinidad Márquez, a 72-year-old Venezuelan known as "Camaleón Criollo", after he attempted to defraud a Madrid company of €120,000 by impersonating a Pemex executive.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Scam Center Strike Force announced coordinated enforcement actions against Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language illicit marketplace run on Telegram at the center of Southeast Asia's cyber scam economy.
Fraud & scams
François Bayrou, former Prime Minister, appeared before Paris Court of Appeal on 9 September 2026 in the MoDem parliamentary assistants affair. He was acquitted at first instance in February 2024, but prosecutors filed an appeal.
FinCEN issued Alert FIN-2026-Alert 005 on 3 September 2026, warning financial institutions to be vigilant in detecting and reporting suspicious activity connected to digital asset investment scam centers and the laundering of their illicit proceeds.
Fraud & scams
Christopher Woolcott, aged 44, from Greenwich, London, pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court to fraud by false representation contrary to the Fraud Act 2006 and three counts of making false instruments contrary to the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Police arrested a suspect in the act in Madrid while he attempted to defraud a company of €120,000 by posing as a fake executive. The suspect used false documents and demanded payments to secure fraudulent contracts, building false identities to gain victims' trust.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Criminal Court has sentenced a former Ministry of Interior senior official to seven years in prison with hard labor, dismissed him from his position, and ordered him to repay 1.293 million dinars and pay a fine of 2.
Huawei Technologies is heading to trial in federal court in Brooklyn over its business dealings in Iran. Eight years after U.S. prosecutors secretly charged the Chinese company with defrauding HSBC and other banks over its business with Iran, jury selection began on September 9, 2026.
Fraud & scams
The Abu Dhabi Court for Family, Civil and Administrative Claims ordered a man to return Dh99,000 to a company owner after fraudulently retaining money that was mistakenly transferred to his bank account.
Fraud & scams
Amit Shabi and Marco Shabi, managers of Bernheim Dreyfus & Co, an asset management firm founded in Geneva and later relocated to Paris, have pleaded guilty following an agreement with the National Financial Prosecutor.
Fraud & scams
Paraguay's Public Ministry opened an investigation into injuries suffered by former governor Hugo Javier González while in state custody. González, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, was hospitalized after suffering head trauma and intracranial bleeding.
Money laundering
Law enforcement sources reported that representatives of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office allegedly received approximately US$7,000 per month from each fraudulent call center they protected, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Fraud & scams
A 52-year-old Argentine man nicknamed 'El Sapo' was detained in Málaga, Spain, for alleged fraud against travel agencies involving the use of cloned or fraudulent credit cards. He is accused of purchasing travel packages with fraudulent cards and reselling them through a travel agency.
Fraud & scams
France's financial intelligence service Tracfin (Traitement du renseignement et action contre les circuits financiers clandestins) announced on Monday 7 September it received 278,484 declarations of suspected fraud in 2025, a 32% increase compared with 2024.
Fraud & scams
An alleged crypto theft network led by 22-year-old Malone Lam (Singapore national) is charged in connection with the theft of over 4,100 bitcoin worth approximately $240 million from a Washington, D.C. resident in August 2024.
Fraud & scams
Argentina's Federal Police dismantled an alleged internal corruption scheme at TANDANOR, a state-owned shipyard. During raids on September 3rd, authorities seized approximately $367,110 across multiple locations.
Fraud & scams
The Technical Agency of Criminal Investigation arrested six people accused of operating as financial couriers in a bank fraud scheme. The detainees facilitated bank accounts to receive and transfer USD 21,857 stolen through unauthorized access to computer systems.
Fraud & scams
Peruvian authorities arrested eleven individuals suspected of operating a telephone fraud scheme impersonating bank advisors from a call center in the Comas district of Lima.
Money laundering
Law enforcement agencies uncovered a criminal organization that systematically received bribes from fraudulent call centers and laundered millions in illicit proceeds.
Money laundering
A federal grand jury in the District of Massachusetts indicted Erekle Gugava, 33, on 4 September 2026, charging him with conspiracy to launder proceeds in connection with a $1.3 billion health care fraud scheme.
Money laundering
The National Financial Prosecutor (PNF) seized €65.2 million from accounts of consulting firm McKinsey as part of an investigation into money laundering connected with tax fraud. The seized amount represents approximately 96% of the estimated fiscal damage of €68 million.
Fraud & scams
Kenneth Charles Kessler III, 43, of Miami, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 43, of Miramar, were sentenced for their roles in a $34.8 million health care fraud conspiracy billing Medicare for thousands of orthotic braces sent to Medicare beneficiaries who did not need them.
Fraud & scams
French and Belgian prosecutors announced the seizure of €65 million from US consultancy firm McKinsey as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged tax fraud. Belgian authorities seized €65.2 million on August 19, 2026, which represents 96% of the tax loss estimated by French prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
Dubai authorities arrested a performer for promoting fraudulent freelance visas through TikTok and YouTube, targeting job seekers. The suspect allegedly created approximately 40 fraudulent residency documents, charging between Dh7,000 and Dh9,000 each.
Fraud & scams
Bernardo 'Nando' Meneses, former director of Ifarhu, faces investigation for alleged aggravated embezzlement and corruption of public servants related to irregularities in the administration of economic aid between 2021 and 2023.
Money laundering
Three U.S. citizens wanted by American authorities were detained in the Guadalajara metropolitan area for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering. The suspects had arrest warrants issued in October 2025 by a California district court.
Fraud & scams
A performer was arrested in Dubai by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs and Dubai Police for allegedly operating an illegal immigration racket using social media platforms.
Money laundering
A superseding indictment was unsealed charging an Idaho couple (Andrea and Kent Shannon) and five non-Idaho residents with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, making false claims, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Philip Nelson Green pleaded guilty to filing false income tax returns with the IRS for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The returns reported multiple false or fraudulent items, including false wage information, itemized deductions, withholding amounts, and child and dependent care expenses.
The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert urging financial institutions to be vigilant regarding digital asset investment scams perpetrated by overseas scam centers.
Fraud & scams
A National Court judge has summoned Cristian Corvillo—identified by the opposition as a former driver of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez—to testify as a witness in a hydrocarbon fraud investigation.
Fraud & scams
Three former directors of Ethical Forestry Limited have been sentenced for fraudulent trading: Matthew Pickard (56 years) to six years' imprisonment, Stephen Greenaway (47 years) to five years and three months, and Paul Laver (47 years) to four years and six months.
Fraud & scams
The Paris Criminal Court convicted three French companies and two directors for fraud involving €275,800 in European funding.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office connected businessman Víctor de Aldama and associates to a suspected scheme involving the transfer of approximately €27.9 million to Portugal between 2022-2024.
Fraud & scams
Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) settled its $290 million compensation claim over an abandoned decade-long bribery prosecution with the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and law firm Dechert.
Fraud & scams
Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation settled its £290 million ($290 million USD) compensation claim against the UK's Serious Fraud Office and law firm Dechert on September 2, 2026.
Fraud & scams
Two men were arrested in Caracas for allegedly participating in a fraud scheme known as 'pantallazos.'
The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), together with the Federal Reserve Board, FDIC, NCUA, and OCC, issued a joint statement clarifying that Suspicious Activity Report confidentiality requirements do not preclude banks from communicating with customers regarding…
Fraud & scams
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is under investigation for alleged connections to banker Daniel Vorcaro, former owner of Banco Master liquidated for frauds involving $7-10 billion affecting 800,000 investors.
Fraud & scams
Rodney Underwood of Detroit, Michigan pleaded guilty to making a false claim in connection with a scheme to defraud the IRS of over $6.2 million.
Fraud & scams
A Nevada tax preparer was sentenced to 60 months in prison for operating two false tax return schemes. The defendant engaged in fraudulent tax preparation practices that resulted in significant losses to the government.
Money laundering
Paul Hottinguer, heir to a Franco-Swiss banking dynasty, is being tried at Paris Criminal Court for aggravated tax fraud and money laundering.
On 31 August 2026 (published 2 September), a Brussels court chamber referred Belgian biometrics company Semlex and 13 other defendants to criminal trial over alleged corruption, money laundering and tax fraud linked to a contract to produce biometric passports in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Money laundering
Honduras's National Anti-Corruption Council has criticised the closure of fraud and money laundering charges against former president Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022).
Fraud & scams
Iraq's government has launched a financial reward programme incentivizing citizens to report embezzlement and financial crimes, offering whistleblowers 5% of recovered stolen funds.
Fraud & scams
Individuals were convicted for a massive scam targeting two faculties of the University of Buenos Aires.
Money laundering
An indictment was filed against attorney and CPA Shimon Cohen (former senior official at Israel Tax Authority), businessman Dody Afel, and others for tax crimes, document forgery, violations of insolvency law, and money laundering offenses.
Fraud & scams
The National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (PNACO) held its first autumn court hearing on September 1st to examine a vast false investment fraud scheme. An individual identified as Rudy S.
Money laundering
On 19 August 2026, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office, in coordination with French prosecutors, seized €65.24 million as part of an investigation into suspected aggravated money laundering linked to tax fraud by management consulting firm McKinsey.
Fraud & scams
Euronews Persian examined 25 significant financial corruption cases spanning recent decades in Iran. According to Transparency International's 2026 report, Iran ranks 153rd among 182 countries in corruption perception.
Fraud & scams
An investigation by Follow the Money details allegations that Italian mafia organizations, including the Neapolitan Camorra and Sicilian Cosa Nostra, collaborated with financial operatives to orchestrate a €520 million VAT fraud scheme.
Money laundering
Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt López, who has been investigated for money laundering in Spain and Switzerland, is listed as a conspirator in the Money Flight operation according to Miami Herald, with links to the laundering of 1.2 billion dollars diverted from PDVSA.
Fraud & scams
Umar Zaul Al-Aassem, head of Tel Sheva municipal council, was arrested on charges of bribery, fraud, criminal breach of trust, tender manipulation, and fictitious employment. Police arrested seven suspects including the council head and detained six others.
Fraud & scams
Israeli police arrested seven suspects including Omar Zael Al-Assam, head of Tel Sheva regional council in southern Israel, alongside family members and senior municipal officials. Six additional suspects were detained for questioning.
Money laundering
A federal jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, convicted Kimberly Goodwin, 54, of Bowie, Maryland, former president of AFGE Local 2419 union (January 2017 to August 2019), of wire fraud conspiracy and eight counts of money laundering.
Money laundering
Iraq's Federal Commission of Integrity announced that Ali Maarij al-Bahadli, Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Affairs, was sentenced to seven years in prison by an anti-corruption court for illicit enrichment and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs referred cases of misappropriation of public funds at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs (PADA) to the Public Prosecution. An investigation committee discovered that funds estimated at approximately 1.
Fraud & scams
María Estrella Martínez de Yankelevich, previously convicted in a fraud scheme, filed a criminal complaint against Marcelo Casaretto (ex-ATER provincial tax collection agency director) and five other ex-officials including Damián Alcides Zoff, César Del Castillo, Germán Gietz, Federico Borra, and Manuel Valiero.
Fraud & scams
The Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) revealed details of an embezzlement operation involving former Security Secretary Genaro García Luna spanning 2008-2018. The scheme involved shell companies, including NUNVAC, that received over $403.
Fraud & scams
An Ecuadorian National Court judge ordered preventive detention for ten newly charged individuals in the 'Caso Apagón' (Blackout Case). The investigation examines alleged embezzlement of public funds related to emergency contracts for electrical generators during Ecuador's 2024 energy crisis.
Money laundering
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 40, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 95 months in prison for his role in a money laundering conspiracy involving millions of dollars tied to various fraud schemes—including business email compromise, romance, and unemployment insurance fraud scams—perpetrated against U.S.
Money laundering
ENEX Premium Trading Limited, registered in St Kitts and Nevis and owned by Azerbaijani national Nadir Valiyev, agreed to forfeit more than $5.2 million (£3.84 million) following a civil recovery investigation into suspected money laundering and sanctions evasion.
Fraud & scams
Prosecutors allege that since 2019, approximately 935 million barrels of diesel and gasoline illegally entered Mexico without tax payment, causing fiscal damage exceeding 730 billion pesos. Criminal organizations allegedly declared fuel as lubricants or other products with lower tax rates.
Fraud & scams
A Honduran-American resident of Alabama was arrested at Palmerola International Airport on charges related to a 2012 equipment procurement contract for the Patuca III Hydroelectric Project. Authorities allege purchases were overvalued with respect to contract specifications.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced arrests of five individuals in Czechia suspected of leading a criminal VAT fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
Colombia's military authorities, in coordination with the National Police and Attorney General's office, arrested eight active military personnel and one retired soldier following an investigation spanning over 18 months.
Fraud & scams
Alejandro Hamlyn, owner of the company Haxx (formerly Hafesa) that manages petroleum storage facilities holding Spain's strategic reserves, was arrested by Interpol in Abu Dhabi after failing to appear for trial.
Money laundering
Massachusetts State Rep. Francisco Paulino was indicted on eight counts of wire fraud and three counts of unlawful monetary transactions.
Fraud & scams
Patricia Jimena Vidaurre was convicted of operating an illegal investment scheme called 'Inversiones Alyson' that promised weekly returns of 40-60% to over 40 victims.
Money laundering
INTERPOL announced that Operation Jackal IV, running from November 2025 to June 2026, identified 263 suspects and secured 58 arrests across 22 countries on six continents targeting West African organized crime groups involved in cyber-enabled financial fraud.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted a public auction in France that generated €1,853,800 from over 10,000 seized e-bikes and e-scooters confiscated during Operation Calypso.
Money laundering
Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández faced a court hearing on fraud and money laundering charges. The proceedings continued with expert evidence presentations from prosecution and defence. Prosecutors allege the misappropriation of approximately $10.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police warned the public about fraudsters posing as official bodies to offer fake jobs and visas in exchange for cash. Scammers are increasingly exploiting social media and messaging apps to deceive victims using unlicensed company names.
Fraud & scams
Peruvian forensic doctor Edgar Eduardo Poma Condori was arrested as the alleged leader of a criminal network that falsified death certificates to activate fraudulent insurance payouts and pension fund withdrawals exceeding 22 million soles.
Fraud & scams
The Parquet National Financier (National Financial Prosecutor) announced on August 24 that it opened a preliminary investigation into alleged embezzlement of public funds against Bally Bagayoko, mayor of Saint-Denis and member of La France Insoumise.
Money laundering
An Istanbul court on August 24, 2026, acquitted all 200 defendants of forming or belonging to a criminal organization in a major municipal corruption trial, while convicting five mayors on separate bribery and related charges.
Fraud & scams
Five individuals, including three U.S. Postal Service mail carriers—Catherine Clauzell Kilpatrick, Drakkor Jamal Alexander, and Malcolm Tiree Joubert—were indicted on fraud charges in connection with an alleged theft and resale operation involving approximately $23.97 million in stolen checks.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the establishment of the National Fraud Detection Center (NFDC), a prosecutor-led, multi-agency team designed to investigate the most harmful actors defrauding federal government programs, including illicit actors overseas and those operating fraud schemes…
Fraud & scams
A London court has wound up Key Coin Assets Ltd following an Insolvency Service investigation that found the company operated a Ponzi-style cryptocurrency investment scheme. Nine investors lost more than £300,000 to the fraud.
Money laundering
Three residents of Barcelona and Buñol, Valencia were arrested on charges of membership in a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering in a scheme involving fraudulent sales of containers adapted as prefabricated homes.
Fraud & scams
Fraudsters are using forged government documents to deceive Mexican agricultural producers, requesting deposits of 35,000 pesos under the pretence of advertising spaces or sponsorships.
Fraud & scams
Argentine political strategist Fernando Cerimedo arrived in Bolivia in 2024 ostensibly conducting market research and gradually gained influence within President Rodrigo Paz's administration.
Fraud & scams
The State Prosecutor's Office of Jalisco seeks three owners or associates of Constructora Arriba Jalisco accused of involvement in real estate fraud related to the sale of unbuilt apartments in Zapopan, Guadalajara, and Tlajomulco. Arrest warrants have been issued against three individuals.
Money laundering
Four members of a Bronx-based racketeering organization known as the 'War Room' were indicted on nine counts including racketeering conspiracy, violence in aid of racketeering, firearms offenses, fraud, narcotics, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
According to an Infobea report of 20 August 2026, former deputy Elías Matta argues Venezuela's electricity crisis results from corruption. The opposition-controlled parliament (2015-2020) documented a national embezzlement of approximately 26 billion dollars related to the electricity sector.
According to AUSTRAC, a joint analysis of data from 10 major Australian banks identified potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in suspected fraudulent loans, mostly linked to properties in Sydney.
Money laundering
Albertina Mangini (44), a lawyer at the Patronato de Liberados agency overseeing released prisoners in Buenos Aires Province, and Ignacio Leonel Marchioni (32), connected to Sur Finanzas, were detained by federal police.
Money laundering
Santiago Hazim, former director of Senasa (Dominican Republic's state health insurance administrator), faces charges including official misconduct, bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, and document falsification in a major corruption investigation.
Money laundering
Judge Paulina Moya imposed preventive detention on Michael Clark, former president of Universidad de Chile club, determining that his freedom 'constitutes a danger to public safety and investigative success.'
Money laundering
The initial hearing against Juan Orlando Hernández, former president of Honduras, in the case known as Pandora II was rescheduled for August 24, 2026, at 9:30 AM. Hernández faces charges of fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
The Department of Justice unsealed a superseding 14-count indictment on August 18, 2026, charging 17 members and affiliates of the Iran-based Mabna Institute with conducting coordinated cyber intrusions into computer systems of 144 U.S. universities, 178 foreign universities, at least 42 U.S.
Fraud & scams
Key Coin Assets Ltd was shut down by a London court following an Insolvency Service investigation that found the company operating a Ponzi-style cryptocurrency investment scheme.
Fraud & scams
Authorities are investigating alleged embezzlement using thirteen fraudulent judicial writs (exhortos) attributed to a Choluteca court to execute embargoes against municipal funds. The investigation identified approximately 32,545,791.88 lempiras (approximately $1.
Fraud & scams
Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt has become a key intermediary between the Trump administration and Delcy Rodríguez's government in Venezuela, despite his controversial past.
Fraud & scams
Bank Leumi filed a 26.6 million shekel lawsuit against Meta in Tel Aviv District Court, alleging the company enables systematic distribution of fraudulent advertisements impersonating the bank on Facebook and Instagram.
Money laundering
Jianfei Lu, 31, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez in the Western District of North Carolina and ordered to forfeit $25 million.
Fraud & scams
The SEC charged Daniel Chu (CEO), Jerome Kollar (CFO), and Ameryn Seibold (Senior Director of Finance) of Texas-based Tricolor Holdings with fraud. From at least 2020 through bankruptcy in September 2025, Tricolor raised more than $1.
Fraud & scams
Mexico City's General Justice Prosecutor's Office connected five individuals to a banking fraud scheme operating between 2023-2026.
Money laundering
Paraguay delivered to Brazil a Gulfstream G550 private jet valued at approximately USD 28 million linked to an investigation into Brazilian banker Daniel Vorcaro, currently in detention. The aircraft was registered to Viking Participações Ltda.
Money laundering
Brian DePeña, 61-year-old mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arrested by the FBI on charges of electronic fraud and money laundering related to pandemic-era small business assistance loans. According to allegations, approximately $1.
A convicted Bahraini fraudster and his legal adviser are on trial at the High Criminal Court on charges of entering false data into the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry and the Information and eGovernment Authority systems.
Money laundering
Former Motol Hospital director Miloslav Ludvik and deputy director Pavel Budinsky are accused of accepting bribes from construction companies in exchange for contracts including a 150 million euro EU-funded oncology center, with bribes allegedly laundered via a shell company in Benin, according to Follow the Money and the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating whether billionaire Mark Walter and his businesses committed fraud by concealing financial connections while borrowing billions of dollars from insurers he controls, according to Wall Street Journal reporting.
Money laundering
A 57-year-old Italian man is suspected of defrauding multiple gold dealers in Lyon. He allegedly posed as a Vatican representative with connections to the Pope to gain merchants' trust, obtaining jewelry, watches, and precious coins valued at approximately €100,000.
Money laundering
An international criminal network exploiting a vulnerability in a German payment service provider's booking system was dismantled following coordinated raids in Brazil, Spain, and Bulgaria.
Fraud & scams
Pakistan's Interior Ministry decided to expel 284 foreign nationals involved in online fraud operations. The Ministry cancelled visas for 284 arrested foreigners and issued them 15-day one-time exit permits.
Fraud & scams
A suspect was arrested on August 6 in Jussy, Aisne, following discovery of a large-scale fraud involving the MaPrimeRénov' renovation subsidy program.
Fraud & scams
A judgment of 13 August 2026 held BNP Paribas, SFR and Free Mobile jointly liable for their responsibility in a SIM-swap fraud that cost a customer €16,964.
On August 15, 2026, Russia's drone sector faced corruption allegations when directors of Drone Solutions—Irakli Khazalia and Vyacheslav Barbarov—faced charges of fraud carrying sentences up to 10 years imprisonment.
Fraud & scams
Paris prosecutor opened an investigation following a cyberattack on the information system of the General Directorate of Public Finance.
Fraud & scams
Sibongile Viola Ncube, former vice president of sales and marketing for the Pleasant Hill Tourism Improvement District, was charged with two felony counts following a year-long investigation that began in July 2025.
Money laundering
Sheryl Williams Stapleton, 69, was found guilty on all federal counts on August 14, 2026, including bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, mail fraud, honest services fraud, tax fraud, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Investigation reveals a corruption case involving Jonatan Emanuel Reyes, a former official of the Municipal Undersecretariat for Coexistence and Civic Control of La Plata, who allegedly worked with a suspected Chinese organized crime operator.
Money laundering
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena, 61, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with allegedly fraudulently obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID-19 small-business loans.
Fraud & scams
The Justice Department announced that a federal court entered a stipulated order against Amazon.com Inc. requiring the company to pay a $2.25 million civil penalty for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
A federal jury in Albuquerque convicted former State Representative Sheryl Williams Stapleton, 69, and business owner Joseph Johnson, 74, on all counts after a nine-day trial.
Money laundering
Eldar Zarbavel, 45, of Pepper Pike, Ohio, pleaded guilty to money laundering for a transnational criminal organization orchestrating the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice. Zarbavel pleaded guilty to laundering approximately $3.
Fraud & scams
The SEC charged New York resident Andrew Spaventa and three entities he owned and controlled with fraud in connection with unregistered securities offerings.
Money laundering
Alagborenepakake Opuiyo, 32, a member of the Maryland National Guard, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Larry C. Conner, 69, of Frisco, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS by promoting and selling an abusive trust tax shelter that caused approximately $43 million in tax loss.
Fraud & scams
A 36-year-old individual with alleged family ties to Puebla Governor Alejandro Armenta Mier was arrested on August 11, 2026, in the Benito Juárez neighborhood on fraud charges.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Police arrested five individuals in Algeciras for alleged document falsification and facilitation of irregular immigration.
Fraud & scams
A couple residing in Moscow discovered a mortgage of 1.2 million shekels fraudulently registered against their Netanya apartment.
Fraud & scams
Colin M. McDonald, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice's newly created National Fraud Enforcement Division, issued a memorandum on August 13, 2026, outlining the Fraud Division's five enforcement priorities: (1) Public Trust and Financial Integrity, (2) Healthcare Fraud, (3)…
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted 19 searches across Romania targeting suspected fraud involving EU-funded IT projects. The investigation focuses on 29 projects financed under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility involving public entities including municipal governments.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Sofia has filed an indictment against a vineyard owner suspected of attempting to obtain €348,231.64 in EU funding through false information.
Money laundering
Turkish authorities launched an operation against the Suleymanci religious community on August 13, 2026, with prosecutors alleging money laundering and organized financial crimes.
Fraud & scams
A federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants in a two-count indictment for orchestrating over 1,000 sham marriages to fraudulently obtain immigration status for foreign nationals, principally citizens of the People's Republic of China.
Money laundering
Santiago Hazim and nine others, including Rafael Luis Martínez Hazim, Gustavo Enrique Messina Cruz, Germán Rafael Robles Quiñones, Francisco Iván Minaya Pérez, Ada Ledesma, Eduardo Read Estrella, Cinty Acosta Sención, and Heidi Mariela Pineda Perdomo, face multiple charges of coalition of…
Fraud & scams
Six individuals associated with Strategic Capital Agency, commercially known as Inverforx, were charged with operating an elaborate Ponzi investment scheme. The defendants posed as financial advisors promising returns between 10% and 90% on investments within less than one year.
A federal grand jury in Montgomery returned a second superseding indictment adding a defendant and additional charges in a case involving allegations of wire fraud, false statements, and conspiracy to commit money laundering at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Fraud & scams
A female accountant in Dubai was sentenced to one year in jail for embezzling approximately Dhs1.47 million from her employer. According to the Dubai Criminal Court, she took advantage of her position and the company's trust in her, and forged accounting documents to conceal the embezzlement.
Money laundering
Renat Abramov, 37, of Brooklyn, New York, a former relationship manager at a U.S. bank branch in Sheepshead Bay, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Money laundering
A Honduran court postponed a hearing against ex-president Juan Orlando Hernández until August 18 following a defence request for additional time to review evidence presented by prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
The Israeli Tax Authority arrested a construction company owner suspected of deducting fictitious invoices totaling approximately 26 million shekels. The suspect, identified as Shmuel Gazit from Ramat HaSharon, was released with restrictions following questioning.
Fraud & scams
The trial of the Notebooks of Corruption case resumed on August 11, 2026, with former president Cristina Kirchner and approximately 85 other defendants facing allegations of illicit association and bribery.
Money laundering
The UAE General Secretariat of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee announced that the UAE issued 173 extradition decisions in 2025 favouring several countries in cases involving money laundering and terrorist financing.
Fraud & scams
Mexican authorities arrested Luis Antonio Espinosa Campos, an accountant and representative of Emigdio Gabriel Moreno Cárdenas (brother of PRI leader Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas), in Mexico City.
Fraud & scams
Mexico City's Public Ministry arrested six people (five women and one man identified as Frida N, Vianey N, Diana N, Valeria N, Jessica N and Luis N) linked to Strategic Capital Agency, operated commercially as Inverforx.
Fraud & scams
Mexican cybernetic police units collaborated with the Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) to dismantle a network using deepfake technology to promote false investment schemes. Twelve individuals and one company were identified as connected to the operation.
Fraud & scams
Lebanese authorities arrested former Palestinian ambassador to Beirut Ashraf Dabbour on Monday after questioning him, pursuant to Palestinian Authority arrest warrants for corruption and embezzlement of funds during his tenure as ambassador from 2012 to 2025.
Fraud & scams
Pierin Vincenz, former CEO of Raiffeisen Bank, appeared in Zurich High Court on August 10, 2026 to begin an appeal of his 2022 fraud conviction.
Fraud & scams
At the request of the European Public Prosecutor's Office in Venice, a judge for preliminary investigations at the Court of Milan issued a house arrest order against a Chinese couple suspected of managing and operating multiple companies to execute a VAT carousel fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
The Public Prosecutor's Office presented formal charges and trial opening request against prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcántara, alleged to have demanded and received bribes from a witness in the Senasa insurance fraud case.
Money laundering
A7, a Russian payment network backed by Russia's state-owned PSB bank and publicly endorsed by President Vladimir Putin, is alleged to have become a major conduit for moving money out of Russia despite Western sanctions.
A federal jury in Atlanta convicted Babajide Adesayo, 41, of Douglasville, Georgia, of all charges including two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and sixteen counts of transactional money laundering. Adesayo was part of a transnational network that laundered over $2.
Fraud & scams
Israeli tax authorities arrested Dudu Ochana from Rehovot on suspicion of operating shell companies used to distribute and offset fraudulent invoices and commit tax violations.
Fraud & scams
The case against Wenance CEO Alejandro Muszak is advancing toward trial with three additional fraud cases consolidated, adding to 524 previously identified fraudulent episodes. Judge Sandra Arroyo Salgado closed the investigation.
Fraud & scams
Israeli tax authorities arrested a Rahovot resident suspected of tax and VAT crimes totaling approximately 29 million shekels. According to the investigation, the suspect is alleged to have operated shell companies to distribute and offset fake invoices.
Fraud & scams
Ahmed Abdullah al-Jubouri, former governor of Iraq's Saladin province and widely known as 'Abu Mazen,' was arrested in Baghdad on Saturday, August 8, 2026 on corruption charges.
Fraud & scams
The Baghdad/Karkh Court of Appeal issued two separate arrest and search warrants on Sunday, August 9, 2026, for Ahmed Jassim Saber Al-Asadi, former Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, on charges of public contract fraud and illicit enrichment.
Money laundering
A new trial is set for August 21, 2026, against Enrique Juan Blaksley Señorans (the 'Argentine Madoff') and four co-defendants for alleged fraud in the Verazul real estate scheme. Prosecutors allege they attracted funds from numerous small investors through deceptive promises spanning 2009-2016.
Money laundering
Santiago Orrego Gomez and Daniel Mauricio Gomez Garcia, Colombian citizens, were arrested on August 6, 2026, and accused of directing an international money laundering scheme totaling USD 50 million. They face charges of conspiracy to launder assets, electronic fraud, and bank fraud.
Money laundering
The Spanish National Police dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to hashish trafficking and arrested 57 people in Madrid, Guadalajara, Burgos, Almería, Málaga, and Valencia.
Fraud & scams
Luis Oliva, former director of Panama's National Authority for Government Innovation (AIG), is held in preventive detention on allegations of aggravated unjustified enrichment. A forensic audit by the Comptroller General detected approximately $937,000 in unexplained wealth accumulation.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network renewed its Geographic Targeting Order requiring banks and money transmitters in Hennepin and Ramsey counties to report enhanced information on funds transfers of $3,000 or more sent to beneficiaries outside the United States.
Fraud & scams
Anti-corruption organization AC!! filed a complaint on August 7, 2026, against an unnamed defendant over suspected misappropriation of public funds and fictitious employment at RATP concerning Bally Bagayoko, an LFI mayor of Saint-Denis.
Money laundering
Panama's appellate court has upheld detention orders for individuals accused in Operation Pandora, a major tax fraud scheme. The investigation centers on a structure that allegedly manipulated the E-Tax 2.0 platform to illegally appropriate fiscal credits.
Money laundering
Spain's National Police dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to VAT fraud in the alcoholic beverages sector. According to authorities, the gang defrauded at least €11.9 million between 2018 and 2025.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) conducted raids on cryptocurrency exchange offices in Moscow City, detaining more than 20 individuals.
Fraud & scams
Peru's National Police prevented the withdrawal of S/734,800 obtained through alleged computer fraud and dismantled a criminal network operating with manager's checks at Miraflores bank branches.
Money laundering
Federico 'Fred' Machado, Argentine businessman, pleaded guilty on May 18, 2026, before Judge Don Bush in federal court in Texas to money laundering and electronic fraud. Machado admitted his criminal responsibility to negotiate a reduced sentence with federal prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
Federal judge Ariel Lijo is heading an investigation into alleged fraudulent currency operations involving approximately 14 billion Argentine pesos.
Fraud & scams
Approximately 49 government initiatives totaling 735 billion Colombian pesos were scheduled for approval at a closed-door meeting of the Órgano Colegiado de Administración y Decisión (Ocad) of Science, Technology and Innovation on August 6, 2026, during the final day of President Gustavo Petro's administration.
Fraud & scams
The World Bank Group announced 35-month debarments of Entreprise Babati, a Niger-based construction company, and its owner Babati Sayid Ali Ahmed, for alleged fraudulent practices under the Enhancing Niger Northeastern Connectivity Project.
Fraud & scams
A 44-year-old Venezuelan citizen was detained in Bucaramanga while traveling on an inter-provincial bus bound for Medellín. Authorities confirmed he was wanted by Argentine justice under an Interpol warrant issued by Guarantee Court No. 1 of San Martín for alleged computer fraud.
Fraud & scams
Connor Riley Moucka, 26, of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada pleaded guilty to charges including computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy in connection with a widespread hacking and extortion scheme targeting cloud storage provider Snowflake.
Fraud & scams
Iris Hondermann, who operated Silver State Tax & Multiservices LLC in Las Vegas, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for tax fraud.
Fraud & scams
Selma Brinson, 64, a Memphis-based tax preparer, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns. Brinson operated a tax preparation business where she reported false items on clients' tax returns to generate inflated tax refunds.
Fraud & scams
According to the World Bank Group, United Aviation Services Limited (UNASEL), a transportation services company based in Nigeria, and its owner Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mamu have been debarred for 31 months for fraudulent practices.
Money laundering
Dubai Police issued a public warning regarding fraudulent part-time job offers circulating through social media and messaging platforms. The warning follows an investigation into schemes that exploit job seekers' bank accounts for money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police dismantled 103 fraudulent social media accounts during Q2 2026 as part of enforcement against online scams and cybercrime. Law enforcement recorded a decline in cyber and financial crime during the first half of 2026 compared to 2025.
Fraud & scams
Money mule cases in the UK jumped 69% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to fraud prevention body Cifas. More than 13,000 recordings to the UK National Fraud Database were linked to money muling schemes.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing for September 15 to examine allegations that 50 Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) employees embezzled approximately 87,000 dinars in public funds.
Fraud & scams
A federal grand jury indicted Stephen Dubin, M.D., age 74, of Henderson, Nevada, on charges related to a scheme involving approximately $95 million in fraudulent Medicare billing.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced the creation of a specialized Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit within its Division of Enforcement, dedicated to pursuing accounting and financial reporting fraud cases and misconduct in accounting and auditing.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division announced criminal charges against 19 defendants, including home care company owners and employees, for alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving Medicare and Medicaid.
Money laundering
Spanish authorities reported a significant uptick in economic crime, attributed to digital advancement and increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The National Risk Analysis 2026 identified fraud as the economic crime category experiencing the most substantial growth.
Fraud & scams
Former Paraguay Central Department governor Hugo Javier González, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for embezzlement of pandemic economic recovery funds, voluntarily surrendered to authorities on August 4, 2026. González is accused of misappropriating approximately 5.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) handled 156 reports of fraud and scam attempts during July 2026, according to official data.
Money laundering
The Rusafa Investigation Court, which specializes in integrity and money-laundering cases, recovered IQD 20 billion ($15.3 million) in a financial and administrative corruption case involving offences including financial fraud.
Money laundering
Honduras' courts ordered former president Juan Orlando Hernández to face trial on money laundering and fraud charges in an ordinary court while free. He is accused of misappropriating more than 62 million lempiras designated for his 2013 presidential campaign.
Fraud & scams
A 36-year-old Mexican man, Isaac Andrey 'N', was arrested in Texas and extradited to Mexico on charges of operating an alleged investment pyramid scheme. The scheme promised monthly returns of 4 to 10 percent through a fake investment platform requiring minimum deposits of 100,000 pesos.
Fraud & scams
According to Dubai Police, 103 fraudulent accounts on social media platforms were shut down during Q2 2026 as part of efforts to combat online fraud. Lt. Gen.
Fraud & scams
Colombia's Attorney General arrested 13 people, including the current mayor of María La Baja (Bolívar), Ramiro González Mancilla, in connection with an alleged corruption scheme.
Fraud & scams
Ankara's Etimesgut Municipality Investigation alleged systematic corruption including bribery, extortion, bid rigging, embezzlement, and membership in a criminal organization.
Fraud & scams
INTERPOL's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2026, drawing on survey data from 36 African member countries, found that artificial intelligence is reportedly enabling 55% of cybercrime incidents across the continent.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Crime Prevention Department warned of fraud gangs exploiting social media and messaging apps to advertise bogus part-time jobs. These gangs deceive individuals by persuading them to open financial accounts in their own names, which are then used to funnel fraudulent proceeds.
Fraud & scams
Olof Kyros Gustafsson, a 32-year-old Swedish citizen operating under the alias 'El Silencio', was convicted and sentenced to four years federal imprisonment in Los Angeles for perpetrating a massive fraud scheme. As CEO of Escobar Inc.
Fraud & scams
Turkish police detained Erdal Beşikçioğlu, the 56-year-old mayor of Etimesgut Municipality in western Ankara and a veteran actor best known for playing a corruption-fighting police officer on television, on July 30.
Fraud & scams
The Dominican judicial system implemented a new Penal Code that expanded the catalog of crimes and increased penalties. The legislation introduces criminal provisions for femicide, contract killing, genocide, crimes against humanity, and pyramid fraud schemes, as well as cybercrime provisions.
Fraud & scams
Inspection teams in Kuwait's Capital Governorate seized 411 unlicensed cosmetic products and medical creams, along with approximately 3,500 counterfeit brand labels, after discovering a warehouse allegedly altering product labels and expiration dates.
Fraud & scams
Turkish authorities arrested 40 individuals on August 3, 2026, in an investigation into the Ankara Etimesgut Municipality, including Mayor Erdal Beşikçioğlu.
Money laundering
The Kuwait Criminal Court upheld convictions in a real estate fraud scheme involving fake chalet sales. Defendants were sentenced to seven years imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of KD 5 million. The scheme operated across Kuwait and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Money laundering
Lebanon's public prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for former Palestinian ambassador Ashraf Dabbour following questioning. Dabbour, who served as ambassador to Beirut from 2012 to 2025, was previously arrested in April at the Palestinian Authority's request and placed under a travel ban.
Fraud & scams
Sharjah Police have issued a public warning about fraudulent online advertisements for holiday chalets, apartments and tourist facilities.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police recorded a decline in fraud, cybercrime and economic crime cases during the first half of 2026, according to the General Department of Criminal Investigation. Authorities shut down 103 fraudulent social media accounts during Q2 2026 as part of efforts to combat online fraud.
Money laundering
The corruption investigation into Argentina's National Disability Agency (ANDIS) has been reactivated with approximately 30 additional suspects.
Fraud & scams
Vladimir Cerrón, leader of the Perú Libre political party and former regional governor of Junín, remains subject to an outstanding arrest warrant.
Fraud & scams
Riad Salameh, former governor of Lebanon's central bank (Banque du Liban) from 1993 to July 2023, was arrested on August 1, 2026, at Bhannes Hospital north of Beirut after failing to appear before a judge for questioning.
Fraud & scams
Senator Christine Herzog (Union centriste, Moselle) contests allegations of harassment and suspected embezzlement of public funds brought by the French Senate.
Fraud & scams
An article from Pravda France dated 1 August 2026 examines corruption allegations against Karim Bouamrane, mayor of Saint-Ouen and vice-president of the Seine-Saint-Denis departmental council.
Money laundering
Weekly intelligence summary covering financial crime enforcement and regulatory developments from July 27-31, 2026.
Money laundering
Prosecutors accuse former president Juan Orlando Hernández (2014-2022) of participating in a corruption network that facilitated 'the disbursement of over 288 million lempiras' (approximately USD 10.8 million) to two foundations.
Fraud & scams
El Salvador's Prosecutor's Office charged twelve individuals — nine active ANDA (National Water and Sewerage Administration) employees, one former employee and two civilians — with participating in a corruption network between March 2024 and February 2025.
Fraud & scams
Resistencia, Chaco authorities arrested a 33-year-old woman (Y.M.D.F.) accused of defrauding a merchant using false transfer receipts. The suspect and an accomplice made purchases totalling 95,400 pesos presenting fraudulent receipts, and the money never reached the merchant's account.
Turkish police on 30 July 2026 detained 55 individuals, including Erdal Beşikçioğlu, mayor of Ankara's Etimesgut district (population approximately 600,000), and three of his deputies. The operation followed an embezzlement investigation launched in March.
The EU imposed sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime on seven individuals and three entities for serious human rights violations linked to scam center operations in Southeast Asia.
Fraud & scams
The Justice Department's National Fraud Enforcement Division announced coordinated enforcement initiatives across seven southeastern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina) through new federal-state partnerships.
Money laundering
The UK Court of Appeal upheld the first conviction secured by the Serious Fraud Office against a solicitor for tipping off a client about a money laundering investigation. The ruling provides the first appellate guidance on the offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Fraud & scams
An Abu Dhabi court ordered defendants to pay Dh95,500 in compensation to a woman who was allegedly defrauded in a phone scam.
Turkish authorities conducted two separate anti-corruption operations, detaining 23 municipal officials. In Istanbul's Uskudar district, six suspects including District Mayor Sinem Dedetas were held for alleged bribery and extortion linked to issuance of construction and occupancy permits.
Fraud & scams
Colombian President Gustavo Petro faces a corruption scandal as his administration approaches its end on 7 August 2026.
Fraud & scams
Ignacio Ohrwaschel, a 76-year-old financier, was released in a case involving multiple fraud schemes and fraudulent administration exceeding USD 320,000, as well as improper retention and fraudulent sale of artworks valued at approximately USD 400,000, in connection with his firm Cambio Posadas controlled by his sons.
Fraud & scams
Film producer Jason Cloth, 60, who financed Hollywood productions including 'Joker,' 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife,' and dozens of other films, was indicted by a federal grand jury on wire fraud charges. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday in U.S.
Fraud & scams
Carlos Caicedo, former mayor of Santa Marta, ex-presidential candidate, and former governor of Magdalena department in Colombia, was convicted by the Ninth Penal Circuit Court of Bogotá of two crimes: contract without meeting legal requirements and embezzlement through appropriation.
Money laundering
The Court of Appeal of England & Wales has refused William Osmond's request to challenge his 2023 conviction for breaching anti-money laundering regulations by telling a client about a Serious Fraud Office probe into Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC).
The Central District Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment against Ismail Abu Ganem and six other defendants regarding the seizure of five residential apartments in Ramla using violence, threats and extortion payments.
Money laundering
The Civil Guard dismantled a criminal organization specialized in money laundering proceeds from fraud. The network conducted more than 9,200 transfers totalling over four million euros sent to Nigeria.
Fraud & scams
The European Commission has proposed requiring all Member States to adopt National Anti-Fraud Strategies (NAFS) as part of a comprehensive overhaul of how the EU prevents and investigates fraud against its budget.
Money laundering
Wagner Vallecillo, president of the Honduras Supreme Court, announced that proceedings against former president Juan Orlando Hernández will proceed with judicial independence.
Money laundering
French and German financial regulators (ACPR and BaFin) jointly warned banks to tighten due diligence checks before approving virtual International Bank Account Numbers (vIBANs) for payment service providers, citing high money laundering risk.
Fraud & scams
According to Abu Dhabi Police, as reported by Gulf News, authorities have warned residents about a rise in electronic fraud during salary payment periods.
Fraud & scams
According to Khaleej Times, Abu Dhabi Police have alerted residents about increased electronic fraud attempts coinciding with salary payments. Authorities reportedly advise residents never to share banking details or one-time passwords and to verify legitimacy before transferring money.
Fraud & scams
Renwick Haddow has been sentenced to additional prison time and ordered to repay $58 million to defrauded UAE investors in connection with the Bar Works investment scheme.
Money laundering
Elaine Escoe, 41, was returned to the Southern District of Florida on July 27, 2026, to face federal charges for her alleged role in a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Fraud & scams
The UK Financial Conduct Authority announced on 27 July 2026 that Southwark Crown Court ordered convicted fraudster John Charles Burford, 86, to pay £655,951.
Fraud & scams
An international investigation supported by Europol and Eurojust has dismantled a criminal network operating several call centres in Tirana, Albania that caused at least €50 million in financial losses.
Fraud & scams
A 25-year-old Mexican citizen was detained in San Pedro Sula for operating an ATM fraud scheme.
Money laundering
Israeli national Yaniv Mualem was extradited from Panama to Israel after nearly two-and-a-half years on the run. He was convicted in what authorities describe as one of Israel's most serious fraud cases, involving hundreds of millions of shekels.
Money laundering
According to BioBioChile, a court convicted thirteen people of tax fraud and asset laundering exceeding 762 million pesos to the detriment of the Gabriel González Videla Municipal Corporation of La Serena, through false invoices and fabricated activity reports between 2019 and 2021 detected by a Comptroller's Office audit.
Fraud & scams
A Semana magazine investigation, reported by El País, indicates that Juliana Guerrero, former high-level government adviser, and her sister Verónica allegedly participated in a network to manage public contracts in exchange for payments, including alleged initial 'fees' and commissions on contract values.
Fraud & scams
Dubai's Public Prosecution investigated a fraud case in which a suspect contacted a flower shop employee via Instagram and WhatsApp, ordering a bouquet delivery with an envelope containing over 2,000 dirhams in cash.
Fraud & scams
A Dubai civil court rejected a lawsuit filed by an Asian man seeking to recover approximately Dh1.09 million lost in an online fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
The US Department of Justice announced that four Minnesota men — Moktar Hassan Aden, 31; Mustafa Dayib Ali, 29; Khalid Ahmed Dayib, 26; and Abdifitah Mohamud Mohamed, 27, all of the Twin Cities area — pleaded guilty to defrauding Minnesota's Housing Stabilization Services Medicaid program of approximately $2.
Fraud & scams
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission reprimanded and fined Victory Securities Company Limited HK$1.
Fraud & scams
UK Serious Fraud Office prosecutors allege that Güralp Systems, the seismic testing company, has breached the terms of its 2019 deferred prosecution agreement over South Korean bribery charges, citing deteriorating standards of compliance and poor bribery controls.
Fraud & scams
A man was arrested in Salta, Argentina, after failing to pay a bail of 794 million pesos set by the court. According to authorities, the detainee is under investigation for alleged repeated fraud related to investments and vehicle rentals, operating through two companies (Gerala Foa S.R.L.
Fraud & scams
National Court Judge Ismael Moreno rejected a motion from Jésica Rodríguez, former partner of ex-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, and upheld her charges in the 'Koldo case'.
Fraud & scams
The US Department of Justice announced that Thomas C.
Fraud & scams
Mateo Ramírez Flórez, a professional footballer and son of deceased former player John Mario Ramírez, was arrested as part of the dismantling of a cybercrime network known as 'Los Cyber'. Ramírez is alleged to have lent his bank account to receive proceeds from fraud.
Money laundering
According to Infobea, a trial continues in Dominican Republic against former prosecutor general Jean Alain Rodríguez and others, charged with offences the prosecution describes as administrative corruption, bribery, embezzlement, fraud against the state and asset laundering, allegedly committed during his tenure (2016-2020).
Fraud & scams
Russia's Interior Ministry is investigating alleged embezzlement of approximately 12 billion roubles allocated for purchasing foreign aircraft parts to circumvent sanctions for Russian airlines.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's General Department of Criminal Investigation launched an Anti-Fraud Lab to combat online fraud through enhanced cooperation among financial institutions, technology firms, and regulatory bodies.
Fraud & scams
An ICIJ investigation documented allegations that Social Discovery Group and its dating platforms AmoLatina, Dating.com, and DateMyAge systematically defrauded users.
Money laundering
Infobea reports that a Colombian judge legalized the capture of Bryan Gardea, a Mexican national detained by Colombia's Policía Nacional at José María Córdova international airport in Rionegro on the basis of an Interpol red notice.
Fraud & scams
Panamanian authorities detained a former corregimiento representative and former treasurer of Munä district (Ngäbe Buglé region) over alleged crimes against public administration. According to the report, they are accused of improper handling of state resources earmarked for community projects.
Money laundering
The Guardia Civil announced results of Operation 'Trajano 23 Sorela', placing eleven people in judicial custody as suspects and one under investigation for alleged money laundering, criminal organisation membership, bribery, misconduct in office, misappropriation of public funds, disclosure of secrets, misuse of privileged information and abuse of influence.
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Fraud & scams
franceinfo's Guyane service reports that Serge Anelli, mayor of Maripasoula in French Guiana from 2014 to 2026, is the subject of an investigation by Cayenne gendarmes into suspected favouritism (favoritisme) and misappropriation of public funds (détournement de fonds publics).
Fraud & scams
According to Emirates Today, Dubai Police through its General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Detection organised a 'fraud laboratory' to unify efforts and strengthen coordination in combating fraud crimes.
Fraud & scams
A federal grand jury in the District of New Hampshire indicted Jinbin Ren, 38, a Chinese national residing in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Fraud & scams
Matthew Wright, former chief executive of Southern Water, has been charged alongside three other former senior managers with conspiracy to defraud over allegations that they conspired to manipulate water quality tests to avoid tens of millions of pounds in regulatory fines.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on 22 July 2026 that, at the request of the EPPO in Riga, searches were carried out at two Latvian hospitals as part of an investigation into suspected aggravated fraud and abuse of office.
Money laundering
Israeli police and the Tax Authority arrested three suspects in an alleged international money laundering and tax evasion scheme estimated at approximately 500 million shekels.
Matthew Wright, the former chief executive of Southern Water, has been charged with conspiracy to defraud alongside three former colleagues named as Philip Barker, Clive Massey and Mark Gregory, according to the Environment Agency.
Reuters reports that Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court has ordered a fresh ruling in the case of three men accused of breaching Swiss bank secrecy laws over leaked data that helped expose the cum-ex tax-fraud scandal, described as one of Europe's largest financial crimes.
Fraud & scams
The Sharjah Court of Appeal sentenced three individuals to one year imprisonment followed by deportation for perpetrating a fraudulent apartment rental scheme.
Fraud & scams
Reuters reports that German prosecutors searched Deutsche Bank's Frankfurt headquarters on 22 July 2026 as part of an investigation, led by Düsseldorf prosecutors, into allegedly fraudulent 'cum-cum' dividend-tax trades carried out at its Postbank division between 2008 and 2010.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) announced it had initiated criminal proceedings against individuals in 15 cases involving alleged bribery, abuse of office, fraud and embezzlement across several government bodies, and said legal procedures are continuing.
On July 22, 2026, four people were arrested and search warrants executed in Hackney, Beckenham, and Slough as part of a Financial Conduct Authority and police investigation into fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Camilo Benavente, mayor of Chillán, Chile (PPD party), will be formally charged on October 16, 2026 for alleged fraud against the state treasury. Following a complaint filed in 2023 by former councillors Juan Pablo López and Joseph Careaga, prosecutors determined that Benavente overpaid 1.
Money laundering
Jerusalem District Police and the Israel Tax Authority busted an alleged international financial crime network involving approximately NIS 500 million ($165 million) in suspected fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Colombia's General Prosecutor's Office scheduled August 5 for a hearing to formalize accusations against Juliana Guerrero and Luis Carlos Gutiérrez for alleged procedural fraud in the purchase of fake academic degrees.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority announced the detention of individuals across various government entities and private sectors in connection with alleged corruption offences, according to an official statement.
The Tribunal of Nola, Italy, convicted ten defendants of VAT fraud, use and issuance of false invoices, and related tax crimes involving a network of shell companies in the trade of industrial plastics products operating between 2018 and 2023.
Fraud & scams
Five defendants pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in a $550,000 South Carolina Department of Corrections bribery scheme, according to prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency, in a joint operation with other law enforcement agencies, arrested four suspects on July 22, 2026, for allegedly facilitating illegal issuance of Pakistani identity documents to Afghan nationals: NADRA Assistant Director Inamul Haq, Deputy Assistant Director Fayyaz Ahmed, watchman Junaid Ahmed, and private agent Mohammad Umar Shah.
Money laundering
Real estate and technology entrepreneur Yitzhak Londner, 72, is suspected of tax evasion for allegedly failing to report approximately 5 million shekels in investment income received from convicted Ponzi fraudster Mikey Ben-Ari between 2017-2020.
Money laundering
Christopher Slater of California and Mark Keagel of York, Pennsylvania are charged with a multi-state conspiracy to defraud the United States of more than $52.7 million by filing hundreds of false tax returns claiming COVID-19 tax credits, according to an indictment.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on 21 July 2026 that, at the request of the EPPO in Milan, around €20 million held in bank accounts and insurance policies linked to five companies has been seized in an ongoing investigation into suspected fraud involving Recovery and Resilience Facility funding.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office said on 21 July 2026 that, on behalf of the EPPO in Bucharest, seven searches were carried out at a hospital, a county council in Romania's Muntenia region, companies and suspects' residences, as part of an investigation into suspected procurement fraud and abuse of office.
Money laundering
The FCA announced that four people have been arrested and search warrants executed in Hackney, Beckenham and Slough as part of a joint FCA and police investigation into suspected fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Panama reported 3,395 criminal complaints related to fraud and scams between January and June 2026, a 15% increase compared with 2,947 in the same period in 2025. The most significant finding is a 273% increase in computer program modification or manipulation, rising from 40 to 149 cases.
Fraud & scams
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released a report revealing that victims of transnational online scams across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand lost an estimated $88.3 billion to $114.
Fraud & scams
The Insolvency Service announced on 21 July 2026 that Classic Parade Ltd, which claimed to operate a supercar and chauffeur hire business from a Knightsbridge address in London, was wound up at the High Court in London on 14 July 2026 following its investigation.
Fraud & scams
The Financial Conduct Authority announced on 23 July 2026 that it has decided to ban Alec Finch and Robert Finch from working in financial services.
Fraud & scams
Hungarian prosecutors, assisted by a regional criminal directorate of the National Tax and Customs Administration, raided offices housing data servers used by Viktor Orban's Fidesz party on 21 July 2026, AFP reported.
Money laundering
The US Department of Justice says Khalid Satary, 54, was arrested on 20 July 2026 in the Middle East and made his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia on 21 July 2026, after being a fugitive since 2022.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed partially settled charges against Zan Shaikh, a Florida resident, and his company Mining Automatic (registered as Bright Vision Distribution LLC) alleging that they misappropriated and misused investor funds after raising approximately $22 million from more than 380 investors.
Fraud & scams
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency arrested two alleged human smugglers on July 20, 2026, during operations in Gujrat and Sialkot: Ahsan Ali Khan and Atif Mehmood Butt.
Fraud & scams
According to the report, the FIA Faisalabad arrested Mian Muhammad Idrees, owner of Stara Group, at Lahore airport while attempting to leave the country in connection with an alleged power procurement fraud case involving approximately 11.
Fraud & scams
Istanbul's Chief Prosecutor's Office launched a coordinated operation against İzmit Municipality on 20 July 2026, targeting alleged corruption and procurement fraud.
Money laundering
Peru's Public Ministry seized US$142,756 and S/12,378 in virtual assets deposited on Binance and Bybit cryptocurrency platforms as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering.
Fraud & scams
A covert investigation by the National Fraud Investigation Unit and Tax Authority investigators uncovered an alleged bribery scheme within Israel's Tax Authority Central District office.
Several current and former Israeli Tax Authority employees were arrested Monday on suspicion of accepting bribes and enabling fraudulent tax refund applications spanning several years through 2019, according to authorities.
Fraud & scams
Israeli police arrested current and former Tax Authority employees in a corruption investigation spanning over twenty years.
Fraud & scams
Infobae (EFE) reports that Jéssica Rodríguez, former partner of ex-transport minister José Luis Ábalos, invoked her right not to testify when questioned as an investigated party by Audiencia Nacional judge Ismael Moreno on 20 July 2026.
Fraud & scams
Current and former tax authority employees face arrest on allegations involving a corruption scheme spanning over 20 years.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain's Public Prosecution (Capital Governorate) said it received a report from the economic-crime unit of the General Directorate for Combating Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security about a network of 24 defendants of Asian nationalities allegedly involved in fraud, accused of…
Fraud & scams
Israeli police and tax authorities revealed a major corruption investigation into tax office employees. Over a decade-long scheme, suspects allegedly received bribes totalling 10-15 million shekels while facilitating fraudulent tax refunds exceeding 80 million shekels.
Money laundering
Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as 'El Mayo,' age 76, was sentenced to life in federal prison and ordered to pay $15 billion in criminal forfeiture for his role as the principal leader of the Sinaloa Cartel for nearly four decades.
Fraud & scams
According to Infobea, Seville's Seventh Section of the Provincial Court sentenced three and a half years imprisonment to the former Andalusia Innovation councillor Francisco Vallejo and former Invercaria president Tomás Pérez Sauquillo, as co-perpetrators of a crime of malfeasance concurrent with…
Fraud & scams
Investigators are examining a pyramid fraud operated under the name 'Avalon Capital Futures Investments' in Buenos Aires that promised substantial returns through cryptocurrency and stock investments.
Money laundering
Three men were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 16 July 2026 for conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
A criminal network allegedly manipulated Panama's e-Tax platform to eliminate payment records of high-profile taxpayers. An internal audit by the General Revenue Authority (DGI) determined that $36.01 million of the $42.
Fraud & scams
Jéssica Rodríguez, former partner of ex-minister José Luis Ábalos, was questioned as a suspect by judge Ismael Moreno at the National Court on alleged charges of influence peddling and embezzlement.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Center warned about fraudulent advertisements promoting work, residence, or visit visas in exchange for money through social media platforms or messaging apps, according to Emarat Al Youm.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre issued a warning about fraudulent visa advertisements targeting residents through social media and messaging applications. Scammers allegedly impersonate legitimate companies or government entities to convince victims to pay for counterfeit visa services.
Fraud & scams
Sharjah Court convicted a defendant of fraud under UAE Crimes and Punishments Law for a Dh692,000 fake iPhone scam.
Money laundering
In Operation Lobo, 14 individuals and companies face charges including bribery, racketeering, fraud against the state, and money laundering related to a corruption network that allegedly distributed approximately RD$108.
Fraud & scams
On 15 July 2026, the Paris administrative court rejected an appeal by the urban community of Le Havre and confirmed the whistleblower status of a former executive who reported suspected misappropriation of public funds, favoritism, illegal interest-taking and corruption allegations targeting Édouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre.
Fraud & scams
The Karachi Development Authority launched an inquiry into alleged fraud involving eight high-value commercial and residential plots worth over Rs1 billion, following reports of forged land documents and fake allotment files.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Katowice carried out investigative measures in a probe into alleged fraudulent importation of Russian birch plywood disguised as Kazakhstani goods between October 2023 and April 2025.
Fraud & scams
The Senate Bureau pronounced on July 16 a censure with temporary exclusion against Christine Herzog, senator for Moselle, for characterized moral harassment of an employee and serious breach of principles of dignity and probity.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Police arrested a British citizen in Tenerife who is accused of defrauding an elderly woman of over 300,000 pounds sterling. Prosecutors allege she befriended the victim between 2019 and 2023, isolated her from family, and made unauthorized withdrawals from bank accounts.
Fraud & scams
Financial Prosecutor Pascal Prache declared that the PNF intends to accelerate several investigations targeting political figures who are potential candidates for the presidential election.
Money laundering
Muscat's Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) convicted North Star Company, owner of the 'HI Shopping' platform, of money laundering crimes and imposed a fine of 50,000 Omani Rials, according to the court ruling issued 15 July 2026.
Money laundering
Zhuoying Chen, 27, of Brooklyn, New York, and Haojie Zhang, 38, of Queens, New York, made their initial appearance on charges of conspiracy to launder money derived from cyber investment fraud scams.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office indicted 22 defendants in Greece on July 16, 2026, for allegedly orchestrating a widespread fraud scheme involving EU agricultural funds, with estimated losses exceeding €19.6 million.
Fraud & scams
Jaime Noé Hernández Bocanegra, former General Director of Personnel for the Government of Mexico State, was detained on 11 July 2026 in Guanajuato. He faces charges related to the alleged illegal sale of teaching positions in the Education Secretariat.
Fraud & scams
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency arrested a 10-person inter-provincial gang accused of impersonating overseas relatives and deceiving citizens into transferring money through fraudulent emergency requests.
Money laundering
Benjamin Paul Wiener was indicted on 29 federal counts including wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft for allegedly defrauding dozens of investors of approximately $20 million through his companies Benaiah Holdings and other crypto investment entities.
Money laundering
Anthony Ikenwe (29), Kevin Nwamma (25), and Hamza Bashir (23) were sentenced on 16 July 2026 at Southwark Crown Court for impersonating police officers to steal more than £4 million in cryptocurrency from eight victims.
Fraud & scams
Camille T. Jones, 47, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced to two years in prison followed by one year of supervised release for conspiring to commit bribery and honest services fraud. Jones, a former supervisory official with the U.S.
Money laundering
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was transferred to Minnesota on July 16, 2026, after surrendering in Somalia.
German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig presented a comprehensive action plan on July 16, 2026, to combat tax evasion, financial crime, money laundering and organized crime.
Money laundering
Juan Ignacio Suris, an entrepreneur from Bahía Blanca, heads an organization accused of incorporating illicit funds into the formal economic circuit through money laundering activities connected to drug trafficking and fraudulent invoice schemes. The case remains in preliminary trial phase.
Fraud & scams
Authorities issued warnings about a surge in fraud targeting UAE residents during summer.
Fraud & scams
Renwick Haddow, the British mastermind behind the $57 million Bar Works fraud scheme, is set to face sentencing on July 23, 2026, in a US court after nearly a decade of delays, according to lawyers for victims.
Fraud & scams
Six suspected scammers targeting UK victims were arrested in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, on 4 July 2026 by the Nigerian Police Force following joint working between the National Crime Agency, Nigerian Police Force and Meta.
Money laundering
Pedro F. J. was arrested at the airport while attempting to board a flight to Philadelphia and faces investigation for customs fraud, smuggling, illegal weapons trafficking, drug distribution, and money laundering in Santo Domingo Oeste. He will be presented before a court to continue proceedings.
Fraud & scams
Dutch and Belgian authorities announced they dismantled an international fraud network operating approximately 20 call centers with over 700 employees posing as financial advisors, allegedly generating an estimated €100 million monthly at peak.
Fraud & scams
The Madrid Provincial Court ruled on July 16, 2026 that Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will stand trial before a citizen jury on charges of influence peddling and embezzlement.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office charged 22 people in Greece, including four conservative legislators and several former officials, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of EU agricultural subsidies totaling between 200 and 230 million euros.
Money laundering
Southwark Crown Court sentenced three men for defrauding eight victims of more than £4 million in cryptocurrency.
Money laundering
A senior bank employee was arrested by the Coastal District Fraud Unit on suspicion of defrauding customers and money laundering totalling approximately 800,000 shekels, police announced Tuesday.
Fraud & scams
Dutch police, working with Belgian authorities and Europol, dismantled a major criminal organisation accused of operating a global investment fraud scheme through dozens of fraudulent call centres. The organisation generated more than €100 million monthly by targeting victims in multiple countries.
Money laundering
Spanish National Police dismantled a cybercrime network accused of stealing and laundering approximately €140 million through fake investment platforms, CEO fraud, invoice fraud, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Fraud & scams
A branch manager at Bank Masad in northern Israel was arrested on suspicion of defrauding dozens of customers by demanding cash payments in exchange for loan approvals over several years.
Fraud & scams
Dutch law enforcement, working with Belgian authorities and Europol, dismantled a major criminal network operating approximately 20 call centers staffed by over 700 people engaged in investment fraud.
Money laundering
Wilfredo Aquino, 47, of Manhattan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for facilitating a money laundering network's movement of millions of dollars through TD Bank accounts.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Bologna indicted six individuals for fraud involving misappropriation of €2,841,430 in EU funding for a LIFE programme sustainable mobility project in Tuscan municipalities.
Fraud & scams
The UK National Crime Agency charged Ayoub Sehailia, 28, Zakkaria Sehailia, 30, Usman Din, 30, Denis Ozmus, 29, and Fadila Salem, 53, all from London, with conspiracy to supply articles for use in fraud, acquiring/transferring/converting criminal property, and failure to provide phone passcodes, according to prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security announced that the Trade Fraud Task Force (TFTF), established in August 2025, has exceeded $1 billion in combined civil and criminal recoveries, penalties, forfeitures, and charged losses within its first year of operation.
Fraud & scams
Brazil's Federal Police reported charges against 48 individuals involved in a massive pension fraud scheme. The investigation, code-named 'Sem Desconto', discovered the diversion of approximately 6.3 billion Brazilian reals ($1.
Money laundering
Guatemala's former Infrastructure Minister José Luis Benito was convicted of fraud related to the Chimaltenango Highway project through a guilty plea agreement.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Athens carried out searches and seizures at various locations in Attica and Kastoria on July 14, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected VAT fraud involving the trade of small electronic devices and the laundering of proceeds from criminal activities.
Reza Zarrab, a businessman who pleaded guilty in 2017 to conspiracy, bank fraud, and money laundering, was sentenced to time served after cooperating with U.S. prosecutors. Zarrab admitted to conspiring with a Turkish bank to facilitate Iran's evasion of U.S. sanctions by trading its oil for gold.
Money laundering
The Regional Court of Berlin convicted three defendants on 10 July 2026 as members of a criminal organisation involved in organised VAT fraud, money laundering, and commercial forgery of documents.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office indicted 12 individuals (including four public officials) and three companies for fraud affecting EU financial interests in Recovery and Resilience Facility-funded public contracts for IT and cybersecurity equipment at educational institutions, with estimated EU losses over €3.
Fraud & scams
According to the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, authorities conducted an operation against Güzelbahçe Municipality involving allegations of forming an organization to commit crimes, bribery, and embezzlement.
Money laundering
The EPPO in Athens conducted searches and seizures at locations in Attica and Kastoria as part of investigation into suspected VAT carousel fraud involving trade of small electronic goods and laundering of criminal proceeds.
Money laundering
The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed an indictment from December 2024 charging three Russian nationals and two companies with operating criminal cyber infrastructure. Alexander Alexandrovich Volosovik (43, St. Petersburg), Kirill Andreevich Zatolokin (34, St.
Fraud & scams
According to The National, the UAE Ministry of Interior has cautioned drivers about sophisticated methods used by scammers to lure victims into fraudulent vehicle insurance deals.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted raids in Greece, exposing a sophisticated VAT carousel fraud scheme operating between 2021 and 2025. The criminal network operated across Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Greece, exploiting VAT exemptions on cross-border EU transactions.
Fraud & scams
The General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Anti-Fraud (DGCCRF) announced on 14 July 2026 a €300,000 fine against Banque Populaire Val de France for misleading commercial practice.
Fraud & scams
The Punjab Auqaf department has issued recovery notices totaling millions of rupees against eight officials, including Tahir Maqsood, Sheikh Jameel Ahmad, Hafiz Javed Shaukat, Shafqat Abbas, Zawar Hussain, Amir Sattar, Zahid Iqbal, and Tariq Mahmood Najmi, for alleged embezzlement of donations and financial irregularities at religious shrines.
Money laundering
Authorities arrested four individuals—two in Portugal, one in Spain, and one in Panama—in connection with an alleged criminal network that prosecutors say stole €140 million across several European countries through fake investment platforms, CEO impersonation scams, fraudulent invoices and 'Man in the Middle' cyberattacks.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Interior Ministry apprehended an international criminal network engaged in large-scale financial fraud targeting citizens and expatriates. The primary perpetrator previously worked at a vehicle rental company, where he obtained signed blank documents and promissory notes from customers.
Money laundering
Rossen G. Iossifov, 53, a Bulgarian national already serving a 111-month federal prison sentence for online fraud, appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Kentucky on charges of destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy to commit money…
Money laundering
Transparency International US released a report titled 'Crypto's Dirty Money Problem: What Congress Must Fix' warning that proposed US cryptocurrency legislation, including the CLARITY Act, contains regulatory gaps that could allegedly enable scammers, drug cartels, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion, and corruption.
Fraud & scams
The National Police dismantled a criminal organization that stole €140 million through computer fraud in Spain, Portugal, and Panama. The network operated 800 bank accounts and 120 business entities using 67 foreign money mules. 1 person was arrested in Spain, 2 in Portugal, and 1 in Panama.
Money laundering
India's Enforcement Directorate uncovered a transnational cyber fraud and money laundering syndicate that laundered over ₹303 crore through mule bank accounts, shell companies, and cryptocurrency, with intelligence indicating that nearly ₹641 crore had been routed through UAE-based fintech platform PYYPL using Indian-issued debit cards.
Fraud & scams
Spain's National Police dismantled a cybercrime organization that allegedly defrauded 140 million euros across multiple European countries. The coordinated operation resulted in arrests across Spain, Portugal, and Panama.
Fraud & scams
An Argentine federal court convicted former Planning Minister Julio de Vido to five years in prison for fraud by fraudulent administration to the detriment of the national state and passive bribery.
Fraud & scams
The UK National Crime Agency charged five London residents in connection with Russian Coms, a caller ID spoofing platform used by fraudsters.
Money laundering
A Chilean court sentenced three people—two former municipal officials (N.C.M. and B.G.) and an associate (C.M.F.)—for tax fraud and asset laundering. The women received combined sentences of 8 years, while C.M.F. received 7 years.
Fraud & scams
Detailed investigation of the 'Avalon Capital Futures Investment' fraud operation in Ituzaingó, which promised monthly returns of 2.5% to 5% and falsely claimed to represent the Argentine Chamber of Commerce.
Fraud & scams
Law No. 2026-534 of June 25, 2026 relating to combating social and tax fraud (articles 34 and 35) strengthens the AMF's sanctioning powers.
Fraud & scams
The UAE Ministry of Interior issued a public alert regarding investment scams that use social media, misleading advertisements, and fake online platforms to lure victims, warning against promises of unusually high profits in short timeframes and pressure to make immediate investment decisions.
Money laundering
Abdullah Anwar, a 28-year-old Pakistani national, was arrested in Qatar and extradited to Texas to face federal charges. A federal grand jury indicted Anwar on charges including conspiracy to transport stolen property, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Former Value Base investment bank analyst Shai Lipman entered a plea agreement and was convicted of insider trading and securities fraud.
Money laundering
Turkish authorities detained Haluk Levent, founder of AHBAP charity, on allegations of misappropriating earthquake relief donations.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior dismantled an international criminal organization engaged in document forgery and fraudulent legal proceedings, according to official sources.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's e-Crimes and Cybersecurity Department warned residents against downloading applications from untrusted sources, stating that fraudsters create customized apps targeting users' interests to infiltrate devices and steal financial information.
Fraud & scams
Sixteen individuals identified as members of the criminal network 'Los Cyber' were arrested in simultaneous operations in multiple Colombian cities. The alleged leader of the group uses the alias 'Ralf'.
Fraud & scams
According to France 3 Hauts-de-France, the trial of real estate developer Finaxiome was held at the Amiens correctional court from 6 to 10 July 2026. Over 300 people accuse the company of fraud following a 17-year investigation.
Fraud & scams
Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council announced that it is coordinating with the government on legal mechanisms aimed at combining accountability for corruption with the recovery of public funds.
Fraud & scams
The UAE Ministry of Interior cautioned residents against investment fraud schemes circulating on digital platforms and social media. The authority warned against being deceived by promises of quick, guaranteed profits. Dubai Police issued similar alerts.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's e-Crimes and Cybersecurity Department called on residents to refrain from downloading mobile applications from untrusted sources.
Money laundering
Mexican authorities detained Alejandro Álvarez Puga in Cancún on the night of July 9, 2026. He is the brother of lawyer and businessman Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga, who remains at large with his wife, television presenter Inés Gómez Mont.
Fraud & scams
Three former highway officials face trial on fraud charges: Gustavo Marcelo Gentili (former Planning Manager, 2004-2008), accused of approving at least 22 contracts 'despite serious and numerous irregularities'; Sandro Férgola (former Works Manager, 2004-2007), accused of validating 26 allegedly…
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Cologne (Germany) arrested two individuals in Germany and the Netherlands on 9 July 2026 and conducted searches and seizures in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, uncovering additional information in the large-scale VAT fraud investigation Huracán.
Money laundering
Alejandro Mario Álvarez Puga, brother of Víctor Manuel Álvarez Puga, was detained on July 9, 2026 in Cancún. He is accused of participating in a complex network of shell companies allegedly used to divert approximately 2.
Fraud & scams
A Judicial Convention of Public Interest (CJIP) between the Public Prosecutor for Financial Crime and SHAD SA was validated on July 9, 2026 by the president of the Paris Judicial Tribunal. This is the 32nd CJIP signed by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office.
Fraud & scams
The Paris district court acquitted on July 10, 2026 Évariste N., 69 years old, who was prosecuted for fraud and abuse of weakness.
Money laundering
Istanbul's prosecutor office concluded a major investigation into an organized crime network operating from the Grand Bazaar that allegedly laundered proceeds from illegal betting, forex fraud, and other crimes through shell companies, currency exchanges, gold dealers, payment processors, and cryptocurrency.
Fraud & scams
Two lawyers allegedly operated a Ponzi scheme through a company called Avalon Capital Futures Investments, promising unusually high returns on cryptocurrency investments and securities trading.
Money laundering
Fatoumata Boiro, 32, of Largo, Maryland, was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and has also been ordered to pay $6,838,558.31 in restitution for conspiring to engage in a large, multi-member, money-laundering conspiracy, according to prosecutors.
Money laundering
Judge Julián Sánchez Melgar of the Supreme Court has ordered investigative steps to advance the investigation against MEP Luis Pérez Fernández, known as 'Alvise.'
Fraud & scams
The UK's Serious Fraud Office has dramatically reduced its use of powers to compel individuals and companies to participate in investigatory interviews, according to information obtained through a freedom of information request.
Fraud & scams
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan indicted three tax preparers—Jamar Harten of Shelby Township, Tabitha Scott of Davisburg, and Tyree Monroe Jr. of Detroit—for allegedly conspiring to defraud the United States and preparing false tax returns.
Money laundering
Interpol announced on July 9, 2026 the results of operation 'First Light 2026', conducted from January to April 2026 in 97 countries, targeting online fraud and associated money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Block, the parent company of Cash App, agreed to pay $45 million to resolve a multistate investigation by 46 state attorneys general regarding deceptive Cash App marketing practices.
Money laundering
Guo Wengui (also known as Miles Guo or Ho Wan Kwok) ran a scheme that defrauded over 1 billion dollars from thousands of investors through false promises of investment in companies including the media platform GTV and cryptocurrency platform Himalaya Exchange.
Fraud & scams
The ACPR (Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority) published on July 8, 2026 an alert against the proliferation of online financial fraud during summer.
Money laundering
Lebanon's Banque du Liban filed lawsuits against Lebanese banks and officials seeking recovery of billions in allegedly misappropriated funds.
Fraud & scams
A court in Santa Tecla convicted Eduardo Emilio de la O to 17 years in prison for fraud.
Money laundering
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating Argentina's Football Association (AFA) for financial crimes, with prosecutors in Florida examining approximately $300 million in transactions connected to the association's commercial operations.
Money laundering
The FCA reported securing 17 criminal convictions across fraud, insider dealing, money laundering, and Data Protection Act offences in the year under review. Two individuals received combined 11 years imprisonment for insider dealing and money laundering, and 12 individuals were fined £1.
Money laundering
Maximiliano Ariel Vallejo, a financier linked to AFA president Claudio Tapia, appeared for the second time before federal judge Luis Armella in Lomas de Zamora.
Fraud & scams
Law enforcement officials in Wisconsin and New York have accused Circle, a $17-billion cryptocurrency firm, of refusing to comply with court orders aimed at recovering stolen funds for scam victims.
Fraud & scams
A special Federal Investigation Agency court convicted three former bank employees for embezzling over Rs976 million from 39 account holders.
Fraud & scams
According to France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Paris's appeals court confirmed on 7 July 2026 the conviction of RN MP Julien Odoul to eight months imprisonment with probation for receiving misappropriated public funds to the detriment of the European Parliament in the National Front parliamentary assistants case.
Fraud & scams
Mario Adinolfi, journalist, political figure and professional Italian poker player (born August 15, 1971), was arrested by Italy's Guardia di Finanza.
Fraud & scams
Spain's National Police arrested a man in Madrid suspected of committing fraud over ten years.
Fraud & scams
Illinois State Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, were indicted on eight counts of wire fraud, one count of making a false statement to the FBI, and two counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The 1st Three-member Misdemeanour Court of First Instance of Athens convicted 57 individuals for fraud involving EU agricultural subsidies financed through the National Reserve, at the request of the EPPO in Athens.
Fraud & scams
Trader Alexis Kuperfis and his former associate Thierry Braha, active in Switzerland, were sentenced on 7 July 2026 by the Paris tribunal in proceedings pursuant to a plea agreement concluded with the National Financial Prosecutor.
Money laundering
Yang Youlin, a former vice director of an economic zone in Nanjing, was sentenced to death by Changzhou Intermediate People's Court for accepting more than 2.2 billion yuan (approximately $324 million) in bribes between 1993 and 2023.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Center issued a warning regarding deceptive online schemes where scammers impersonate legitimate consumer protection authorities through fake websites and applications.
Fraud & scams
Ruthia He, founder and CEO of Done Global Inc.
Fraud & scams
The Nancy Court of Appeal confirmed convictions in the so-called 'Red Card' case, one of the largest financial fraud schemes in France involving fraudulent investments in diamonds and cryptocurrencies. The sentences imposed at first instance were confirmed for the main defendants.
Fraud & scams
Former attorney general Jean Alain Rodríguez Sánchez faces charges for the alleged embezzlement of over 6 billion Dominican pesos between 2016-2020 through fraudulent processes and a corruption network within public administration, according to prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
U.S. government witness Luis Rivera testified about an alleged international fuel smuggling network operating between Texas and Mexico.
Fraud & scams
The SEC announced the creation of the Retail Fraud Working Group designed to strengthen the Division of Enforcement's efforts to identify and combat fraud targeting everyday investors.
Fraud & scams
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed a complaint against Trevor L. Vernon and his company Argent Capital Management LLC, alleging they fraudulently solicited over $14 million from at least 60 participants to invest in a commodity pool.
Money laundering
U.S. federal prosecutors filed a memorandum requesting sentencing leniency for Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish gold trader convicted of conspiracy, bank fraud, and money laundering related to circumventing U.S. sanctions against Iran.
Fraud & scams
The UK National Crime Agency is pursuing civil forfeiture proceedings seeking $357,000 (approximately £275,000) from a 30-year-old man sanctioned in the UK for alleged ties to the Russian government. The individual, described as Russian-Cypriot, reportedly has connections to Gazprom.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre issued a warning about fraudulent schemes involving fake consumer protection websites used to commit bank fraud.
Fraud & scams
A federal grand jury indicted 13 individuals for a bank fraud conspiracy that diverted more than $1 million through stolen checks.
Fariba Shameli, 54, who previously owned and operated Findon Dental Care in Worthing, was found guilty at Hove Crown Court of submitting 1,037 fraudulent NHS claims worth £92,511 between March 2013 and June 2018.
Fraud & scams
Gary Topolewski, a 64-year-old from Northridge, California, was sentenced to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release for perpetrating an elaborate bank fraud scheme that took in approximately $39 million from multiple financial institutions over the course of nearly 10 years.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Primary Court ordered nine convicted individuals to repay 2.5 million dirhams to a gold trading company after they were found guilty of fraud involving fake gold bars.
Fraud & scams
The Amiens criminal court opened the trial of four former directors of Finaxiome, a real estate company specializing in tax avoidance schemes, prosecuted for fraud and advance collection of funds.
Fraud & scams
The criminal court convicted a dental practitioner from the northern districts of Marseille to five years imprisonment, two years firm and three years suspended probation, 200,000 euros fine of which 150,000 suspended, and five years prohibition from practicing as an independent practitioner, for massive health insurance fraud.
Money laundering
Singaporean prosecutors filed additional charges including money laundering against Alan Wei Zhaolun in an AI server fraud case, alleging he and other Aperia Group executives defrauded Dell Technologies, Super Micro Computer, and Asustek Computer by misrepresenting end-users of hardware containing restricted Nvidia AI processors subject to U.
Money laundering
A court in Jiangsu province, China, sentenced Yang Youlin, a former municipal official, to death for accepting bribes exceeding 2.214 billion yuan (308.7 million dollars) between 1993 and 2023.
Money laundering
Peter Weinzierl, an Austrian banker and former CEO of Meinl Bank, pleaded guilty to charges related to his role in facilitating financial transactions tied to the Odebrecht bribery and money laundering scheme.
Money laundering
Seven individuals (six men and one woman) were arrested in Valencia and Alcalá de Henares, Spain, on suspicion of perpetrating the 'distressed son' scam. The accused allegedly defrauded victims by impersonating their children via instant messaging, requesting money transfers.
Fraud & scams
A Guatemalan appeals court annulled arrest orders against former anti-corruption prosecutors, including the former chief of CICIG (UN-backed anti-corruption commission) Iván Velásquez and former special prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval, according to the ruling.
Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba pleaded guilty on Monday, July 6, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, wire fraud and money laundering in a federal corruption case. Former City Council member Aaron Banks also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges on the same day.
Yang Youlin, a former vice director of an economic zone in the eastern city of Nanjing, was sentenced to death on Monday, July 6, 2026, for taking more than 2.21 billion yuan ($325 million) of bribes between 2013 and 2023.
Money laundering
Samuel D. Marcus, 33, from Oreland, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and money laundering charges before U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky.
Fraud & scams
Néstor Humberto Martínez, former Colombian Attorney General, is alleged to have designed a legal scheme that enabled Odebrecht to evade taxes and secure public contracts without competitive bidding in the Ruta del Sol II megaproject.
Money laundering
Operation Global Chain, carried out from 8 to 12 June across 59 countries, led to 1,024 arrests and the identification of 2,070 victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, forced labour, and coerced begging.
Money laundering
Sharjah Police arrested seven Asian nationals involved in an electronic fraud network accused of impersonating officials and distributing malicious applications to gain remote access to victims' phones.
Fraud & scams
Jesús Gabriel Pérez Rodríguez was formally charged with embezzlement and criminal association. Prosecutors allege that he participated in a corruption network led by former Security Secretary Genaro García Luna that diverted approximately 2.
Money laundering
Sharjah Police announced the dismantling of an organized electronic fraud network comprising seven individuals of Asian nationalities.
Money laundering
Sharjah Police arrested seven Asian nationals allegedly operating a cyber fraud and money laundering network.
Money laundering
Four individuals in Valencia, Spain (two women aged 35 and 38; two men aged 30 and 46) are alleged to be responsible for operating a pyramid scheme investment fraud.
Fraud & scams
Jackson Mora Rodríguez, 51, was preliminarily detained on July 2, 2026, and prosecutors allege he is a member of the criminal organization 'The Architects of Fraud.' He is accused of coordinating the illegal transfer of approximately S/ 9,984,793 from the Municipality of Pueblo Nuevo's account.
Fraud & scams
Javier Galán, a provincial deputy from the Movimiento de Integración y Desarrollo (MID) party in Argentina, is alleged to be involved in misconduct related to a 'Banco de Medicamentos' program. The Medical College of Catamarca filed a criminal complaint for the suspected crime of embezzlement.
Fraud & scams
Former Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, his wife María Sonsoles Espinosa, daughters Alba and Laura, and businessman Julio Martínez Martínez are under fiscal investigation by Spain's Tax Agency as of June 2026. The investigation covers income tax, VAT, and wealth taxes for 2021-2024.
Alexander Neradko, who headed Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviation) from 2009 to 2023, was arrested on July 3, 2026, on charges of fraud on an especially large scale involving alleged theft of nearly 800 million rubles during construction of a third runway at Domodedovo Airport, a project ongoing since 2014.
Fraud & scams
Attorney Édgar Francisco was sentenced to 1,018 years and 4 months in prison for defrauding more than 100 families in León, Guanajuato. Operating through his law office 'Punto Legal', he offered properties at low prices but never delivered the homes or returned the advance payments.
Fraud & scams
Spanish judge charged Jéssica Rodríguez (ex-partner of convicted former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos), Joseba García (brother of Koldo García), and Ignacio Zaldívar (former Adif official) with alleged embezzlement and influence peddling.
Fraud & scams
Mexico State prosecutors charged 33 former officials and individuals in a ghost-worker fraud scheme that allegedly embezzled over 96 million pesos from January 2025 to February 2026.
Fraud & scams
Argentina's Supreme Court upheld the asset forfeiture system in the Vialidad corruption case against former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and businessman Lázaro Báez. Prosecutor Luciani recalculated the seizure amount at approximately 898 billion pesos (updated from an original 84.
Fraud & scams
A therapeutic companion in Argentina was charged by prosecutors with participating in a fraud scheme affecting the IPROSS health insurance organization.
Fraud & scams
El Salvador's Prosecutor's Office and National Civil Police dismantled a criminal network accused of fraudulently diverting $502,201.94 through illegal exchanges of promotional points.
Fraud & scams
Lima's First Specialized Court in Computer Crimes convicted Dan Herly Fernández Ramos (25 years old), known as 'Fake', to 9 years and 2 months imprisonment for aggravated fraud, identity impersonation and illegal possession of activated SIM cards.
Fraud & scams
Mexico's Anti-Corruption and Good Government Secretariat issued on July 2, 2026 an alert about scammer networks impersonating federal public officials to extort primarily elderly persons.
Fraud & scams
Francisco Granados, former General Secretary of Madrid's PP party, has been convicted of continuous fraud and malfeasance. He received a sentence of two and a half years imprisonment plus eight and a half years disqualification from public office.
Money laundering
Ten suspects including Mustafa Altındal, Head of Bolu Grocers and Peddlers Association, and Özgür Nihat Yıldız, Chairman of Boltur A.Ş. Board, were arrested on July 1, 2026, on charges of bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, and qualified fraud in a dawn operation.
UK Finance's Annual Fraud Report 2026, published on 2 July 2026, revealed that almost £1.3 billion was stolen through fraud in the UK in 2025, with nearly eight cases of fraud per minute.
Two Metro Detroit women were sentenced in federal court for their roles in a scheme to steal approximately 100 properties across Wayne County, primarily in Detroit, valued at roughly $6.4 million.
Fraud & scams
Hugo Beras (former Intrant director), businessman Jochi Gómez, Juan Francisco Álvarez Carbuccia and José Ángel Gómez Canaán were sent to trial on June 5, 2026 on charges including embezzlement, criminal association, fraud against the State, sabotage, identity usurpation, technological offenses, document forgery and violations of the weapons law.
Moscow's Presnensky District Court convicted Irina Rapoport in absentia on charges of embezzlement and commercial bribery, sentencing her to 15 years imprisonment. The court additionally imposed a 300 million ruble fine and ordered confiscation of 85 million rubles in assets.
Money laundering
Nine individuals were detained, including four French national team pétanque players—Dylan Rocher, Henri Lacroix (suspected as the operation's mastermind), and two additional international players—along with three experienced bettors and two of their spouses.
Fraud & scams
Nine individuals managing two companies based in Romorantin-Lanthenay (Loir-et-Cher) were arrested on 23 June 2026 for fraud and exploitation of vulnerable persons in an organised group targeting 235 victims, primarily elderly vulnerable persons in Centre-Val de Loire, Île-de-France and neighbouring departments.
Fraud & scams
A man in Resistencia, Chaco province was detained following accusations of embezzlement. The business owner alleged the employee diverted customer payments totaling 24 million pesos to accounts registered under the suspect's name.
Fraud & scams
Three Colombian nationals were arrested in the Dominican Republic on allegations of operating a fraud scheme targeting merchants. The accused allegedly promised victims access to millionaire loans and business investments, then demanded upfront payments.
Fraud & scams
The UAE Banks Federation (UBF) urged customers to exercise caution when booking holidays and making travel-related payments, warning that fraudsters are increasingly targeting travelers with fake offers and fraudulent websites during the busy summer travel season, according to the UBF.
Fraud & scams
La Policía Nacional de República Dominicana detained three Colombian citizens accused of being part of a network dedicated to defrauding merchants through false financing and investment offers.
Fraud & scams
The Department of Justice charged eight alleged members of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua with murders, kidnappings, and firearms offenses.
Money laundering
An investigation by France Info reveals the alarming increase in corruption linked to drug trafficking in France, affecting prison guards, police officers, court clerks, lawyers, notaries and port agents.
Fraud & scams
The AMF-ACPR Joint Unit published its 2025 annual report, revealing an escalation of fraud threats. In 2025, more than 1,300 unauthorized websites and actors were identified and added to blacklists, and nearly 17,000 reports were processed, representing a 27% increase year-over-year.
Fraud & scams
Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the Scottish National Party from 2001 to 2023, was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment at Edinburgh High Court on 23 June 2026 for embezzling £400,310.65 from the SNP between 2010 and 2022.
Fraud & scams
Peter Stokes, 19, a dual U.S.-Estonian citizen, was extradited from Finland to face charges of conspiracy, computer intrusion, and fraud in connection with the Scattered Spider hacking group.
Money laundering
Parisian lawyer Amar Bouaou, known for defending organized crime figures linked to drug trafficking, has been charged with organized money laundering and tax fraud, according to the Paris prosecutor's office.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted coordinated searches on June 30, 2026 at the National Rally headquarters and at several communications agencies, notably e-Politic and Unanime, linked to Marine Le Pen's circle.
Fraud & scams
The National Court ordered provisional imprisonment with a bond of one million euros for Gabriel Ruiz Ramírez, president of the alleged Sempi Gold pyramid scheme. According to the judge's order, the fraud affected more than 3,500 people and caused damages exceeding 50 million euros.
Money laundering
Guardia Civil dismantled in Castellón province a criminal organization specialized in scams through false cryptocurrency investments and subsequent money laundering, as part of Operation 'Tossit', detaining three persons.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted coordinated searches on June 30 in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain as part of an investigation into the former parliamentary group Identity and Democracy, which included the National Rally (RN) between 2019-2024.
Money laundering
Three Qatari lawyers warned about the proliferation of fraudulent shell companies targeting youth seeking quick profits.
Money laundering
A 45-year-old official at Bahrain's General Administration of Ja'fari Affairs is charged with embezzling 483,107 Bahraini dinars and attempting to embezzle an additional 58,500 dinars, according to Al-Bilad Press.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on 1 July 2026 the seizure of over EUR 23.5 million in assets in an investigation into alleged VAT fraud within Italy's fuel sector.
Money laundering
Turkish state-owned Halkbank reached a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the US Department of Justice on March 9, 2026, according to Yetkin Report.
Money laundering
Actress Isabelle Adjani was sentenced on 1 July 2026 by the Paris Court of Appeal to 10 months' conditional imprisonment and a €10,000 fine for aggravated tax fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating alleged misuse of European Parliament funds by the former Identity and Democracy group, where the Rassemblement National held 22 seats. Raids were conducted on 30 June 2026 across France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium.
Fraud & scams
A Chilean court convicted two high-ranking officials for illegal surveillance targeting military whistleblowers and a journalist.
Money laundering
A woman from A Coruña was arrested for orchestrating a business email compromise fraud scheme targeting a Valencia-based company. The suspect is accused of fraud, money laundering, and falsifying commercial documents.
Fraud & scams
Two individuals—José Luis Ramírez (52, from Neuquén) and Gabriela Noemí Such (46)—face fraud charges in connection with a 'confidence scam' targeting a 76-year-old victim in Bahía Blanca.
Money laundering
Representatives of Banfileños S.A. and the Banfileña Reconstruction Trust did not appear to testify before the Federal Criminal Court in Lomas de Zamora.
Money laundering
Giles Thomson of the UK took office as FATF President on 1 July 2026, announcing that the organization will develop an action plan by October to combat fraud, which costs $500 billion annually worldwide and represents the predominant predicate offense in 90% of FATF mutual evaluations.
Money laundering
La Plateforme, a digital school founded by Cyril Zimmermann in Marseille, is the subject of a preliminary investigation for fraud, breach of trust, and aggravated money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Aderinsola Oluwanifemi Adeleye, a Nigerian national, was arrested in Accra and charged with participation in a transnational cyber-enabled financial crime syndicate associated with compromised bank cards issued in the United States, following coordination among the Ghana Police Service, INTERPOL and the FBI.
Fraud & scams
Mario Alberto 'N' and Gerardo 'N', two lawyers in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, were formally charged with allegedly defrauding four clients of 366,000 pesos by abandoning succession lawsuits after receiving payment. A control judge formally charged both accused in the fraud case.
Fraud & scams
The Israel Tax Authority is investigating suspected tax evasion at DC Protection, a startup in the Red-Binot group owned by the Zisapel family. The probe centers on a February 2022 transaction in which Radware acquired DC Protection for $42.5 million.
Fraud & scams
Oscar Guillermo Juraidini Silva, Mexican accountant, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department's OFAC on June 30, 2026, accused of designing and operating a corporate network that allowed the CJNG cartel to evade taxes on fuel imports.
Fraud & scams
EPPO in Hamburg conducted searches and asset seizures investigating suspected organized subsidy fraud. According to the investigation, an association allegedly falsely claimed eligibility for Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) funding and diverted approximately €739,583.
Emmanuel Nbanga, 46, was found guilty at Worcester Crown Court of fraud and fraudulent trading, having stolen £279,000 from the National Health Service through fraudulent activity.
Fraud & scams
A woman identified as Natalia A. S. allegedly defrauded the family of a prisoner in Chilecito, La Rioja by impersonating the secretary of prominent attorney Emanuel Lascoiti.
Fraud & scams
Peru's Central Reserve Bank (BCRP) and the Superintendence of Banking, Insurance and AFP (SBS) alerted on June 30, 2026 about three main fraud schemes circulating on social media.
Money laundering
Christopher Alexander Delgado, 34, of Apopka, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, admitting that as the head of Goliath Ventures, he paid purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors.
Fraud & scams
Punjab accounts for a disproportionate share of digital crimes in Pakistan, with 63% of the country's 380,000 complaints in 2024 related to WhatsApp, Facebook, financial fraud and online deception originating from the province, according to official records cited in the report.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted raids across France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium on 30 June 2026 as part of an investigation into alleged misappropriation of EU funds by the defunct Identity and Democracy group from the European Parliament. Prosecutors allege approximately €4.
Fraud & scams
Jean Wilson, 54, of Richmond Hill, Georgia, a licensed nurse practitioner, was sentenced to 120 months in prison and ordered to pay $66 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud.
Fraud & scams
Oman issued a royal decree on June 29, 2026, significantly strengthening anti-corruption legislation by establishing specific jail sentences for bribery offenses for the first time.
Money laundering
US crypto exchange Coinbase has embarked on an aggressive lobbying campaign as the UK government prepares new crypto regulations, despite having received a £3.
The UK officially began its presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on June 30, 2026, launching a 2026-2028 Roadmap on Combatting Fraud.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara will meet with the prosecution team to decide how to respond to the judges' recommendation to consider dropping the bribery charge in Case 4000 (the Bezeq-Elovitch affair) against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Analysis piece discussing Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial as representing 'the most severe judicial failure Israel has known in recent decades,' noting the trial has been ongoing for more than six years with no end in sight.
Fraud & scams
Hollywood director Carl Rinsch, 48, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after being convicted of defrauding Netflix out of $11 million for a never-finished sci-fi series called 'White Horse.'
Money laundering
The Federal Chamber of Buenos Aires ordered unification of two separate investigations into Generación Zoe—the business conglomerate of Leonardo Cositorto—in a single federal court under judge Ariel Lijo.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor, based in Luxembourg, conducted a wave of raids in the Paris region in late June 2026 as part of an investigation into large-scale carousel-type VAT fraud.
Fraud & scams
Iraqi authorities seized more than 20 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $15.5 million) and quantities of gold from the home of MP Aliya Nassif during anti-corruption raids in Baghdad's Green Zone.
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Fraud & scams
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) requested 3 years suspended imprisonment, €100,000 fine, and 5 years of ineligibility with immediate enforcement for Guadeloupean politician Ary Chalus, tried in Paris for alleged misappropriation of €255,531 in public funds.
Fraud & scams
Lorena Rosa Malú Canales Cerdán, a Peruvian bank operations analyst, faces investigation for allegedly transferring approximately S/ 6.5 million from institutional accounts to personal accounts over eight months.
Money laundering
The European Prosecutor is investigating a network suspected of VAT fraud involving 26 companies operating primarily in Île-de-France. The scheme involves companies used as successive layers to obscure financial flows.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office arrested 11 suspects in Germany, Poland and Latvia in an investigation against a criminal organisation suspected of a large-scale VAT fraud scheme involving sales of diesel.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) conducted six raids in the Paris region on June 25 and questioned six persons in an investigation into carousel-type VAT fraud.
A UK-based Gambian crime gang was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court between 26-29 June 2026 for receiving more than £1 million for doctoring passports to enable hundreds of people, mainly from Gambia, to come to the UK illegally between January 2022 and July 2025.
Money laundering
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted searches in the Paris region on 25 June investigating a suspected VAT carousel fraud scheme involving 26 French companies. Six individuals were questioned in connection with suspected financial management and money laundering operations.
Fraud & scams
Federal Oral Court 4 is hearing final statements from 30 defendants in the Skanska case, which investigates alleged bribery in gas pipeline expansion contracts. The verdict is expected within one to two weeks.
Fraud & scams
Iraqi security forces, including elite Counter-Terrorism Service units, arrested 47 officials including MPs and senior government figures in dawn raids across Baghdad's Green Zone.
Fraud & scams
Israeli businessman Michael Fine was extradited to the United States on June 28, 2026 to face charges of electronic fraud and bank fraud totaling approximately $28 million.
The Berlin Regional Court sentenced Gerard Grischew to three years and ten months in prison on 10 June 2026 after he pleaded guilty to charges including document forgery and operating an unregistered banking system.
Fraud & scams
Federal Oral Court 1 ordered execution of the Argentine Football Association's bond insurance to recover approximately $2.19 million in judicial custody since 2017. The case involves alleged public administration fraud through diversion of state broadcasting rights funds.
Money laundering
A business lawyer was indicted on Thursday, June 25, 2026 for organized fraud and aggravated money laundering and placed in provisional detention, according to the Nanterre prosecutor confirmed on Saturday, June 27. Xavier C. was arrested Monday, June 22, alongside three individuals.
Fraud & scams
A civil court dismissed a man's claim for 138,525 dirhams allegedly withdrawn via a fraudulent link, citing insufficient documentation.
Fraud & scams
John R. Bolton, II, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to willfully retaining national defense information.
Fraud & scams
Abu Dhabi court ordered fraudster to pay AED 76,853 for 172.8 grams of gold jewelry obtained using fake bank transfer via WhatsApp, plus AED 10,000 damages. Previously convicted and fined AED 50,000 with internet restrictions for two months.
Fraud & scams
Investigation uncovered fraud worth 6 billion Pakistani rupees involving tax and petroleum levy evasion by a private oil marketing company. Seven individuals including CEO and terminal CEO have been charged.
Money laundering
National Police dismantled on June 26, 2026, a criminal network operating from Bétera (Valencia) that defrauded approximately €3 million from roughly 500,000 victims across Spain using the 'son in distress' scam method. Ten persons were arrested, of which 6 remain in preventive detention.
Fraud & scams
Union leaders Genaro López (former Suntracs secretary general) and Marco Andrade (Conusi secretary general) were arrested for alleged embezzlement involving misappropriation of educational insurance funds totaling approximately $750,951.50.
Fraud & scams
On June 25, 2026, the DOJ and SEC announced parallel actions against Mingran Wang, founder of Greenroots Capital Management, for a multi-year spoofing scheme involving more than 3,000 instances of market manipulation across over 150 thinly traded ADRs, generating approximately $1.
Money laundering
Spanish National Police arrested two Ceuta residents, B.I.M. (age 33) and N.G.K. (age 26), on charges of fraud and money laundering involving social media schemes.
Money laundering
Spanish National Police dismantled an organized crime network operating between the Balearic Islands and Catalonia that allegedly laundered over €9 million derived from European fraud schemes.
Money laundering
The Libyan Public Prosecution is investigating an international network accused of fraud and money laundering through Libya, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates.
Money laundering
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened a preliminary investigation into the Mohed Altrad group for aggravated tax fraud and organized money laundering, with tax authorities claiming 331 million euros in unpaid taxes for the 2018-2024 period.
Fraud & scams
Ary Chalus, president of Guadeloupe region, stood trial at Paris criminal court from 24 June 2026, accused of embezzlement of public funds and fictitious jobs.
Fraud & scams
Abu Dhabi Police warned of increasing fake account activity on social media platforms and fabricated text messages promoting bogus vacation rentals for chalets and farms.
Fraud & scams
Criminals in Peru are sending fraudulent messages simulating official Sutran (traffic authority) notifications, demanding payments for supposed fines while capturing personal and banking data.
Following a June 16, 2026 operation in Cassis involving 120 gendarmes and police, twelve people were arrested and five formally charged on June 18 with money laundering, organized undeclared work, human trafficking, and fraud against public authorities.
Money laundering
Carlos Ramón González, former director of the Presidential Administrative Department (Dapre), faces charges related to an alleged corruption scheme at the National Disaster Risk Management Unit (Ungrd).
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police arrested an entire gang that defrauded an elderly Dubai resident over several months by convincing him that counterfeit banknotes could be transformed into genuine currency using special chemicals.
SEC filed settled charges against Giovanni Pennetta, New York investment adviser, for defrauding investors who invested over $10.5 million in NextGenTech Investments LLC based on false claims of owning Anduril Industries shares.
SEC filed settled actions for their roles in an alleged fraudulent securities offering orchestrated by Wells Real Estate Investment, LLC. Details of the fraud scheme and amounts involved not specified in search results.
The Tarbes correctional court convicted three opticians and one ophthalmologist for a system of fictitious eyeglass billing that defrauded Health Insurance and supplementary health providers of at least 150,000 euros.
Money laundering
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) opened a preliminary investigation into the Altrad group for aggravated tax fraud and organized money laundering, according to Mediapart. Authorities claim €331 million in unpaid taxes (2018-2024), with total damages estimated at €350-400 million.
Fraud & scams
Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, surrendered her passport to courts on June 24, 2026, complying with precautionary measures ordered by Judge Juan Carlos Peinado.
Fraud & scams
Oman's Royal Oman Police uncovered an international fraud operation after officers became suspicious of a man climbing from a building window at 3 a.m. in Salalah.
A London High Court ruled that fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi must pay Bank of India approximately USD 11.5 million, including accrued interest on a personal loan guarantee connected to his Dubai-based firm, Firestar Diamond FZE.
Fraud & scams
The Israel Tax Authority's 'Invoices Israel' system, launched in January 2024, has brought billions to state coffers but exposed significant security vulnerabilities. The system requires advance approval for business deductions and VAT refunds for transactions above 5,000 shekels as of June 2026.
Fraud & scams
An Ecuador court increased on June 23, 2026, from four to eight years a sentence for embezzlement of public funds against Raúl Carrión, former Sports Minister under President Rafael Correa (2007-2017).
Fraud & scams
The Eure CPAM revealed its 2025 anti-fraud report on June 22, 2026. Hearing aid professionals rank first with 1.65 million euros in fraud, organized in multi-departmental criminal structures.
Money laundering
On June 23, 2026, the DOJ announced the seizure of a cloud computing account used by subsidiaries of the Cambodia-based Huione Group, which allegedly assisted individuals and organizations in transferring billions of dollars in proceeds from cryptocurrency investment frauds and cyber scams.
Fraud & scams
The Papeete correctional court in French Polynesia held a hearing for Sabine Boiron, a former teacher, who fraudulently obtained 895,000 francs in aid from the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund while incarcerated.
Fraud & scams
Former employees of Clalit Health Services in the Central District claim the organization systematically defrauded the system to recruit members from the Haredi community.
Money laundering
Christopher Delgado, former CEO of Goliath Ventures, a Central Florida cryptocurrency investment company, agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, wire fraud and money laundering charges tied to a $250 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 1,000 investors.
Money laundering
Argentine federal judge Lino Mirabelli summoned former deputy José Luis Espert, his accountant Mariano Alejandro Cosentino, and company Varianza SA for questioning on June 30, 2026 over alleged money laundering.
Money laundering
Businessman Víctor de Aldama faces investigation by Spain's National Audience for leading a hydrocarbon fraud scheme involving VAT evasion of €182.5 million and transferring nearly €74 million in criminal proceeds abroad between 2022-2024.
Fraud & scams
The Nanterre judicial court sentenced two men on June 9 for creating 1,018 fake RSA files in 75 different family allowance offices, embezzling 190,000 euros over ten months through a system exploiting digital vulnerabilities.
Fraud & scams
DOJ announced 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown charging 455 defendants, including 90 licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims. Cases spanned 56 federal districts and 45 states.
Money laundering
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert warning financial institutions to detect, prevent, and report suspicious activity connected to fraud schemes targeting federal student aid programs.
Fraud & scams
The National Fraud Investigation Unit (Lahav 433) detained a local authority head for questioning on suspicion of public corruption. Following a covert investigation, authorities moved to an open inquiry, conducting searches at the official's residence and municipal offices.
Fraud & scams
International criminal organizations are recruiting legitimate e-commerce merchants to commit fraud schemes, according to analysis by LexisNexis Risk Solutions. The study found that legitimate traders accounted for 38.
Fraud & scams
An Iraqi corruption court judge ordered continued investigations into a deputy oil minister and associates alleged to have embezzled millions of dollars from the oil refining sector.
Money laundering
SFO announced investigation into Internet Mobile Communications Limited (IMC), collapsed UK technology company that ran international platform selling telecom services for over 12 years from Chelmsford, Essex.
Fraud & scams
Ido Samuel, convicted in 2013 for fraud, forgery and breach of trust (sentenced to 7.5 years, released 2017), resumed managing cryptocurrency and options investments for clients after release.
Money laundering
French judicial authorities dismantled a criminal organization suspected of laundering over one billion euros through sophisticated financial schemes. The network, allegedly directed from Morocco, operated between 2019 and 2025, with several hundred million euros identified during this period.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday the arrest of 4 individuals against whom judicial rulings were issued in cases of misappropriation of public funds, publishing blurred photos after their arrest.
Fraud & scams
An Abu Dhabi court ordered a man to repay 36,200 AED to two sisters after he defrauded them by falsely claiming he could secure work visas for their relatives. He sent forged entry permits via WhatsApp to maintain the deception.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Interior Ministry announced the arrest of four individuals convicted in cases of embezzlement of public funds. The ministry published their photos (with faces blurred) after apprehending them following their attempts to evade authorities.
Fraud & scams
Nicky Sokolov, 20, from Kiryat Yitzhak, is under investigation on suspicion of committing sophisticated cyber fraud using artificial intelligence.
Fraud & scams
Wangiri phone scams ('call and hang up') continue victimizing many people daily in Peru, with experts warning the number of victims keeps increasing. The scam is aggravated because many calls come from countries without international cooperation agreements with Peru, making prosecution difficult.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's General Department for the Execution of Judgments arrested four individuals who had been previously convicted in public fund embezzlement cases involving approximately $180 million. The arrests came after the convicts attempted to evade authorities following their convictions.
Fraud & scams
Begoña Gómez (spouse of Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez), businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés Cónsul, and government advisor María Cristina Álvarez Rodríguez will stand trial for influence trafficking, business corruption, misappropriation, and embezzlement of public funds related to creation and management of competitive social transformation chair at Madrid's Complutense University.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police arrested two suspects—one Indian national and one local resident—in connection with an international cybercrime operation targeting the Nandekar family in Mumbai.
Fraud & scams
Kuwaiti authorities arrested four fugitives connected to an embezzlement scheme involving public funds totaling $180 million. The suspects had been evading capture to avoid serving court judgments.
Fraud & scams
Ecuadorian justice ordered José Arroyo, Mayor of Pujilí (detained since August 2025), and 16 municipal officials to stand trial for alleged embezzlement.
Money laundering
Two men were arrested on June 16, 2026, in Argenteuil and Bagnolet and formally charged in Paris for organized money laundering and criminal association.
Fraud & scams
Menashe Davidovitz, 31, charged with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery, and conspiracy to sell false seals and official insignia.
Money laundering
Dubai Criminal Court convicted a former employee of embezzling AED 690,000 through exploiting his job position and authorized access. He was found guilty of document forgery and money laundering to conceal the theft.
Fraud & scams
Dubai civil court ordered defendant to pay AED 300,000 moral damages following criminal conviction for breach of trust involving misappropriation of furniture and furnishings worth AED 3 million. Defendant received one-month prison sentence plus fine.
Fraud & scams
Panama's Public Ministry reported 2,834 fraud complaints between January-May 2026 (17% increase year-over-year).
Fraud & scams
A criminal investigation at Zonguldak Women's and Children's Hospital resulted in the detention of 20 individuals on June 16, including Dr. Ferhat T., an obstetrics specialist alleged to have solicited bribes from women seeking abortion services.
Fraud & scams
Military court convicted Sergey Efimov, former FSB research institute head, of inflating component costs for the Obereg drone-suppression system by 12 million rubles. Defense argued cost increases were necessary due to supplier reluctance stemming from fear of sanctions.
On June 18, 2026, France's Constitutional Court issued a decision on the Law on Combating Social and Fiscal Fraud, declaring it partially unconstitutional with interpretive reservations.
Money laundering
FSB detained St. Petersburg crime boss Ilya Traber ('the Antiquarian'), 75, longtime Putin associate, on contract murder charges. Beyond homicide case, law enforcement sources told TASS that Traber potentially faces additional charges for fraud and money laundering.
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Fraud & scams
Dozens of fans reported being defrauded by Daniel Ramírez Arévalo, who allegedly promised tickets to the Mexico vs.
Fraud & scams
Alleged corruption investigation at Senasa (Dominican Republic's National Health Insurance) involves three main criminal structures. Authorities identified administrative and medical entities suspected of embezzling public funds through fraudulent schemes affecting cancer patients and the state.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced felony state tax evasion charges against comedian Carlos Mencia for failing to report $8.7 million in personal and corporate income taxes between tax years 2019-2024.
Fraud & scams
Israel's Ministry of Justice is advancing amendments to the Payment Services Law that would require financial companies to reimburse credit card fraud victims even when they have disclosed secret codes due to fraud.
Fraud & scams
Nancy Nápoles Pacheco, mayor of Tenancingo, State of Mexico, faces charges for allegedly orchestrating a fake kidnapping scheme to justify embezzlement of 40 million pesos from municipal funds.
Fraud & scams
The Justice Department charged 15 individuals—11 undocumented immigrants and four U.S. citizens—with defrauding federal and state benefit programs of more than $1.4 million.
Fraud & scams
Grizzly Research published a report on June 18, 2026 alleging 2CRSi is "almost entirely a fraud," claiming nearly all revenues are likely fabricated through undisclosed related-party arrangements.
Fraud & scams
A 45-year-old man from Pornic was convicted by the Saint-Nazaire tribunal correctionnel for tax fraud after concealing €272,000 in drug trafficking proceeds between 2018-2021. The tax authority imposed a total demand exceeding €320,000 including penalties. He received a six-month prison sentence.
Fraud & scams
European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) launched investigation into EU-backed clean tech investor InnoEnergy following complaint by Swedish entrepreneur Lars Wallden alleging financial irregularities and fraud.
Money laundering
Four individuals were formally charged on June 17, 2026, for breach of trust, undeclared work, and aggravated money laundering of tax fraud following an investigation into the association Les Pelloux, a medico-social housing facility for vulnerable minors in Lozère.
Fraud & scams
Former Honduran prosecutor Francia Sofía Medina Martínez was found guilty on May 27, 2026, of embezzling approximately 89 million lempiras from Honduras's Central Bank (2019-2023) using falsified documents and privileged information.
Fraud & scams
Federal judge in Manhattan Richard Berman dismissed criminal case against Halkbank filed in 2019, following settlement agreement reached with Trump administration in March 2026. U.S.
Fraud & scams
A 24-year-old restaurant worker at Mexico City Stadium was arrested after attempting to rent his official World Cup 2026 credentials. He posted his accreditation on Facebook in digital and printed formats, offering access to four tournament matches in VIP hospitality zone.
Fraud & scams
Barceló Hotels raised 400 million shekels in bond issuance without disclosing in the prospectus that criminal proceedings are pending against owner and CEO Moti Green for tax offenses.
Money laundering
Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, of San Diego, charged with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statements in connection with allegedly raising approximately $600,000 through purported charitable campaigns and diverting funds to Hamas.
Fraud & scams
Indictment filed against Oleg Pogosiyan (31) from Bat Yam for operating systematic fraud ring targeting Russian-speaking elderly citizens.
Fraud & scams
A Yemeni human rights network released a report accusing leaders of the dissolved Transitional Council, including Eidros al-Zubaidi, of systematizing financial corruption through illegal levies, allegedly embezzling approximately 43 billion Yemeni rials.
Fraud & scams
An 18-year-old from Orléans was convicted and sentenced to 30 months imprisonment (15 months firm, 15 suspended) via expedited court procedure for a spoofing fraud scheme combined with home invasion.
Money laundering
Clarissa La Porta, a 41-year-old Italian woman, was arrested in Rome under a European arrest warrant issued by Luxembourg authorities for her alleged involvement in the fraud and money-laundering scheme that embezzled more than €60 million from Caritas Luxembourg.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre has issued a warning about fraudulent insurance schemes circulating on social media platforms. Scammers target consumers seeking affordable coverage by advertising policies at artificially low prices, then requesting payment without verifying company legitimacy.
Money laundering
Yahya Sowe, 42, of College Park, Maryland, was sentenced to 114 months in prison and ordered to pay roughly $13 million in restitution for his leadership role in a money laundering conspiracy that moved more than $11 million in proceeds from business email compromise scams and other fraud through shell company bank accounts from 2021 until his arrest in February 2024.
Fraud & scams
Dominican court convicted 29 individuals in Operation Coral for defrauding the state of RD$4.5 billion (approximately $76.5M USD, 2012-2020) through phantom employees in security institutions.
Money laundering
Prosecutors in Lomas de Zamora allege a criminal organization embedded in Club Atlético Banfield's leadership operated in connection with Sur Finanzas holding, accused of running a professionalized money laundering structure.
Money laundering
Kuwait's Court of Cassation sentenced Sheikh Talal Al Khaled, former Interior and Defense Minister, to three years in prison with hard labour and imposed a fine of KD 3,000 after ruling in two high-profile public spending cases involving the Ministries of Interior and Defense.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Police dismantled a Ponzi scheme network operating fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, arresting 23 individuals across Madrid, Guadalajara, and Barcelona.
Fraud & scams
Al Ain court ordered a defendant to return 107,500 dirhams with 5% annual interest and 5,000 dirhams in damages, after the defendant received funds to purchase and export a vehicle abroad but failed to complete the transaction or return the money. The court found breach of contract and fraud.
Money laundering
Stanley Pophal, 64, of Wausau pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after defrauding investors out of $14.25 million through his business Bright with Silver, Inc.
Fraud & scams
Begoña Gómez, wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, appeared at a preliminary hearing on June 15, 2026, facing allegations of traffic of influence, corruption in business dealings, embezzlement of public funds, and improper appropriation.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Court of Cassation issued final rulings on June 15, 2026, in the embezzlement case against Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled, former Minister of Interior and Defense, involving secret expenditures from the Ministries of Defense and Interior.
Fraud & scams
A Dubai Court of First Instance ordered two men to jointly repay Dh723,500 to a company and its manager after they were convicted of impersonating Federal Tax Authority officials. The defendants used forged state seals, official stamps, and fake signatures to defraud victims.
Money laundering
Dominican prosecutors filed charges against a network that diverted public funds designated for cancer treatments at Regional Oncological Institute of Cibao.
Fraud & scams
Dubai civil and criminal courts convicted an Arab national who used disappearing ink to write a check for 1.7 million dirhams to prevent the bank from cashing it. Criminal court sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment, upheld on appeal. Civil court ordered defendant to repay the full 1.
Fraud & scams
Abu Dhabi court ruled two young men must repay 38,800 dirhams to victim of fraudulent job posting scheme via WhatsApp, plus 10,000 dirhams compensation for material and moral damages. Court referenced finalized criminal conviction underlying the civil judgment.
Fraud & scams
The District Court in Tel Aviv convicted Alber, owned by businessman Eli Elazar, of fraud and tax violations. The company faced allegations of evading approximately 25 million shekels in import tax through forged documents and deception spanning late 2013-July 2015.
Fraud & scams
Cybercriminals are using sophisticated caller ID spoofing techniques to impersonate official entities like embassies, combining fake calls with personally researched details obtained from leaked databases and social media.
Fraud & scams
Abu Dhabi Police issued an alert about fraudulent websites impersonating consumer protection authorities that appear in search results to steal personal and banking information.
Fraud & scams
Security researchers uncovered more than 4,300 fraudulent domains impersonating the official FIFA website, with 6 fraud schemes targeting 2026 World Cup attendance. The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned of fraudulent entities registering websites impersonating FIFA sites.
Fraud & scams
Spain's National Court opened an investigation into former President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for alleged tax fraud and smuggling after discovering €1.3 million in jewels in his office safe.
Money laundering
Ray Martinez, former Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Police Department, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Jenifer O'Neal, former Director of the Virgin Islands Office of Management and Budget, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for their roles in a procurement fraud, bribery, and money laundering scheme.
Money laundering
Internal Affairs of Spain's Guardia Civil has accused Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Ángel E. T.
Fraud & scams
Judge José Luis Calama opened a separate proceeding on June 12, 2026, investigating former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero for possible tax fraud against the public treasury and potential smuggling violations involving jewelry valued at €1,323,915 seized from his office safe on May 19, 2026.
Fraud & scams
UAE authorities issued warning regarding sophisticated fraud scheme targeting residents. Scammers impersonating officials from Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) contact victims via Google Meet invitations from fake email accounts.
Fraud & scams
Sharjah Police participated in the Fraud & Financial Crime Asia forum in Singapore, demonstrating their anti-fraud expertise to an international audience from more than 20 countries. The event focused on financial crime prevention and detection methods.
Fraud & scams
Security expert Mohammed Al-Suraihi warns of escalating electronic fraud targeting Saudi citizens through compromised government platforms like Absher.
Fraud & scams
Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 44, a Ukrainian national extradited from Ireland, pleaded guilty on June 11 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with deploying Conti ransomware, which infected more than 1,000 computers and networks worldwide.
Fraud & scams
Multiple investigations target former officials and local administrators across Panama involving approximately $9 million in suspected embezzlement.
Money laundering
Retired General Adolfo Mattos Vinces was apprehended after evading a confirmed five-year prison sentence for bribery.
Fraud & scams
A Dubai resident lost an entire Dh800,000 bank loan after fraudsters tricked him into downloading a counterfeit banking application and granting remote phone access.
On June 8, 2026, the Paris Criminal Court convicted seven individuals of organized fraud targeting France's MaPrimeRénov' energy-renovation program, which receives EU Recovery and Resilience Facility funding.
EPPO in Rome conducted searches in Cassino over alleged EU subsidy fraud involving a municipal park redevelopment funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Fraud & scams
France's audit court (Cour des comptes) estimated in a report revealed by Les Échos that approximately 10% of apprenticeship funding faces exposure to fraud and misappropriation, totaling roughly €1.5 billion annually out of a €15 billion budget. The pre-report circulated since June 3, 2026.
Money laundering
The collapse of UK property lender Market Financial Solutions (MFS) in February 2026 has triggered investigations into the firm's auditors. MFS entered administration on February 25, 2026, amid fraud allegations including double-pledging assets as collateral to multiple lenders.
Money laundering
President Kais Said established a National Criminal Reconciliation Commission (CNCP) to recover public assets allegedly stolen through corruption.
Fraud & scams
Mahender Makhijani, 44, an Indian-born US Green Card holder, was arrested in Corona del Mar, Southern California, accused of defrauding a bank of approximately $100 million through document manipulation.
Fraud & scams
Legal experts warn of dual-fraud scheme: fraudsters operate fake trading platforms promising quick wealth, then exploit same victims through fake law firms claiming to recover lost funds for upfront fees. Article presents legal commentary on observed fraud patterns rather than specific prosecutions.
Fraud & scams
South Korean prosecutors raided Kunsan Air Base and the residence of a suspect employee over allegations of procurement fraud.
Money laundering
Demani Jawara Bosket of Saluda, South Carolina, and his niece, Tanya Lashawn Bosket of Charlotte, North Carolina, were convicted by a federal jury of one count of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a sophisticated transnational fraud ring that stole more than $25 million from victims across the country.
Money laundering
Leonardo Ayala, 26, a former retail banker at TD Bank N.A. in Florida, was sentenced to two years in prison for accepting bribes and facilitating money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Israeli police completed their investigation into Minister for Social Equality Mai Golan and transferred the case to the State Prosecutor's Office, concluding there is sufficient evidence for indictment on charges of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, obtaining property by deception, forgery with intent to obtain property, and obstruction of justice.
Fraud & scams
According to an explosive report from France's Court of Accounts revealed by Les Échos, nearly 10% of spending on apprenticeships presents risks of fraud and misappropriation. Out of an annual budget of €15 billion, about €1.5 billion is exposed to fraudulent practices.
Fraud & scams
The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) imposed a €170,000 penalty on Dutch online bank Bunq for failing to timely address complaints from seven fraud victims in 2023-2024. The bank was required to respond within 15 working days but frequently delayed substantive replies by weeks.
Fraud & scams
Two Bank Hapoalim employees were convicted of embezzling 130,000 shekels in cash from customer deposits by physically removing bills from deposit bags and concealing them in their clothing over several months. One employee took 115,000 shekels; the other took 15,000 shekels.
Fraud & scams
The Paris Tribunal Correctionnel convicted Worldpay for complicity in illegal provision of payment services in an online currency investment fraud case. The international payment company received a fine of 200,000 € (two fines of 100,000 € for two separate proceedings).
Fraud & scams
The Abu Dhabi Court of Family and Civil and Administrative Cases ordered two men to pay 5,690 dirhams and 20,000 dirhams in compensation to a woman they defrauded after deceiving her by promising to provide a domestic worker via Instagram and taking financial amounts from her.
Money laundering
A. P., the brother of former judoka Hugo Peszynski, was convicted by the 32nd Correctional Chamber of the Paris Judicial Court of aggravated money laundering involving organized tax fraud. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment with 18 months suspended, plus a €250,000 fine.
Money laundering
Moroccan police arrested 11 individuals wanted by French, Belgian, and Dutch authorities for international drug trafficking, money laundering, and fraud in a coordinated operation spanning Tangier to Marrakech on June 8, 2026.
Fraud & scams
A former accounts manager was convicted of stealing customer payments and ordered to pay his employer Dh2.3 million in compensation. The Dubai Court of First Instance awarded this amount to cover material and moral damages, plus 5% annual interest until full payment.
Fraud & scams
An Arab woman lost approximately Dh1.1 million after being deceived by two unidentified individuals who falsely claimed affiliation with a renowned trading company and convinced her to invest in cryptocurrencies.
Money laundering
Italian authorities arrested Clarissa La Porta (41) in Turin around June 5-6, 2026, pursuant to a European Arrest Warrant from Luxembourg. She is accused of playing a leading role in a transnational criminal organisation that embezzled approximately €61.
Fraud & scams
Former FirstEnergy CEO Chuck Jones and VP Michael Dowling were reindicted by Summit County Grand Jury on 22 combined criminal counts including bribery, conspiracy, and fraud for allegedly operating a criminal enterprise (2010-2021) that bribed state officials including paying Public Utilities…
Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX co-founder, formally applied for presidential pardon on June 8, 2026, more than two years after conviction over multi-billion dollar collapse of cryptocurrency empire. Bankman-Fried convicted of fraud and other crimes related to FTX collapse.
SEC charged John Sterling Myers and his companies Sterling Capital, LLC and Sterling Capital Management, LLC with multi-year fraud (January 2022 through at least July 2025).
Fraud & scams
A federal jury convicted four former leaders of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers in connection with a 15-year scheme involving no-show jobs, lavish travel, improper vacation payouts and an unauthorized $7 million loan to a union-affiliated bank.
Fraud & scams
According to a report by the Court of Accounts revealed by Les Échos, approximately 10% of apprenticeship funds, approximately 1.5 billion euros per year, could be exposed to risks of misappropriation or abuse.
Fraud & scams
UAE Civil Court rejected a woman's lawsuit against two defendants who allegedly defrauded her of approximately 1.1 million dirhams by impersonating representatives of a legitimate trading company and promising large profits from digital currency investments.
Fraud & scams
The Paris criminal court ruled on June 8, 2026, regarding LFI deputy Sophia Chikirou's legal case stemming from her involvement with the media outlet Le Média, which she had co-founded. The court acquitted her of fraud charges but found her guilty of theft.
EPPO in Naples seized €305,500 in assets (cars, real estate, bank funds) from suspects who allegedly obtained a €300,000 non-repayable EU Recovery and Resilience Facility loan intended for SME digital/ecological transition through false financial documentation, then diverted the funds to unauthorized purposes.
Fraud & scams
Yehuda Avidan, director general of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Shas party figure, was interrogated by Lahav 433 on suspicion of fraud, breach of trust, misuse of office, and making threats.
Fraud & scams
A Kuwaiti national impersonated a doctor at a government hospital in Kuwait and defrauded victims of money by promising to arrange cosmetic surgery procedures. Authorities in Kuwait are investigating this fraud case.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police warned the public against fake rental offers for chalets and villas on social media and websites.
Money laundering
This investigation documents how Rifaat al-Assad, former commander of Syria's Defence Brigades and alleged architect of the 1982 Hama massacre, accumulated approximately €1 billion in concealed assets across Europe while evading accountability.
Money laundering
Argentine authorities dismantled a criminal organization running digital investment fraud schemes through over 70 simultaneous raids, with 21 detained across Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Misiones, and Mendoza provinces.
Money laundering
Bahrain Public Prosecution (Financial Crimes and Money Laundering unit) referred employee of General Directorate of Jaafari Endowments to criminal trial for embezzling BHD 483,107 in charitable aid funds, forgery of official documents, and money laundering.
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Fraud & scams
In June 2026, two pharmacists in Martinique were convicted of aggravated fraud after the CGSS fraud service discovered they were billing health insurance for very expensive drugs (600 euros and over) without actually dispensing them.
Fraud & scams
SIMAD Holdings, a U.S. summer camp operator that raised 620 million shekels from Israeli institutional investors in December 2025, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after controlling brothers David and Michael Shabelsky withdrew approximately $34 million from company accounts for private entities…
Fraud & scams
The Fort-de-France criminal court convicted 5 individuals for extensive fraud involving the compensatory disability benefits scheme (PCH) causing damage of €3.2 million.
EPPO offices in Bologna, Turin and Palermo seized assets worth over €6 million in a suspected VAT carousel fraud involving luxury vehicles.
Fraud & scams
Francisco Cosenza, a former Honduran official, received a probationary sentence after pleading guilty to accepting approximately $200,000 in bribes in exchange for police uniform contracts.
Money laundering
HSBC Holdings Plc's Swiss unit was charged in Paris in June 2026 as part of an investigation into suspicions it helped former Lebanese central bank Governor Riad Salameh embezzle funds.
SEC charged JianQing Li, former investment analyst at New York-based investment adviser, with insider trading in securities of at least twelve healthcare companies from February 2024 through October 2025.
U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York charged JianQing Li with two counts of securities fraud for allegedly trading on confidential information from his employer about at least 12 healthcare companies.
Timmy G. Robinson Jr., 50, founder of Addiction Recovery Care (ARC), was indicted for one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. According to the indictment, in July of 2025, Robinson allegedly caused ARC to enter into a sales agreement where the buyer made a $2.
Fraud & scams
A Chinese national pled guilty on June 5, 2026, in D.C. federal court to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. in a sanctions evasion scheme involving North Korean tobacco smuggling, ending a case that had seen two mistrials. The case is part of broader U.S.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Supreme Committee for Kuwaiti Nationality Investigation intensified its review of nationality files, taking a series of decisions involving citizenship revocations, legal referrals, and expanded investigations into alleged forgery and misuse of public funds.
Indian authorities investigating former billionaire Anil Ambani over allegations that 20.5 billion rupees ($214 million) in corporate loans from Reliance Communications Ltd., Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd., and Reliance Home Finance Ltd. were misused.
Fraud & scams
At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 5 June 2026, Daniel Pugh was ordered to pay £452,286.80. Pugh, 36, is serving a 7 years and 6 months prison sentence for defrauding investors out of £1.3 million.
Fraud & scams
Cybersecurity researchers identified over 4,300 fraudulent domains impersonating FIFA's official website ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with potential losses estimated between $71 million and $474 million from premium ticket fraud alone.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Milan, working with Italian Financial Police and Customs, seized assets worth over €23.5 million (including €13.5 million in properties and €10 million in bank accounts) in an investigation into a VAT fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
The First Criminal Court of Santa Tecla sentenced Mauricio Alonso Alvarado Ayala to 10 years in prison for defrauding two victims by making them believe he could facilitate US work visas through contacts at the US embassy.
Bahrain's High Criminal Court of Appeal upheld an 8-year prison sentence and 105,000 dinar fine for a company owner convicted in a fraud, forgery, and embezzlement case exceeding 6 million dinars. The defendant formed a fake company, forged documents, and defrauded victims of millions.
Money laundering
French prosecutors filed preliminary charges against HSBC's Swiss private banking unit for alleged organized money laundering and conspiracy related to suspected $300 million embezzlement by Riad Salameh, former governor of Lebanon's central bank.
Money laundering
A control judge linked eight alleged members of the criminal network 'Del Caballito' (Maikol N., Salvador N., Laura N., Luis N., Manuel N., Elda N., Montserrat N., and Lilia N.) to criminal proceedings for issuing false tax receipts and operations with illicit-origin funds.
Fraud & scams
Ricardo Echegaray, former head of Argentina's tax authority (AFIP) during Cristina Kirchner's presidency, convicted in Oil Combustibles case.
Fraud & scams
Cybercriminals are launching a sophisticated fraud campaign targeting World Cup fans through approximately 4,300 fake domains impersonating FIFA.
Fraud & scams
French authorities formally charged HSBC Private Bank Suisse in early June 2026 in connection with alleged embezzlement of more than $300 million from Lebanon's central bank, Banque du Liban (BDL), between 2002 and 2015.
Fraud & scams
A federal jury in Maryland convicted AeroVanti CEO Patrick Britton-Harr on six counts of wire fraud. Top Gun members collectively paid approximately $15 million in upfront payments to purchase five aircraft, but Britton-Harr never purchased the aircraft.
Fraud & scams
DOJ's Health Care Fraud Unit secured federal jury trial convictions in six trials between May 13 and June 1, spanning cases across Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Detroit, New York and Nashville.
Fraud & scams
Honduras Public Ministry filed charges against 11 current and former Central Bank employees for reckless embezzlement related to illegal withdrawal of over 88 million lempiras ($3.31 million USD). Four arrested in San Pedro Sula, one in Choluteca.
Civil Guard arrested in Tenerife one of the main leaders of OmegaPro pyramid scheme wanted by FBI.
Fraud & scams
DOJ announced federal-state partnership in Ohio and indictments against individuals accused of over $42 million in fraud schemes.
Fraud & scams
Spanish Civil Guard arrested the alleged ringleader of a major pyramid scheme on June 4, 2026, in Tenerife.
Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) returned Rs6 billion in recovered assets to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the first phase of one of Pakistan's largest financial fraud cases.
Fraud & scams
Money tied to notorious Russian Magnitsky tax fraud (perpetrators fraudulently extracted $230 million tax rebate from Russian treasury) slipped into Armenia's financial system unnoticed by regulators.
Fraud & scams
The UAE's Capital Market Authority (CMA) announced imposing fines of Dh5.5 million on companies over unlicensed financial and investment activities, as part of efforts to uphold market integrity and safeguard investors against fraud and unlawful practices.
Money laundering
Former director of Panama's Instituto para la Formación y Aprovechamiento de Recursos Humanos (IFARHU), Bernardo 'Nando' Meneses, faces four judicial proceedings for aggravated embezzlement and money laundering involving 11 people.
Money laundering
Kuwaiti court imposed seven-year prison sentences on three individuals convicted of operating an online gambling scheme involving money laundering, with combined fines of KD16.839 million.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorized charges against Syed Hussain, 54, a former West Midlands Police superintendent who has since been dismissed, and Farah Ullah, 43.
Fraud & scams
The Federal Chamber of Comodoro Rivadavia confirmed the prosecution of two former officials from the Kirchnerist government who improperly collected the Potenciar Trabajo social plan while serving in public office, constituting a corruption offense related to embezzlement of funds designated for social assistance.
Brandon Dutch Mendenhall, 46, was indicted on a count of mail fraud as part of a mortgage fraud scheme. Mendenhall operated RAD Diversified REIT and other investment funds. The defendant was alleged to have over-inflated his personal income during the application for a $1.2 million mortgage loan.
Fraud & scams
DOJ Scam Center Strike Force 'Disruption Week' (May 18-21, 2026) resulted in disruption of millions of social media, email, and internet accounts used by transnational organized crime actors in Southeast Asia to defraud Americans. Private sector voluntarily froze over $3.
Money laundering
The investigation centers on Sur Finanzas, a financial firm linked to Argentina's Football Association (AFA), accused of money laundering, criminal conspiracy, and fraudulent administration.
Fraud & scams
Dominican Supreme Court's Second Criminal Chamber upheld three-month preventive detention for prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcántara, accused of demanding and receiving $10,000 in bribes from a witness in the Senasa fraud case. He has been held at Najayo prison since March 2026.
Money laundering
Operation XL526 resulted in 20 arrests in Santiago for a criminal network that extorted U.S. residents by posing as Sinaloa Cartel members. The network laundered proceeds via cryptocurrency (Bitcoin), electronic transfers, and remittance companies.
Money laundering
Kuwait's Court of Appeal sentenced a Syrian national and two Egyptian nationals to seven years imprisonment each for allegedly operating an international electronic betting operation and money laundering derived from illegal gambling activities, according to the court.
Fraud & scams
Andrew Left, 55, of Boca Raton, Florida, was convicted by a federal jury in Los Angeles of one count of participating in a securities fraud scheme and 12 counts of securities fraud.
Money laundering
Fourteen suspects arrested in major corruption investigation in northern Israel municipality (Nahariya), including deputy mayor Dima Efshtein, on suspicion of public corruption, bribery, fraud, bid rigging, embezzlement, money laundering, and tax offenses.
Fraud & scams
Transparency Venezuela documented 719 assets across 21 countries traced to corruption investigations from Venezuela (2009-2026), totaling over $3.9 billion.
Nahariya deputy mayor Dima Epstein was arrested along with 13 other suspects by Lahav 433 unit on suspicion of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.
Fraud & scams
Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors froze bank accounts of Albania Land Development, a company linked to a $4 billion luxury resort project backed by Jared Kushner, amid an investigation into allegedly fraudulent property titles.
Money laundering
Tamin Haidar, 34, a former Union City bank employee, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after admitting to embezzling more than $800,000. According to prosecutors, Haidar pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee and money laundering in November of last year.
Fraud & scams
Singapore's Anti-Scam Centre partnered with cryptocurrency exchanges including Coinbase, Gemini, and OKX to prevent over $4.2 million in potential losses across government impersonation, investment, job, and romance scams.
Money laundering
Spanish National Police dismantled a criminal organization conducting sophisticated banking scams across Spain through 'smishing' and 'vishing'. 23 people arrested (17 men, 6 women) in Barcelona and Murcia.
Fraud & scams
Iraqi authorities seized $10 million in cash and 40 properties during corruption investigation into detained Deputy Oil Minister Adnan Al Jumaili. The probe involves allegations of kickbacks and embezzlement in mainly refinery contracts. Al Jumaili has been arrested.
Fraud & scams
David Hunt, Brandon Hunt, Baylon Hunt, and Corey Burt sentenced (92, 90, 38, and 94 months respectively) for orchestrating scheme to file false tax returns in names of purported trusts. Scheme sought more than $8.5 million in tax refunds; co-conspirators received over $1.
Fraud & scams
Facundo Leal, former president of ARSAT and ORSNA who served under both Alberto Fernández and Javier Milei administrations, was arrested on May 28, 2026 with over $2.5 million in undeclared cash, drugs (ketamine, MDMA, cocaine), and a mysterious single-person company.
Fraud & scams
Alexey Sedushkin, general director of broker 'Investment Chamber,' and Yulia Khandoshko, head of European broker Mind Money, were arrested in Moscow. According to prosecutors, a criminal case was opened against them for fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale.
Money laundering
Belgian prosecutors opened investigation into Wise Europe over allegations accounts were used to launder proceeds from fraud, corruption and drug trafficking.
Money laundering
DOJ and CFTC filed parallel criminal and civil insider trading actions against Michele Spagnuolo, a Google software engineer based in Switzerland.
Fraud & scams
Al Dhafra Primary Court in UAE ordered a man to repay 102,779 dirhams to a woman defrauded through a fake trading advertisement on social media promising investment profits.
Brandon Dutch Mendenhall, 46, co-founder of RAD Diversified REIT, was indicted on one count of mail fraud for submitting false information during the purchase of his $1.6 million house. Mendenhall has been under investigation following allegations he and a co-founder were running a Ponzi scheme.
Meade Lewis, 32, founder and CEO of mIQroTech, Inc., a technology company in the oil and gas industry, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding investors of more than $7 million. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count.
Fraud & scams
Spain's National Court opened trial against 41 former PP politicians, public officials, business executives accused of contract fraud during Esperanza Aguirre's Madrid government. Part of broader 'Púnica' corruption case.
Money laundering
Mediapart and the European Investigative Collaborations network revealed that British payments platform Wise is being prosecuted in Belgium for money laundering involving over €500 million, connected to hundreds of criminal cases in France and across Europe.
13 suspects (including three lawyers) arrested for fraud under aggravating circumstances, money laundering, and extortion. Fraud scheme targeted victims with disabilities and mentally frail individuals, exploiting their financial situation.
Andrew Left, 55, founder of Citron Research and frequent guest on CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg Television, was convicted by a federal jury of securities fraud for manipulating stock market activity by trading opposite to public positions he presented, reaping over $21 million in profits.
On September 8, 2025, the Paris judicial court approved the CJIP signed on September 5, by which Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB) undertook to pay EUR 88.2 million to avoid trial. Crédit Agricole became the first French bank to acknowledge this practice before the courts.
Fraud & scams
Luis Oliva, former director of Panama's National Authority for Government Innovation (2019-2024), was detained for embezzlement, corruption of public officials and illicit association. The General Comptroller identified a suspected asset increase exceeding $937,000.
Fraud & scams
Colombia's Special Assets Society (SAE) announced recovery of 32 properties valued at approximately 19.5 billion pesos linked to Francisco Javier Piedrahita Sánchez, deceased drug trafficking financier.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain's First High Criminal Court of Appeal upheld five-year prison sentences for an Egyptian defendant and two others convicted of fraudulently obtaining more than BD75,000 from a bank using forged documents.
Fraud & scams
An organized criminal group defrauded a packaging company of €41,565 through fraudulent diesel fuel refueling. The scheme involved duplicating corporate fuel cards and fraudulently accessing card data to refuel personal vehicles and fill large containers.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police revealed details of a case in which a criminal gang defrauded a merchant and stole luxury oud worth 12 million dirhams (approximately 3.26 million dollars) after a woman impersonated a prominent princess.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police arrested members of a criminal gang who orchestrated an elaborate fraud scheme involving a fake princess impersonation to steal Dh12 million ($3.3 million) worth of premium oud from a trader. The perpetrators deceived the oud merchant by impersonating a member of a royal family.
Israel's government legal advisor announced revocation of tax deductions for donations to organizations where individuals evade military service, following Supreme Court ruling requiring elimination of economic benefits for draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox citizens.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara opposes extension of appointment for Prime Minister's Office Director-General Drorit Steinmetz due to ongoing investigation. Steinmetz investigated for fraud and breach of trust related to May Golan affair.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police dismantled an eight-member criminal gang that stole luxury oud valued at Dh12 million from a merchant in a highly organised deception involving impersonation, staged luxury arrangements, and a bait-and-switch scheme.
Money laundering
Operation Chameleón concluded its preliminary stage in late May 2026, investigating a corruption and money laundering network within the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intrant), involving former director Hugo Beras and businessman José Ángel Gómez Canaán. The SeNaSa 2.
Money laundering
On May 29, the General Prosecutor's Office dismantled the criminal organization 'Del Caballito', dedicated to money laundering and issuance of false tax receipts. 440 personnel were deployed across nine states with 30 simultaneous raids.
The SEC charged Nathan Fuller in a crypto asset trading scheme in which he allegedly raised approximately $12.3 million from about 150 investors based on misrepresentations, including that he would use proprietary AI-based trading bots.
Fraud & scams
Dubai civil court ordered a former financial manager at a real estate brokerage firm and his company to jointly pay 491,374 dirhams after he was convicted of embezzling rental settlement funds. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment, fined, and ordered deported.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Paris is investigating suspected public procurement fraud financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe, involving approximately €18 million aimed at supporting local companies to recover economically after the pandemic.
Fraud & scams
The Nanterre correctional court sentenced Patrick Balkany on May 28, former mayor of Levallois-Perret, to two sentences of imprisonment of fifteen months and three years in two separate cases of embezzlement of public funds.
Fraud & scams
Chile's school nutrition agency director filed fraud charges alleging approximately $14 billion pesos in payments for snacks that were never delivered to low-income students in O'Higgins region during the Boric administration.
Fraud & scams
French justice closed on 26 May 2026 the investigation opened since November 2018 against Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France Insoumise for alleged embezzlement of European public funds. No charges were filed. Only two former assistants remain in the status of witnesses with legal representation.
Svetlana Mesyats, a 54-year-old senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Philosophy, was charged with aggravated fraud for allegedly embezzling 16 million rubles from the 'Heritage of Aristotle' project.
Fraud & scams
Cheungkin Lam (Kelvin Lam), former TD Bank employee, pleaded guilty to defrauding TD Bank customers and bribing employee at another financial institution to falsify bank records, facilitating more than $3.4 million of fraud.
Buenos Aires Provincial Prosecutor's Office conducted 90 simultaneous raids across Argentina (Buenos Aires, Jujuy, Mendoza, Santa Fe, Misiones, Córdoba, Formosa, Entre Ríos), resulting in 21 arrests for investment fraud, fake applications, and money laundering through cryptocurrencies.
Money laundering
Roberta Shaffer, a former DuBois city staffer, pleaded guilty to two charges — one count each of felony embezzlement and unlawful transaction.
Money laundering
CFTC and DOJ charged a Google software engineer with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for allegedly using confidential internal Google search data to place bets on Polymarket, making more than $1.2 million. The case represents expanded enforcement into prediction markets.
Fraud & scams
Colombian authorities arrested 11 individuals for allegedly diverting over $3 billion in state subsidies through biometric fraud and identity manipulation.
Fraud & scams
The World Bank imposed an 18-month debarment on China National Technical Import & Export Corporation (CNTIC), a Beijing-based state-owned enterprise, for fraudulent practices affecting three energy infrastructure projects in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives.
Colombia's National Police executed Operation Nemesis Plus, seizing properties valued at over 24.934 billion pesos ($24.9B COP) for asset forfeiture.
Money laundering
Greg Lindberg, 56, Tampa, Florida, sentenced to 12 years for orchestrating multibillion-dollar insurance fraud and bribery scheme (2016-2019).
Fraud & scams
Bahrain's High Criminal Court convicted five defendants of forging official electronic documents and unlawfully obtaining over BD50,000 from government entities (Labour Fund Tamkeen and Social Insurance Organization).
Money laundering
Moscow's Nikulinsky Court approved the Prosecutor General's claim to seize assets valued at 5.5 billion rubles from Ruslan Tsalikov, former First Deputy Minister of Defense, and his relatives.
Money laundering
Colombia's National Police executed on May 26, 2026, Operation Nemesis Plus, an asset forfeiture action on property valued at more than 24,934 million Colombian pesos in Bogotá, Cúcuta, and San Cayetano (Norte de Santander).
Fraud & scams
State Prosecutor's Office announced Tzachi Braverman, chief of staff to Prime Minister Netanyahu, will face trial subject to hearing on charges of fraud, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice.
Fraud & scams
Prosecutor on May 26, 2026 requested trial against Jean-Christophe Lagarde, mayor of Drancy and former UDI leader, for organized fraud and receiving stolen goods. Allegations involve spreading false information about Raquel Garrido and Alexis Corbière during 2022 legislative elections.
Money laundering
Paraguay's prosecution alleges Gianina García Troche, ex-partner of drug trafficker Sebastián Marset, concealed illicit drug profits through fake business entities and luxury purchases.
Fraud & scams
Main suspect in multi-billion-rupee housing fraud case arrested in UAE following Interpol-coordinated operation with support from UAE Ministry of Justice. Case involves alleged fraud of over Rs1.
Fraud & scams
Former Bolivian president Evo Morales faces multiple corruption investigations spanning his nearly 14-year tenure. The allegations center on abuse of political influence and mismanagement of state resources.
Fraud & scams
Colombia's 2026 presidential elections could increase risks of bribery and corruption in public contracting and campaign financing, according to NYCE.
Fraud & scams
Two young men were ordered to repay nearly Dh15,000 to a victim after an Al Ain court found they used a fake mobile phone recharge website to scam him.
Fraud & scams
Law enforcement in Buenos Aires dismantled a criminal organization operating fraudulent investment schemes. The investigation involved 10 raids across the capital and Buenos Aires Province, resulting in three arrests and 11 identified suspects from two families.
Fraud & scams
Leoncio Ccalloapaza Canaza, official at the Treasury Department of the National University of San Agustín (UNSA), misappropriated over 5.9 million soles during nearly a decade (2016-2025).
Money laundering
Police detained Leoncio Ramón Mareco, alleged leader of international structure dedicated to money laundering and drug trafficking to United States, arrested in central Asunción.
Fraud & scams
The PNF issued a search warrant on May 7, 2026, made public on May 19. The investigation concerns former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, current mayor of Le Havre and declared candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's Criminal Court sentenced a Kuwaiti woman accused of leading a network, alongside three Egyptian nationals and a stateless resident, to five years in prison with hard labour after convicting them of selling fictitious chalets in a major real estate fraud case.
Money laundering
A Georgian citizen was sentenced to 37 months in prison for laundering more than $1.1 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds to his co-conspirators located abroad.
Fraud & scams
Ecuadorian courts ordered preventive detention for former Energy Minister Antonio Goncalves in investigation into alleged misappropriation of public funds. Involves electricity generation contracts signed during President Daniel Noboa's administration amid energy crisis.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw is investigating suspected subsidy fraud, corruption and abuse of office linked to the award of EU funding under the 'Fast Track – Digital Innovation' competition financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
Fraud & scams
DOJ announced criminal charges against 15 defendants, including owners of child care centers and various Medicaid providers, for their alleged participation in various fraud schemes involving over $90 million in intended loss, including the two largest Medicaid fraud cases ever charged in the District.
Fraud & scams
A Portuguese court of appeal found defendants had been wrongfully imprisoned in a major VAT fraud case involving €80 million defrauded from Portuguese tax authorities.
Money laundering
Three Florida men were sentenced to prison for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare and launder more than $2.2 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds. Between January 2022 and February 2023, fraudulent DME companies submitted approximately $6.
Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, was sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison after being convicted of wire fraud and bribery. More than $250 million in federal funds was stolen in the scheme, with only about $50 million recovered.
Fraud & scams
The National Police arrested eleven people for million-euro fraud against the Murcia Health Service (SMS), causing approximately €6.9 million in damages.
Fraud & scams
PNF opened investigation of former PM and 2027 presidential candidate Dominique de Villepin for receiving allegedly misappropriated public funds: two Napoleon statues worth €125,000 allegedly financed by African leader and Italian businessman, received 2002-2004 while Foreign Minister; artworks returned May 2026.
Ziyue Zhao (aka Chris Zhao) has a sentencing hearing scheduled for June 23, 2026, after pleading guilty in a $65 million fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly victims across the United States.
Fraud & scams
Former Hadera mayor Tzvi Gendelman case concluded with plea arrangement dramatically reducing charges. Initial investigation suggested serious misconduct including bribery and fraud.
Fraud & scams
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.
Money laundering
Dominican Republic's Prosecution presented on May 19, 2026, before the courts Jefry Leonardo Cepeda Núñez, alleged leader of a criminal network accused of defrauding over RD$200 million (approximately USD 3,360,000) from a financial entity.
Fraud & scams
On May 19, 2026, the National Financial Prosecutor (PNF) announced a judge will investigate Le Havre mayor Édouard Philippe for alleged misappropriation of public funds, favoritism, illegal conflict of interest, and malfeasance.
Money laundering
Alex Nain Saab Moran, 55, Venezuela's former Minister of Industry and National Production, charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Fraud & scams
Trump administration moved to dismiss criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in case where he was accused of bribing Indian officials for as much as $265m to secure contracts and lying to U.S. investors for solar energy project.
Fraud & scams
Interpol Operation Rameses (October 2025 - February 2026) dismantled cybercrime infrastructure across 13 Arab countries including Gulf states. Police identified approximately 3,867 victims and arrested 201 suspects, with 382 additional individuals identified as connected to cyber fraud.
Money laundering
Antalya Manavgat Municipality Mayor Niyazi Nefi Kara sentenced to 46 years 10 months 15 days in prison and 2.5 million lira administrative fine for organizing crime syndicate, bribery, extortion, embezzlement, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
INTERPOL's Operation Ramz, running from October 2025 to February 28, 2026, led to the arrest of 201 individuals, with a further 382 suspects identified, across thirteen countries in the Middle East and North Africa including UAE, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar.
Fraud & scams
Olena Oblamska (aka Lola Ferrari), a Ukrainian national accused of being one of four founders of cryptocurrency platform Forsage, was extradited from Thailand to face charges in a $340 million global cryptocurrency fraud scheme.
Money laundering
FCA imposed permanent ban on Kasim Garipoglu from UK financial services following investigation revealing sustained pattern of fraud, document forgery, and AML compliance failures spanning approximately a decade.
Fraud & scams
DOJ National Fraud Enforcement Division announced second consecutive week (after May 8) of $1B+ fraud enforcement actions.
Fraud & scams
Former minister Caroline Cayeux was sentenced on 1 April 2026 by the Paris court to 10 months imprisonment with suspension, 100,000 euros fine and 2 years ineligibility following a guilty plea procedure (CRPC). According to the judgment, the former minister had undervalued her personal assets by 11.
Fraud & scams
François Bernardini, mayor of Istres (Left), and several collaborators will appear before the Paris criminal court from 1 to 22 June 2026 for misappropriation of public funds, favoritism and unlawful assumption of interests.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani agreed to pay a $6 million penalty, while his nephew Sagar Adani agreed to pay $12 million, totaling $18 million to settle civil fraud allegations with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Money laundering
The Bahraini High Criminal Court convicted two defendants to seven years in prison and fined each 10,000 dinars for money laundering proceeds from an electronic fraud crime.
Money laundering
A law enforcement operation coordinated by the Adana Chief Prosecutor's Office targeted an illegal gambling, money laundering, bribery, and fraud network spanning 21 provinces.
Fraud & scams
Federal jury in Southern District of Florida convicted Brett Blackman, 42, of Kansas, founder/owner of HealthSplash for operating DMERx platform that generated false doctors' orders and prescriptions to defraud Medicare and federal healthcare programs of $1B+ for unnecessary durable medical equipment.
Money laundering
The Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) examined accounts belonging to detained television commentator Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı as part of an illegal gambling operation investigation.
Money laundering
State Attorney's Office filed indictment against Elazar Vigdorowitz, 34, former 'operations officer' of Gur Hasidic sect, for elaborate real estate fraud scheme. Charges include fraud under aggravated circumstances, document forgery, use of forged documents, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Warning of seasonal fraud operations where fraudsters actively promote attractive offers via social media at low prices and 'guaranteed' packages, aimed at luring victims into transferring funds in advance before disappearing without providing actual services.
Fraud & scams
A couple from New Jersey was indicted for operating a real estate investment scam structured as a Ponzi scheme. According to prosecutors, the defendants defrauded investors by promising high returns on real estate property development while using funds from newer investors to pay earlier investors.
Fraud & scams
Perfectus Aluminum Inc., Perfectus Aluminum Acquisitions LLC, and four affiliated warehousing companies agreed to pay $549.5 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly evaded antidumping and countervailing duties on aluminum extrusions imported from China between July 2011 and June 2014.
Money laundering
Coordinated operation by authorities in 9 countries (Germany, US, Canada, Singapore, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, UK) resulted in 18 arrests and searches at 60 locations. Networks defrauded 4.3 million cardholders across 193 countries of at least €300M (2016-2021).
Fraud & scams
Sophia Chikirou, deputy of La France Insoumise and candidate for Paris mayor, was tried from May 12, 2026 for fraud in an affair dating to July 2018 concerning the news site Le Média.
Fraud & scams
The National File of Accounts Flagged for Fraud Risk (FNC-RF) became operational on May 7, 2026, managed by the Banque de France.
Money laundering
Dubai Police Anti-Fraud Center warned of part-time job scam where victims are lured through social media with easy work offers, then their bank accounts are exploited to launder money from fraud operations.
Fraud & scams
On May 11, 2026, French Parliament definitively adopted legislation to combat social and fiscal fraud (244-99 vote in Senate). The government estimates the law could recover up to €1.5 billion annually.
The Civil Guard detained 11 people in May on suspected charges of continued fraud, money laundering and membership in a criminal organization in an operation against a network dedicated to fraud through false financial investments.
Money laundering
OCCRP investigation revealed Worldclear, tiny New Zealand payment firm, transferred hundreds of millions for high-risk clients including wire fraud fugitives, tax fraud convicts, and Belarusian oligarch.
Fraud & scams
A Kuwaiti criminal court convicted seven defendants—including Kuwaiti nationals and two Americans—of embezzling state investment funds from the Public Institution for Social Security and Kuwait Ports Authority.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain Grand Criminal Court sentenced an Asian national to 5 years imprisonment, BHD 3,000 fine, and permanent deportation for electronic fraud. The defendant impersonated a bank employee, obtained a victim's bank card details by phone under false pretenses, and stole funds from her account.
Fraud & scams
Former Minister Caroline Cayeux was convicted on 1 April 2026 to ten months suspended imprisonment and €100,000 fine for tax fraud. She had undervalued her assets by approximately €11.7 million in her declarations, including a house in Brittany and a Paris apartment.
Fraud & scams
Three individuals connected to the Gur Hasidic community, including an attorney, allegedly conspired to sell a protected heritage building on Idelson Street in Tel Aviv for 9 million shekels to two buyers using forged documents and false representations regarding ownership.
Fraud & scams
On May 9, 2026, Nice prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation targeting former mayor Christian Estrosi and his wife Laura Tenoudji (France 2 host) for receiving misappropriated public funds.
Fraud & scams
A Dubai civil court ordered two women convicted in a fake online trading scam to pay Dh700,000 in compensation to a man who lost his savings after being lured into investing through a bogus global markets platform.
Fraud & scams
Two US tax advisers, Matthew S. and Jerôme L., were sentenced in Belgium to two years in prison and ordered to pay €13.3 million in damages in the CumEx scandal.
Money laundering
US indictment filed against 30 defendants including lawyers, financiers from Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, Hollywood and Sunny Isles (Florida) in massive insider trading network involving tens of millions of dollars.
Fraud & scams
A Kuwaiti fugitive convicted in a public funds embezzlement and forgery case was arrested in Dubai following a joint security operation coordinated between Kuwait and the UAE. The individual was sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison with hard labour.
Money laundering
The Paris criminal court convicted former UDI Senator Aymeri de Montesquiou on May 7, 2026 for aggravated tax fraud and money laundering.
Money laundering
Richard Faithfull (36), who was originally convicted in 2021 and sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison for laundering £2.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) opened an investigation for suspected fraud of EU funds involving France's Rassemblement National party.
Fraud & scams
On 7 May 2026, the European Public Prosecutor confirmed the opening of a judicial investigation targeting Jordan Bardella and the National Rally for alleged fraud related to media training financed by European funds. The Anticorruption association (AC!!)
FATF and APG published mutual evaluation report (based on July 2025 on-site visit) affirming Singapore has robust, effective AML/CFT/CPF framework. Singapore placed on Regular Follow-up status (for members performing well), improved from 2016 assessment.
Fraud & scams
Arab national created fraudulent bank called 'Jami Bank' and defrauded 3 Asian victims of total $1.5 million (5.5 million dirhams). Dubai Court of Appeal upheld 3-month prison sentence plus fine of 5.509 million dirhams. Civil court ordered full compensation to victims with 5% interest.
Money laundering
Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek appeared before a judge regarding allegations in a bribery and corruption investigation.
Fraud & scams
Crime and Policing Act 2026 received Royal Assent April 29, takes effect June 29, 2026. Expands corporate criminal liability beyond economic crimes to ALL criminal offences committed by 'senior managers' acting within actual/apparent scope of authority.
Canada introduced Bill C-29 on April 27, 2026 to establish Canada's first-ever federal law enforcement agency dedicated to investigating sophisticated financial crimes (fraud, money laundering) and recovering illicit proceeds. Funding: C$352.7M over 5 years (starting 2026-27), C$82.
Fraud & scams
Paris judge granted Nicolas Sarkozy conditional release on May 5, 2026 (effective May 7) in Bygmalion affair involving illegal financing of 2012 presidential campaign, for which he was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment including 6 months firm.
The SEC charged 21 individuals for their alleged involvement in a decade-long insider trading scheme that used information misappropriated from multiple global law firms and resulted in millions of dollars in illicit profits.
EPPO detained two more suspects (high-ranking public officials) in an investigation into procurement fraud and corruption linked to tram infrastructure modernization funded by the EU (€448.3 million designated between 2007-2027).
Fraud & scams
President Claudia Sheinbaum requested National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) director Arturo Reyes Sandoval publicly clarify investigations into alleged embezzlement and financial mismanagement at institution.
Fraud & scams
Reyad Salahaldeen, 57, of Buford, Georgia sentenced to 151 months; Mohamad Mustafa, 28, of Duluth, Georgia sentenced to 36 months for scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, private insurers by submitting $522M+ in fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary genetic tests obtained through illegal kickbacks/bribes.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Arabia's Nazaha detained 97 government employees after conducting 3,041 inspection rounds in April 2026, investigating 259 individuals.
Fraud & scams
Dubai's Misdemeanor Court convicted two individuals of Asian nationality for possession and concealment of unlawfully obtained property.
Fraud & scams
UK Serious Fraud Office secured £10M penalty plus £4.8M investigation costs from Ultra Electronics Holdings Ltd via Deferred Prosecution Agreement for failure to prevent bribery under section 7 of Bribery Act 2010.
On May 1, 2026, the UK Serious Fraud Office announced that a UK court had approved a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with Ultra Electronics Holdings Limited, resolving an eight-year investigation into alleged overseas bribery.
Cairo felony court heard a major fraud case involving misappropriation of approximately EGP 3.72 billion from Qatari businessperson Muhammad bin Suhaim Hamad Abdullah Al Thani.
Money laundering
Two former U.S. Postal Service mail carriers, a former bank manager, and a convicted felon were indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. The scheme involved stealing a $4.9 million U.S. Treasury check from the mail.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police Operation 'Tri-Force Sentinel' dismantled international fraud network in cooperation with FBI and Chinese Police. Arrested 276 individuals (mostly Southeast Asian) operating 9 fraud centers engaged in High-Yield Investment Scams (HYIS) and cryptocurrency fraud.
Fraud & scams
On April 14, 2026, Gérard Lhéritier, founder of Aristophil, admitted guilt through a guilty plea agreement with the Paris prosecutor's office, obtaining a reduced sentence of two years with electronic monitoring instead of the original five-year prison sentence handed down in December 2025.
Fraud & scams
Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, known as 'pig butchering' scams.
Money laundering
Dubai Police, in coordination with FBI and Chinese Ministry of Public Security under UAE Ministry of Interior, dismantled nine scam centers and arrested 276 individuals involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes including 'pig butchering' scams, high-yield investment fraud, and virtual currency fraud.
Fraud & scams
Dubai police announced a coordinated global operation in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Chinese Police, leading to the arrest of 276 members, primarily from Southeast Asia.
An investigation by Proekt alleges that billionaires Roman Abramovich and Viktor Kharitonin may be connected to A7, a payment platform established in 2024 to facilitate cross-border money transfers circumventing Western sanctions.
Fraud & scams
The coordinated campaign, called Tri-Force Sentinel, delivered a decisive strike against three criminal syndicates and dismantled nine fraud centres behind high-yield investment scams, pig butchering schemes and virtual currency fraud. Most of the suspects were citizens of Southeast Asian countries.
A head of a municipal council in northern Israel was arrested on suspicion of bribery offenses. Along with him, four more suspects were arrested and five other suspects were detained for questioning, including municipal employees in northern authorities and contractors.
Money laundering
Accountant from northern Israel arrested on suspicion of money laundering and tax violations in joint investigation by Lahav 433 northern Israel economic crime unit and Tax Authority.
Hun To, cousin of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, owned 30% of Huione Pay, which the US Treasury designated a 'primary money-laundering concern' in 2025.
Money laundering
PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered immediate legal action against Rs120 billion solar panel over-invoicing money laundering scheme running 2017-2022. Solar panels worth Rs120 billion imported at inflated prices, sold locally for Rs85 billion through fictitious transactions.
Fraud & scams
Justice Department announced unprecedented federal and state cooperation in Ohio, including federal and state charges against 9 defendants for their alleged participation in over $42 million in fraud.
Fraud & scams
Minister Miki Zohar under investigation by Lahav 433 for personal corruption offenses including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
Money laundering
DOJ announced coordinated enforcement actions including criminal charges against two Chinese nationals managing a fraud compound in Burma, seizure of over 500 fraudulent investment websites, and restraint of more than $700 million in cryptocurrency tied to money laundering from scams targeting Americans.
Fraud & scams
James Andrew Wellesley, British national, sentenced to 10 years in prison for role in Ponzi-like scheme that defrauded investors of nearly $100 million.
OFAC designated Cambodian senator Kok An and 28 individuals and entities in his network for controlling scam compounds throughout Cambodia used for digital asset investment fraud targeting Americans.
Money laundering
Montgomery, Alabama grand jury indicted the SPLC on 11 counts alleging the organization diverted over $3 million in donor funds (2014-2023) to individuals associated with violent extremist groups including KKK, Aryan Nations, National Socialist Movement, and American Nazi Party through fictitious…
Money laundering
Turkish law enforcement detained 21 suspects in connection with an investigation into the Manavgat Municipality in Antalya province during August 2026.
James Andrew Wellesley, a UK citizen, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $1 million in forfeiture for wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme to defraud over 140 victims around the world of over $97 million.
Russian businessman Denis Katsyv, suspected in money laundering from the Magnitsky case, withdrew approximately 6 million Swiss francs from Switzerland to his accounts abroad. Switzerland had blocked the assets for ten years as part of the tax fraud investigation uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky.
Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar (Likud) was interrogated at Lahav 433 for approximately 12 hours on suspicion of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in the Histadrut affair. According to police sources, insurance agent Ezra Gabai allegedly provided bribes to Zohar within his Likud role.
Fraud & scams
Investigators from the National Financial Prosecutor's Office raided Engie (formerly GDF Suez) on 16 April 2026 as part of a judicial investigation targeting Rachida Dati, former minister of culture.
Fraud & scams
A former company executive convicted of embezzling 19.2 million dirhams from company funds between 2010-2018, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and deportation, transferred ownership of a luxury apartment and residential land to his minor daughter in November 2019 to conceal assets from creditors.
Fraud & scams
Akinade Adedeji Raheem, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Abayomi Quadri Eletu, 42, of UK and Nigeria, charged with conspiracy to claim fraudulent tax refunds using stolen identities of accountants and taxpayers.
Fraud & scams
Rafael Zaga Tawil was arrested in Florida, sought by Mexican authorities for an approximately 5.088 billion peso fraud scheme involving Infonavit.
The U.S. Department of Justice opened a claims process for victims of the $4 billion OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud scheme, with a $40 million fund of seized assets available for compensation. Victims must submit petition forms through the remission administrator by June 30, 2026.
Fraud & scams
An amendment was voted on 1 April 2026 proposing the elimination of CJIP provisions for integrity-corruption and tax fraud cases, as well as environmental CJIPs, which sparked significant debate on the future of this mechanism in French law.
Money laundering
Israeli police and tax authorities arrested a Tax Authority employee and insurance agent suspected of orchestrating a scheme to unlawfully withdraw pension funds while evading taxes.
Money laundering
Police investigators and Israel Tax Authority arrested a Tax Authority employee and an insurance agent on suspicion of bribery, forgery, fraud and tax offenses related to illegal pension fund withdrawals.
Fraud & scams
DOJ announced the beginning of a remission compensation process to provide recovery for victims of the OneCoin international investment scheme. More than $40 million in forfeited assets are currently available for victim compensation.
Fraud & scams
Vincent J. Camarda, CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment adviser fraud involving at least $138 million from at least 431 investors, many elderly.
Money laundering
The Court of Cassation rendered a judgment on 25 March 2026 confirming that using sums derived from fraud to repay debts or pay current expenses constitutes money laundering by placement within the meaning of article 324-1 of the Penal Code.
IBM agreed to pay $17 million to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with antidiscrimination requirements in its federal contracts. This is the first settlement under DOJ's Civil Rights Fraud Initiative.
Fraud & scams
The General Administration for Anti-Corruption, Economic and Cyber Security in Bahrain urged citizens to report financial fraud via a government application. Electronic fraud cases numbered approximately 2,667 from 2023 to date, with 151 corruption cases referred to the Public Prosecution.
Fraud & scams
The French government announced on April 8, 2026 that fraud detection and correction efforts surpassed €20 billion for the first time in 2025: €17.1 billion in fiscal rights and penalties notified, and €3 billion detected in the social domain.
The SEC highlighted additional recent fraud cases, including an ATM-related fraudulent scheme involving $770 million from approximately 2,700 investors and a Ponzi scheme in which approximately 300 investors were defrauded of at least $140 million.
Fraud & scams
AB, a blockchain network partnered with Trump family's World Liberty Financial, promoted a cryptocurrency resort in Timor-Leste involving three individuals later sanctioned by the U.S.
Fraud & scams
Spanish National Court judge attributed alleged €88 million tax fraud to Álvaro Romillo, businessman who provided €100,000 to MEP Luis 'Alvise' Pérez. Romillo faces charge alongside criminal allegations as suspected ringleader of cryptocurrency investment scam through Madeira Invest Club platform.
The First High Criminal Court of Appeals in Bahrain upheld sentences of five years in prison for the first defendant and eight years for the second defendant, along with fines of BHD 100,000 each, in a cyber fraud and money laundering case.
Vincent J. Camarda, Long Island investment adviser and CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment adviser fraud for defrauding 430+ investors (many elderly) of $138-160 million.
DOJ and SEC announced parallel enforcement actions against Vincent J. Camarda, CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, for allegedly defrauding at least 430 investors—many elderly and financially unsophisticated—of at least $138 million.
Fraud & scams
The preliminary investigation targeting French IT services giant Atos (63,000 employees), initially opened two years ago for private corruption, was recently expanded to potential misappropriation of corporate assets, as confirmed by the National Financial Prosecutor (PNF) on 23 March.
Greek police arrested 22 members of a criminal organization in operations across Attica and Crete, with another 116 people under investigation for systematic fraud involving EU agricultural subsidies. Damage to EU and Greek State from 2019-2024 estimated at approximately €2.7 million.
Federal grand juries indicted ten executives and employees of four cryptocurrency financial services firms (Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian) for orchestrating fraud schemes to artificially inflate trading volume and price of cryptocurrencies through 'wash trading.'
Fraud & scams
Prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcántara was detained on March 27, 2026 when he allegedly received USD $10,000 from a person under investigation, in a judicially authorized operation.
Money laundering
French-language rapper GIMS formally charged March 27, 2026 with aggravated money laundering following arrest March 25, 2026 upon arrival at Paris airport.
Money laundering
Seven people were placed under investigation on 26 March 2026 in a health insurance fraud case involving an estimated amount of €58 million, according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau. The charges include organized fraud, organized money laundering and participation in a criminal association.
Fraud & scams
Eleven people on trial from March 26, 2026 at Paris criminal court for belonging to network of fake bank advisors that stole nearly €740,000 from approximately 100 victims.
Fraud & scams
Haifa Peace Court sentenced former attorney Shakib Abu Ruqun to 6 years actual imprisonment after conviction through plea agreement for long series of fraud, forgery, and tax offenses spanning 16 years. One of extensive real estate fraud cases exposed by Israel Police and Tax Authority.
Fraud & scams
Guatemala Health Ministry unveiled internal audit revealing systematic corruption in pharmaceutical registration. A pharmaceutical chemist and technical director led a fraud network with family assistance.
On March 10, 2026, Luc Pastorel, CEO of SOS Oxygène group, was sentenced by the Paris court to twenty months suspended prison sentence and a €1.5 million fine for organized tax fraud.
Money laundering
Market Financial Solutions (MFS), a London-based bridging finance lender, entered administration in February 2026 amid allegations of serious misconduct, with creditors facing an estimated shortfall of over £1.3 billion.
Fraud & scams
The former Chief Executive Officer of Nodus International Bank pleaded guilty for leading a scheme to fraudulently obtain at least $24.9 million from Nodus Bank and conspiring to evade U.S. sanctions against Venezuela. The scheme involved efforts to evade U.S.
Fraud & scams
Five individuals pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing $14.6 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds during COVID-19. The group operated fraudulent food program sites in Minneapolis, filing false meal claims and receiving kickbacks.
Money laundering
The Singapore Police and Monetary Authority of Singapore conducted joint enforcement operations against Capital Asia Investments Pte Ltd and its directors for suspected money laundering and regulatory violations. The Police seized more than S$160 million of assets, with two directors arrested.
Fraud & scams
A judicial settlement agreement of public interest (CJIP) was concluded on January 6, 2026 between the National Financial Prosecutor's Office and HSBC Bank plc, validated by the Paris judicial court president on January 8, 2026.
Money laundering
Polish authorities detained five court officials in a widening investigation into a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scheme at the Kraków Court of Appeal.
Money laundering
The former treasurer of Kiabi has been released from custody while a second person has been placed under formal investigation in a large-scale fraud case affecting the retailer, according to Boursorama.
Fraud & scams
INTERPOL released 2026 Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment and launched Operation Shadow Storm, UK-funded international task force to dismantle scam centers. Report warns AI-enhanced fraud is 4.
World Bank imposed debarment with conditional release on Aktif Elektroteknik San ve Tic A.S. for minimum of one year and three months following findings of corrupt and fraudulent practices in Iraq.
OFAC designated six individuals and two entities for facilitating North Korean IT worker fraud schemes that generated nearly $800 million in 2024 to fund DPRK weapons programs. Network includes Amnokgang Technology Development Company and facilitators in Vietnam, Laos, Spain.
Fraud & scams
On 10 March 2026, Luc Pastorel, director general of the SOS Oxygène group (€578.3 million revenue in 2025), was sentenced by the Paris criminal court to 20 months' suspended prison and a fine of €1.5 million for organized tax fraud.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Court of First Instance ordered Asian national defendant to repay Dh1.291 million to victim, jointly with fugitive accomplices, following conviction for cryptocurrency fraud.
Fraud & scams
Dubai civil court ordered an Asian national to repay AED 1,291,000 to another individual, representing the value of virtual cryptocurrency fraudulently obtained. The defendant orchestrated an elaborate scheme, sending associates to pose as representatives in a cryptocurrency purchase transaction.
In March 2026, a grand jury returned a federal indictment charging Jason Morales (44, Chagrin Falls, Ohio) with six counts of bank fraud. Morales created fictitious and fraudulent paystubs and other employment documents to ensure unqualified borrowers were approved for mortgage loans.
Turkish state-owned Halkbank reached DPA with DOJ to resolve criminal case alleging fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions through money servicers and front companies in Iran, Turkey, and UAE.
Money laundering
U.S. DOJ and Halkbank reached deferred prosecution agreement on March 9, 2026. Bank faced allegations of covertly transferring ~$20 billion in restricted Iranian funds, converting oil revenues into gold and cash to help Iran circumvent U.S. sanctions.
Fraud & scams
Department of Justice filed civil forfeiture complaints against $15.
FinCEN imposed $80 million civil money penalty against Canaccord Genuity LLC for willful BSA violations during March 2018-June 2024. Largest penalty ever imposed against a broker-dealer for BSA violations. Combined with SEC ($20M) and FINRA ($20M) penalties totaling $120M.
The SEC reached a settlement with Tron and founder Justin Sun, with Rainberry Inc. paying a $10 million fine for violations of federal securities laws through the sale and airdropping of Tron (TRX) and BitTorrent (BTT) tokens.
Money laundering
A federal judge in Orlando ordered the freezing of assets owned by Christopher Alexander Delgado, who is accused of operating a $328 million Ponzi scheme and is charged with wire fraud and money laundering.
Money laundering
On March 4, 2026, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reported that the UK Financial Conduct Authority distributed £124 million in fines during the past year, representing a dramatic 78% reduction compared to five years prior when penalties reached £567.8 million.
Fraud & scams
Supreme Court rejected former Manufacturers Association President Sharga Baruch's appeal; sentenced to 12 months imprisonment beginning April 15, 2026 at Nietzana Prison. Convicted of tax evasion, fraud under aggravating circumstances, and document forgery.
Fraud & scams
Daniel Vorcaro, 42-year-old businessman and principal shareholder of Banco Master, was arrested for allegedly orchestrating fraudulent credit titles through the bank and maintaining a network of regulatory collaborators to evade oversight.
Money laundering
In March 2026, a former Eramet executive and three accomplices were convicted under a CRPC (guilty plea procedure) for fraud, corruption, forgery and money laundering.
Money laundering
A former internal audit department manager at a company embezzled over 8.5 million dirhams over 10 years by purchasing phone charging cards and using their balances in 24,988 electronic purchases through two applications belonging to a company he established outside the country.
Money laundering
The Public Prosecution referred a former manager at a company to trial for charges of embezzling 8.5 million dirhams and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office is handling more than 500 fraud investigations related to the EU's pandemic recovery fund, with estimated damages totaling €5 billion.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police's anti-fraud center issued a warning against fraudulent schemes targeting those seeking to rent residential apartments through posting fake rental advertisements on social media at attractive prices below market rates.
A major MENA cybercrime operation (Operation Ramz) led to the arrest of 201 individuals, with a further 382 suspects identified. Investigators also identified 3,867 victims, seized 53 servers, and shared nearly 8,000 pieces of actionable intelligence between participating countries.
Fraud & scams
On 17 September 2026, the European Public Prosecutor's Office announced that the Milan General Court in Italy convicted six individuals following an investigation codenamed 'Operation Moby Dick' into a transnational VAT carousel fraud scheme estimated at €520 million.
Money laundering
Indictments filed at Nof HaGalil District Court in what law enforcement defined as one of most complex, extensive organized crime investigations in Israel, involving major crime organizations in Arab society and Nazareth municipality.
Money laundering
Christopher Alexander Delgado, 34, Apopka, Florida, charged with operating Goliath Ventures (formerly Gen-Z Venture Firm) cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme (January 2023-January 2026).
Fraud & scams
Thomas Goldstein, a prominent appellate attorney, was convicted of tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, willful failure to timely pay taxes and making false statements to mortgage lenders.
Fraud & scams
Abu Dhabi labor court found a former public relations manager guilty of embezzling company funds and ordered him to repay Dh290,383.66.
Fraud & scams
Justin Ryan Schmidt, a Cayman national who renounced his U.S. citizenship, was charged with tax evasion, filing false returns and willfully failing to file tax forms disclosing foreign assets.
Money laundering
Daren Li, a Chinese and Saint Kitts and Nevis national, is on the run from a 20-year US prison sentence for his role in a Cambodia-based cryptocurrency scam operation.
Fraud & scams
Bellingcat found evidence of new registry offering flag registration in Nicaragua with links to maritime fraud schemes. Found certificate issued as recently as February 2 for sanctioned tanker Al Jafzia.
Fraud & scams
Five individuals were charged in February 2026 for their alleged involvement in a scheme to obtain millions of dollars of mortgage loans and dozens of luxury apartment leases by submitting fraudulent applications and forged financial records.
Money laundering
Pennsylvania federal jury convicted Charles Hunter Hobson, former Corsa Coal VP, of FCPA violations, money laundering, and wire fraud conspiracy after five hours of deliberation.
Money laundering
New York-based banker Renat Abramov pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to launder more than $8 million in fraudulently obtained Medicare reimbursements.
Fraud & scams
INTERPOL-coordinated Operation Red Card 2.0 (December 8, 2025 - January 30, 2026) led law enforcement from 16 African countries to arrest 651 individuals and recover more than USD $4.3 million.
Fraud & scams
French authorities convicted organizers in fraud case involving Neuchâtel-based Fondation Elysium used to conceal €65 million from French tax authorities. In France, fraudsters have paid and trial of organizers concluded with convictions.
Fraud & scams
World Bank announced 15-month debarment of Ecuador-based Consultoria Técnica Cia. Ltda. CONTEC in connection with fraudulent practices under the Guayaquil Wastewater Management Project.
Fraud & scams
Former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon faces indictment for securities law violations. Kahlon served as Yonet Credit board chairman June 2021 to June 2022. Accused of obstructing investor disclosure regarding embezzlement and financial irregularities (5 million shekels) discovered at Nazareth branch.
Money laundering
French authorities conducted searches at the Institut du Monde Arabe on February 16, 2026, as the PNF launched a preliminary investigation for 'aggravated tax fraud laundering' targeting Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline.
Fraud & scams
Three Asian men received six-month prison sentences after police traced an online trail to their hacking operation using a rogue parallel mobile network with jammers and specialist equipment to block legitimate frequencies and deliver bogus SMS messages.
Money laundering
French authorities detained nine individuals in connection with an alleged decade-long fraud operation at the Louvre Museum resulting in estimated losses exceeding €10 million ($11.8 million).
On February 11, 2026, the president of the Paris judicial court Stéphane Noël validated the CJIP concluded between the financial prosecutor and Paprec Group.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain Economic Crimes Department arrested Arab national (41 years) for electronic fraud targeting multiple victims through bank accounts receiving money via fraudulent methods. Part of ongoing anti-fraud enforcement.
On February 9, 2026, gendarmes in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur dismantled a social fraud and money laundering network following a routine traffic stop. Damages to tax services, URSSAF (social security), and CAF (family allowances) estimated at nearly €1.8 million.
Money laundering
Daren Li, 42 (dual national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis), sentenced in absentia to 20 years for conspiracy to launder $73.6 million obtained through cryptocurrency scams. Operations run from scam centers in Cambodia. Li laundered $59.8 million through U.S. shell companies.
Fraud & scams
The Peruvian Public Ministry is investigating representatives from eight companies accused of operating an illegal mining operation.
Fraud & scams
Expected indictment against Acre Mayor Amihai Ben Shlush for election bribery offenses. Investigators from National Fraud Investigation Unit believe sufficient evidentiary basis exists for indictment against Ben Shlush, deputy Itamar Sonino, and several vote contractors.
Fraud & scams
The Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) referred supervisory officials and another employee at the Public Authority for Disability Affairs to the Public Prosecution on suspicion of committing the crimes of embezzlement and facilitating the embezzlement of public funds, in conjunction with suspected forgery of official documents.
On February 5, 2026, the United States Attorney's Office obtained a 15-count federal indictment on charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Fraud & scams
A massive social security fraud scheme resulted in approximately €9 million in unpaid social contributions, affecting over 2,000 potential victims.
Fraud & scams
Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam and senior municipal officials were detained by Lahav 433 for investigation on suspicion of embezzling millions of shekels in wartime donations.
Money laundering
Kuwait's Interior Ministry arrested 9 individuals of Arab nationalities as part of an international gang that laundered over 100 million Kuwaiti dinars (approximately 327 million dollars) since the establishment of shell companies in 2023.
Fraud & scams
Gokcha Goben, founder and CEO of fintech startup Caladar and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, was indicted in the U.S. on securities fraud, wire fraud and identity theft charges.
Money laundering
Kuwait's Ministry of Interior dismantled an international criminal operation involved in cyberfraud, bank forgery and hawala smuggling. Nine individuals including a Jordanian ringleader were arrested.
Tracfin published on 3 February 2026 the first issue of 'FOCUS TRACFIN' dedicated to money laundering in the art sector. In 2024, Tracfin received 1,109 suspicious transaction reports related to the art market, representing a 35% increase compared to 2023.
Money laundering
The Paris Court of Appeal confirmed the six-month suspension of a young lawyer from the Paris bar, aged 29, specializing in immigration law, for defrauding approximately 100 clients, mainly persons in irregular situation.
Money laundering
Kuwait's Interior Minister oversaw the arrest of an organized international criminal group of Arab nationalities suspected of involvement in electronic fraud, money laundering, bank forgery, and unauthorized money transfers.
Money laundering
Renat Abramov, 36, Bank of America relationship manager in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering for participating in scheme to launder $8+ million in fraudulently obtained Medicare reimbursements.
Money laundering
Two tax inspectors are being prosecuted by the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office for passive corruption, money laundering, and complicity in organized fraud. The officials allegedly accepted covert payments in exchange for providing advice to taxpayers during tax audits, according to prosecutors.
Fraud & scams
Police from the National Fraud Investigation Unit (Lahav 433) conducted raids on the homes and offices of Ashkelon mayor Tomer Glam, senior officials, and local businesspeople following months of covert investigation.
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Fraud & scams
A trial opened on 18 May 2026 at the Fort-de-France criminal court concerning embezzlement of public funds at the Martinique Regional Collectivity (CTM). The damage amounts to €3,204,489 according to the CTM.
Fraud & scams
National Fraud Investigation Unit detained a mayor of a major southern city along with other municipal officials on suspicion of serious corruption offenses involving alleged misappropriation of millions through a community fund. While the municipality officially approved using 17.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Arabia's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) made sweeping arrests of public sector employees involved in fraud cases totaling more than SR10 million ($2.6 million).
Money laundering
The Kuwaiti Public Prosecution opened investigations into hundreds of agricultural holdings granted between 2017-2020 on suspicion of corruption and abuse of office.
Fraud & scams
OFAC designated UK-registered cryptocurrency exchanges Zedcex Exchange Ltd and Zedxion Exchange Ltd for facilitating nearly $1 billion in IRGC-related transactions, primarily through Tether (USDT) on the Tron network.
Money laundering
On February 18, 2026, a federal jury in Pennsylvania found Charles Hunter Hobson — a former U.S.-based coal company executive — guilty of violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other federal criminal laws.
Money laundering
German prosecutors seized approximately €35 million ($42 million) in assets as part of a money-laundering investigation targeting Riad Salameh, Lebanon's former central bank governor (1993-2023), and four others.
The SEC filed settled charges against Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) and its former executives for materially inflating the performance of a key business segment, Nutrition.
On 27 January 2026, gendarmes arrested seven people in Oise, Var and Bouches-du-Rhône as part of a social contribution fraud investigation. Following custodial interrogations, four people were placed under investigation, one of them in custody.
Fraud & scams
Bahadir Hatipoglu, 50, Lithuanian resident and Turkish national, owner of companies receiving NATO and U.S. military construction contracts, and Ralf Grywnow, 70, Polish resident and former NATO procurement official, indicted for alleged years-long bribery conspiracy.
Seng Hok Ling (47, Malaysian national), who pleaded guilty to money laundering offences at Southwark Crown Court and was sentenced on 11 November 2025 to four years and 11 months, was ordered on 22 January 2026 to pay back £5,603,305.81 or face an additional eight years in jail.
Money laundering
Bulgarian authorities investigated approximately €500 million in fraudulent transfers through Investbank (2017-2019) allegedly from Venezuelan state entities (PDVSA, Corpovex, Bandes) linked to Nicolás Maduro's regime. Only €46 million frozen; remaining €450 million redirected to offshore accounts.
Money laundering
On 15 January 2026, the Marseille criminal court sentenced Jean and Viviane Badache to 7 years in prison for organized fraud, forgery and aggravated money laundering. The Apollonia case affected approximately 750 victims with damages exceeding €1.2 billion between 2004 and 2016.
Fraud & scams
Serious Fraud Office announced investigation into past management of Home REIT, listed UK social housing company, with suspected offending valued at £300 million. Six individuals aged 40-80 arrested on suspicion of fraud and bribery offences.
Money laundering
The Federal Supreme Court overturned a judgment fining a suspect 250,000 dirhams in a money laundering and fraud case involving digital currencies and remanded the case to the Court of Appeals.
Money laundering
HSBC concluded a judicial interest convention (CJIP) with the National Financial Prosecutor for an amount of 267 million euros (115 million in restitutive component and 152 million in punitive component) for aggravated money laundering of tax fraud.
FinCEN announced investigations of four money services businesses in Minnesota and issued a Geographic Targeting Order effective from February 12, 2026, to August 10, 2026, as part of a crackdown on alleged fraud in Minnesota government benefits programs.
A CJIP was concluded on January 6, 2026 between the PNF and HSBC Bank Plc regarding intra-group dividend arbitrage operations (cum-cum scheme) involving HSBC's Paris branch between 2014-2019, which allowed the bank to benefit from withholding tax exemptions that could qualify as aggravated tax fraud.
Fraud & scams
Cheungkin Lam, a former TD Bank employee, pleaded guilty to defrauding customers and bribing an employee at another financial institution to falsify bank records, facilitating more than $3.4 million in fraud losses.
Money laundering
Indictments filed against 'Abu Latif' and 'Hariri' crime organizations in 2026. Charges against Nidal Abu Latif and ten other senior members include extortion with threats, conspiracy, and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Deputy Sophia Chikirou went on trial starting May 12, 2026 for fraud involving a €67,146 invoice to Le Média. She is suspected of attempting to deceive Crédit du Nord bank. The prosecutor requested €50,000 in fines (mostly suspended); verdict scheduled for June 8, 2026.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain's Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of two individuals in a fraud case related to fake travel and flight bookings. The ministry emphasized the importance of citizens and residents exercising caution when dealing with entities providing travel and tourism services.
Money laundering
Dubai Court of Cassation issued a final ruling in the high-profile money laundering case against businessman Balvinder Singh Sahni ('Abu Sabah') and 32 co-defendants.
Money laundering
On December 18, 2025, authorities conducted searches at the residences of Rachida Dati in Paris, as well as at the Paris 7th arrondissement city hall and the Culture Ministry.
Fraud & scams
An indictment was filed against Moti Aberjil and companies from the Ye'adim real estate group for raising tens of millions of shekels from hundreds of investors without a prospectus and through fraud.
Money laundering
Comunicaciones Celulares S.A., doing business as TIGO Guatemala, entered into a two-year deferred prosecution agreement and paid $118 million ($60 million fine and $58.2 million in forfeiture) to resolve charges of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA.
Fraud & scams
FCA fined Nationwide Building Society £44,078,500 for inadequate anti-financial crime systems and controls between October 2016 and July 2021. Nationwide had ineffective systems for due diligence and risk assessments for personal current account customers and for monitoring transactions.
Fraud & scams
Gérard Lhéritier, founder of asset manager Aristophil in Nancy, was sentenced on 11 December 2025 by Paris court to five years imprisonment for deceptive commercial practices and fraud. He had defrauded thousands of savers of over one billion euros through investment in ancient manuscripts.
Fraud & scams
Danielle Hillmer, 53, of Chantilly, Virginia, a former senior manager at a Virginia-based government contractor, was charged with major government fraud, wire fraud, and obstructing federal audits, according to the Justice Department.
Fraud & scams
Ravindra Nath Soni, the fugitive Indian-origin owner of Dubai-based BlueChip Group and the prime accused in one of the UAE's largest investment frauds, has been arrested in India in November 2025.
Fraud & scams
Businessman Gabi Magnezi will serve 22 months imprisonment and pay 22 million shekels to state treasury under plea deal. Pleaded guilty to fraud, tax offenses, and antitrust violations.
Fraud & scams
Belgian police detained former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on December 2, 2025, as part of an anti-fraud investigation.
Money laundering
The State Prosecutor's Office filed serious indictments against five defendants accused of systematically marketing public lands in the Sakhnin area belonging to the Israel Lands Authority.
State Prosecutor's Office filed indictments at Central District Court against nine defendants and six companies, plus additional indictment at Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, for tax offenses and money laundering totaling hundreds of millions of shekels.
A DIFC judge imposed a worldwide freeze on $456 million in assets tied to the alleged misappropriation of TrueUSD stablecoin reserves, with Justice Michael Black KC ordering injunctions against Dubai-based Aria Commodities DMCC.
Fraud & scams
Law enforcement filed an indictment against attorney Alon Goren and real estate broker Shlomo Dhari for systematic tax fraud involving agricultural land transactions in the Ashkelon area between 2013-2018.
Money laundering
Operation 'Hand Pressing Hand' - two-year covert investigation into alleged bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering. Police describe as 'one of largest public corruption cases.'
Fraud & scams
The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority disclosed details of 17 criminal cases it handled, noting the arrest of government employees (civilian and military), citizens and 3 residents. Cases included: an employee at the Ministry of Industry who received 1.
Money laundering
Chen Zhi, founder and chairman of Prince Holding Group, charged with wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy for directing forced-labor scam compounds across Cambodia engaged in 'pig butchering' cryptocurrency fraud.
Money laundering
Court of Cassation annulled €94 million of €461 million seized from luxury property owner Adrien Labi in 2023 tax fraud and money laundering investigation involving over €500 million unpaid taxes (wealth, corporate, capital gains); seizure technicality involved trust within life insurance policy.
Fraud & scams
Employees at Shlomo Insurance are suspected of perpetrating fraud by manipulating vehicle damage classifications and submitting falsified invoices.
Money laundering
Poland's Central Bureau of Investigation arrested 20 individuals in mid-September 2025 for smuggling approximately 600 luxury cars (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Lexus, Range Rover) to Russia and Belarus violating EU sanctions.
Fraud & scams
The Economic Prosecution filed an indictment against David Katz, who marketed real estate investments under the Beresheet group name, attorney Guy Avni who served as trustee for investor funds, and real estate agent Dekel Sela.
Four police officers from Unit Lahav 433 were detained on suspicion of operating an organized money laundering framework connected to the Musli crime family's operations. The allegations include bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and privacy law violations.
Fraud & scams
On 8 September 2025, the Paris judicial court approved a CJIP between the PNF and the Crédit Agricole subsidiary CACIB for 88.2 million euros (49 million in restitutive component and 39 million in punitive component).
Money laundering
Israel Securities Authority and police investigators raided Automax offices and homes of senior executives investigating suspected securities law violations in September 2025.
Money laundering
The investment banking branch of Crédit Agricole (Cacib) accepted to pay a fine of approximately €88 million to obtain abandonment of an investigation in the 'CumCum' tax fraud affair, at a hearing before the Paris court on September 8, 2025.
Fraud & scams
The General Authority for Anti-Corruption (Nazaha) announced the referral of officials and others in the General Authority for Sports, a sports federation and a sports club to the Public Prosecution on suspicion of committing crimes of facilitating embezzlement of public funds and causing damage to…
Money laundering
Dubai Court of First Instance convicted 18 individuals for embezzling Dh185 million from law firm using forged documents, fake emails, and counterfeit stationery. Four defendants sentenced to three years plus deportation; others received one-year terms and deportation.
Fraud & scams
Indictments filed against two Israel Tax Authority employees (Nazareth assessment office) for accepting bribes, fraud, breach of trust.
Police completed a four-year investigation into Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg, recommending indictment on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.
Money laundering
UAE Securities and Commodities Authority imposed a 5 million dirham fine on a licensed entity and referred it to Public Prosecution for violating anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing laws, and rules on unlicensed organizations.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police arrested four suspects operating online investment and trading scams promoted via social media. The gang falsely claimed to represent legitimate trading platforms, contacting victims through phone calls and social media advertisements.
Fraud & scams
The Attorney General and State Prosecutor ordered police to investigate Minister of Social Equality May Golan on suspicion of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and filing false statements.
Money laundering
DOJ charged Michael Shannon Sims and Juan Carlos Reynoso with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering for operating OmegaPro, a multi-level marketing scheme that defrauded victims of over $650 million through false promises of 300% returns via foreign exchange trading.
MAS imposed S$27.45M in composition penalties on 9 financial institutions (Credit Suisse, UBS, Citibank, Julius Baer, UOB, LGT Bank, UOB Kay Hian, Blue Ocean Invest, Trident Trust) for AML/CFT breaches related to August 2023 S$3B money laundering case (illicit assets from overseas scams/online…
Fraud & scams
The Justice Department announced its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals.
Fraud & scams
Scammers orchestrated a stock manipulation scheme involving Chinese company OST through social media, artificially inflating its price before selling at enormous profits.
Fraud & scams
The UAE Ministry of Interior issued a stern warning on June 29, 2025 against fraudulent trading platforms that lure unsuspecting individuals with promises of easy profit and additional income. One victim lost Dh42,000 after being promised daily profits through a fake trading platform.
Fraud & scams
Dubai Police detained a scammer over posting fraudulent rental property advertisements on websites and social media that offered apartments at attractive prices. The suspect targeted people seeking housing before disappearing with their deposits.
Fraud & scams
Coordinated operation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) dismantles tax fraud network in merchandise imports from China. Tax evasion exceeding €700 million in Europe, €56 million in Spain.
Fraud & scams
Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Court imposed fines worth Dh25.2 million against 21 people convicted in one of the emirate's largest residency visa fraud cases.
Money laundering
DOJ filed civil forfeiture complaint against more than $225.3 million in cryptocurrency, marking the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. Cryptocurrency connected to theft and laundering from victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes ('pig butchering' scams).
US prosecutors charged Russian citizen Yuri Gugnin with 22 counts including fraud and money laundering. His cryptocurrency company Evita allegedly served as front for laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for sanctioned Russian companies and facilitating evasion of export controls.
Fraud & scams
The General Authority for Anti-Corruption (Nazaha) announced the referral of supervisors and others in Kuwait Municipality to the Public Prosecution on suspicion of committing crimes of unintentional damage to public funds, facilitating embezzlement and forgery
Money laundering
Iurii Gugnin, 38, Russian citizen residing in New York, charged with using cryptocurrency company Evita to funnel over $530 million through U.S. banks while hiding transactions for sanctioned Russian banks (Sberbank, Sovcombank, VTB, Tinkoff, Alfa-Bank).
Money laundering
The UAE's Ministry of Economy and Dubai Police signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 8, 2025 to strengthen oversight of suspicious financial activities.
Fraud & scams
Trial opened May 6, 2026 at Paris criminal court for former Bio C'Bon executives Thierry Chouraqui and Jean-Bernard Brissaud, accused of fraudulent commercial practices for deceiving thousands of small investors by selling risky financial products ('Immo Capital Builder System' and 'Bio C'Bon builder') for estimated damages of approximately €400 million.
Fraud & scams
Gulf First Commercial Brokers operated from suites 302 and 305 at Capital Golden Tower in Business Bay, Dubai, where around 40 employees made cold calls to investors with forex offers until last month, but both offices now stand empty with phone wires ripped from walls and millions in investor funds gone.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three transnational criminal organizations for operating and materially supporting a Chinese-language illicit marketplace used by scam centers, money launderers, and other illicit actors to defraud Americans.
Money laundering
ADGM's Financial Services Regulatory Authority imposed total financial penalties of $12.46 million on Hayvn Group of Companies, AC Holding Limited, AC Limited, and former CEO Christopher Flinos for serious regulatory breaches.
Money laundering
Pascal N., 65 years old, resident and well-known entrepreneur of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer (Ille-et-Vilaine), is suspected of orchestrating a vast national Ponzi scheme that defrauded approximately 500 investors for a total amount of €106 million.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait and US governments reached a civil forfeiture settlement with California businessman Victor Franco Novas in case involving former deputy PM Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah. Kuwaiti authorities discovered in 2019 that 800 million dollars disappeared from the Defense Ministry.
Money laundering
MK David Bitan (Likud) and the prosecution agreed to criminal mediation in his bribery case, led by Judge Beni Shagya starting late April/early May 2025.
Fraud & scams
Marine Le Pen was tried in appeal from 13 January to 12 February 2026, alongside eleven former FN/RN executives, for misappropriation of public funds in the European parliamentary assistants case.
Money laundering
Four people were arrested and search warrants were executed in Hackney, Beckenham and Slough as part of a joint FCA and police investigation into fraud and money laundering.
Money laundering
Kuwaiti authorities expanded an investigation into a suspected fraud network that allegedly manipulated raffle draws. An Egyptian woman was arrested at Kuwait International Airport as she allegedly attempted to flee.
Fraud & scams
Acre Mayor Ben Shlush and deputy arrested on suspicion of election bribery (March 2025). Channel 12 'HaMavaker' investigation allegedly showed campaign headquarters paid thousands of residents cash bribes for votes.
Fraud & scams
Moshe Barak, former CFO of PlayTech PLC (London-listed online gambling company), was indicted in Tel Aviv District Court for concealing taxable income from exercised stock options worth approximately 4.5 million shekels.
EPPO in Sofia filed an indictment against the representative of a Bulgarian company for suspected fraud involving EU and national funds under two projects financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Money laundering
The president of the Paris judicial court approved a public interest judicial agreement (CJIP) between the National Financial Prosecutor's Office and Paprec.
Fraud & scams
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Aisman approved opening a criminal investigation against Minister Mai Golan following a media investigation that raised serious suspicions of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and filing a false affidavit.
Money laundering
Attorney Ronen Shachar, an external director at public company Bio Dvash, faces charges including money laundering, fraud, forgery and more, as part of an alleged sophisticated fraud scheme to take over real estate and bank accounts of isolated elderly people, either during their lives or after their deaths.
Money laundering
Dubai Public Prosecution referred defendants to Criminal Court facing charges of possessing illicit funds totaling Dh461 million ($125 million), plus forgery of official documents.
Danish court sentenced British hedge fund trader Sanjay Shah to 12 years in prison for defrauding Danish state of $1.3 billion through 'cum-ex' trading scheme between 2012-2015. Shah, who lived on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, was extradited from UAE in December 2023.
Fraud & scams
Saudi authorities arrested individual for SR492 million ($131 million) bank fraud scheme. Details of charges and methods pending prosecution.
Fraud & scams
Liu Zhou, 41, a Canadian citizen and Chinese national and founder of MyTrade, a cryptocurrency financial services firm, was sentenced by U.S.
Money laundering
Oman Fisheries Company marketing and sales manager convicted for money laundering and accepting bribes totaling $6,194 from foreign companies, sentenced to ten years in prison and fined RO50,000.
Fraud & scams
Saudi court sentenced two expatriates to 15 years each plus SR1.5 million total fines for 177 fraud crimes totaling SR22 million. Organized fraud operation with call centers targeting victims inside and outside Kingdom while impersonating government officials.
Money laundering
Danish bank Danske Bank concluded a judicial interest convention with the National Financial Prosecutor, agreeing to pay over €6 million for organized money laundering of tax fraud. The agreement was validated on 18 September 2024 by Paris judicial court.
Fraud & scams
Investigations by Khaleej Times reveal that over 40,000 UAE residents have collectively lost hundreds of millions of dollars to fraudulent investment schemes in recent years, according to the publication.
Fraud & scams
Seven individuals, including lawyers, a retired magistrate and a judicial administrator, are being tried for attempting to extort 22 billion dollars from TotalEnergies via a fraudulent arbitral tribunal established in 2009.
Money laundering
A Qatari criminal court sentenced former Finance Minister Ali Sherif Al-Emadi to 20 years imprisonment on charges of money laundering exceeding 5.6 billion dollars, and ordered him to pay fines exceeding 61 billion Qatari riyals (16.7 billion dollars), including 40.
Money laundering
Qatar Criminal Court sentenced former Finance Minister Ali Sharif Al-Emadi to 20 years imprisonment and $16.7 billion fine for money laundering exceeding $5.6 billion. Charges include bribery, embezzlement of public funds, abuse of authority, and damage to public resources.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Arabia apprehended 13 individuals in large-scale financial fraud operation who defrauded approximately SR16 million from victims' bank accounts through fraudulent electronic links, plus over SR600,000 in cash and various foreign currencies seized.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Ostrava, Czech Republic filed an indictment before the Municipal Court in Prague on August 3, 2026, against five individuals and one company suspected of defrauding over €17.4 million in VAT on goods imported from China.
Money laundering
On February 18, 2026, a federal jury in Pennsylvania found Charles Hunter Hobson — a former U.S.-based coal company executive — guilty of violating the FCPA and other federal criminal laws for alleged bribes paid through a third party to secure lucrative contracts with a state-run company overseas.
Money laundering
Supreme Court increased Amir Bramli's sentence to 14 years imprisonment (from 10 years) plus fine increased from 400 shekels to 600,000 shekels.
Qatar's Attorney General issued a decision to refer former Finance Minister Ali Sherif Al-Emadi and others to the criminal court on corruption charges including bribery, embezzlement of public funds, abuse of office, misuse of authority, and damage to public funds, and money laundering.
Money laundering
Lebanese authorities indicted former central bank governor Riad Salameh alongside two legal advisers on charges of embezzlement, forgery, and illicit enrichment for their alleged roles in the embezzlement of $44 million from the central bank.
Fraud & scams
The UK Payment Systems Regulator fined Bank of Ireland UK £3,779,300 for failing to implement Confirmation of Payee by the October 31, 2023 regulatory deadline. The bank missed the deadline by 14 months, during which approximately £6.9 billion in payments involving 1.
Fraud & scams
Saudi courts convicted five judges (sentences ranging from 1 to 7.5 years), a former Shura Council member (7.5 years plus 500,000 riyal fine), and a former ambassador (5 years) on charges including bribery, abuse of authority, and embezzlement of public funds.
Fraud & scams
The Saudi Public Prosecution clarified that the penalty for an accomplice in financial fraud crimes reaches 7 years imprisonment and a fine of 5 million riyals and seizure of instruments of crime and proceeds, for anyone who incites, agrees or assists another to commit financial fraud
Money laundering
Saudi Anti-Corruption Authority detained 233 suspects from six ministries (Defense, Interior, National Guard, Health, Justice, Municipal Affairs) in December 2021, conducting 5,518 inspection rounds and investigating 641 individuals for bribery, money laundering, embezzlement, and forgery.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait General Fire Force civilian employee (Grade 5 accountant in Payroll Department) embezzled 1.3 million dinars by manipulating salary ledger system, adding amounts to his own salary items and altering salary from 1,650 to 42,000 dinars using personal user credentials.
Money laundering
Abu Dhabi Felony Court, which specializes in money laundering and tax evasion cases, convicted 9 defendants and 6 companies of committing fraud resulting in the theft of 18 million dirhams using information technology means.
Money laundering
Oman Public Prosecution handled 132 cases in 2020 related to public funds and money laundering: 13 embezzlement of public funds, 16 abuse of authority, 3 misuse of public money, 3 forgery, 3 other cases. Recovered 24 million Omani rials ($62.3 million) primarily through fines and asset seizures.
Fraud & scams
Saudi Anti-Corruption Authority exposed seven major cases including: 69 officials accepting millions in bribes from medical waste company; appeals court judge accepting luxury vehicle for improper rulings; traffic officer extracting 20,000 riyals through false documentation; bank employee receiving 129,800 riyals for fraudulent loan processing.
Fraud & scams
World Bank updated its listing of debarred firms and individuals on May 5, 2026. As of March 31, 2026, the World Bank Debarment list includes 1,386 firms and individuals barred by World Bank Group from receiving Bank-financed contracts due to fraud, corruption or collusion.
Fraud & scams
Hong Kong SFC issued circular June 2, 2026 warning brokers and virtual asset platforms about AI-enhanced cybersecurity vulnerabilities enabling unauthorized access to client data and asset misappropriation. Cyber incidents rose 27% to 15,877 in 2025.
Fraud & scams
A London court sentenced a man to 4 years and 6 months in prison on 4 September 2026 after he fraudulently claimed more than £300,000 through fake travel medical insurance claims. The case, prosecuted by City of London Police, demonstrates ongoing UK enforcement against insurance fraud schemes.
Fraud & scams
Qatar filed lawsuits in London and New York against three banks - UAE's First Abu Dhabi Bank, Saudi Arabia's Samba Bank and Luxembourg's Banque Havilland - alleging conspiracy to weaken Qatari riyal by submitting fraudulent quotes to foreign exchange platforms to manipulate indices and disrupt financial markets.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain participated in INTERPOL's Operation First Light 2026, a global fraud crackdown involving 97 countries that ran from January to April 2026, resulting in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $293 million in illicit assets, with authorities in Oman and other Gulf countries blocking a $6.
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Money laundering
Bahrain's Appeal Court upheld an eight-year prison sentence of a well-known businessman who embezzled more than BD6 million from 352 investors. The defendant was found guilty of forgery, money laundering, and defrauding people who invested funds into his platform.
Money laundering
Bahrain is participating in an international anti-fraud operation coordinated by INTERPOL called Operation First Light 2026. The operation, which ran from January 15 to April 30, 2026, focused on combating social engineering scams and associated money laundering activities.
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Fraud & scams
Two expatriates, aged 24 and 25, were arrested on suspicion of fraud and embezzlement. According to reports, the suspects allegedly lured individuals through an online platform by offering decoration and carpentry services using the name of a cancelled commercial establishment.
Fraud & scams
A convicted serial conman and his legal adviser face trial at Bahrain's High Criminal Court for entering false data into the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry and the Information and eGovernment Authority systems.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain's Interior Ministry announced arrests in two separate cases involving alleged fraudsters running online scams.
Three directors of Ethical Forestry Limited were sentenced for defrauding over 3,000 people out of their early-release pension funds in a £70 million scheme. Matthew Pickard received six years, Stephen Greenaway five years and three months, and Paul Laver four years and six months in prison.
Money laundering
Europol published its latest report on June 26, 2026, analyzing over 700 criminal networks with more than 400,000 members from 118 countries.
Fraud & scams
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sar Sokha, who serves as both deputy prime minister and minister of interior, has been involved in a lobbying controversy related to U.S. legislation to create an anti-cyber-scam task force. Sar Sokha was previously included in draft U.S.
Justin Chen was sentenced to 27 months in prison for insider trading conspiracy. According to prosecutors, Chen misused material non-public information to trade in the securities of 13 publicly traded companies, making at least $2.38 million in profits. Chen was ordered to forfeit $1,828,442.
Fraud & scams
The ACPR and Banque de France launched on July 8, 2026 a call for public vigilance against financial fraud as summer holidays approach.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that Barbara A.
FinCEN issued Alert FIN-2026-Alert005 warning financial institutions about digital asset investment scam centers and the laundering of their illicit proceeds. The alert revealed that approximately $12.
Fraud & scams
Bulgarian authorities arrested eight individuals, including a government official, in an organized crime investigation.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, Brian Sutton is accused by U.S. prosecutors of orchestrating a healthcare fraud scheme that allegedly billed approximately $2 billion in fraudulent prescriptions between 2015-2022. The U.S. Attorney's Office describes him as 'at large.'
Fraud & scams
Lidia Silvia Cruz was apprehended in Estado de México on charges related to an elaborate World Cup 2026 ticket scam.
Abdellah Belmili, 26, Algerian national (aka 'SPOX'), extradited from Spain June 18, 2026 and charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud (maximum 30 years). Belmili allegedly created and administered illicit online marketplaces market0day.com and spoxy.
Charles 'Chuck' Jones (former FirstEnergy CEO) and Michael Dowling (former SVP external affairs) reindicted by Summit County grand jury on 22 combined felony counts including engaging in pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, telecommunications fraud, and obstructing justice.
Frank Carone (former chief of staff to NYC Mayor Eric Adams), Anthony Carone, Crystal Chen, and Yan Po Zhu charged in 13-count indictment for bribery scheme exploiting migrant crisis funding. Carone allegedly received $120,000 in bribes to steer $6.8 million contract to unsuitable hotel.
Fraud & scams
Financial irregularities and alleged fraud exceeding 182.15 million Pakistani rupees have been uncovered at Gomal University in Dera Ismail Khan.
An AKP-affiliated mayor in Keskin was convicted of bribery and removed from office, claiming he was scapegoated due to internal party conflicts. He maintains his innocence, arguing that his report of a 65-million-lira embezzlement case made him a target for revenge by political rivals.
Chase Harris, 36, of Keller, Texas, pled guilty on June 22, 2026 to conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in laundering proceeds from international technology-support fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Scheme resulted in theft of more than $1.
Mahender Makhijani, 44, of Corona del Mar, arrested June 10, 2026 and charged with bank fraud for allegedly defrauding Western Alliance Bancorp out of nearly $100 million.
Jahquel Robertson, 31, of Albany, and 12 others charged with bank fraud scheme involving over $1 million in stolen checks. Robertson allegedly received checks stolen from mail by bribing corrupt USPS employee.
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, was taken into custody in Mogadishu, Somalia on June 25, 2026, for his alleged role in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
Kuwait's General Department for the Enforcement of Judgments arrested four individuals (three men and one woman) who were convicted of misappropriating public funds causing approximately $180 million in damage to state finances.
Former NBA players Malik Beasley and Edward Davis, along with four others including a current NBA player agent, were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
Financial Action Task Force published mutual evaluation report on Singapore on May 6, 2026, assessing effectiveness of country's AML/CFT/CPF measures based on July 2025 on-site visit. Singapore placed on Regular Follow-up (best monitoring tier), upgrading from Enhanced Follow-up status since 2016.
France enacted a major anti-fraud law (LAW No. 2026-534) on June 25, 2026, published in the Official Journal on June 26, 2026. The law significantly strengthens France's framework for combating social and fiscal fraud.
Money laundering
Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero appeared at Spain's Audiencia Nacional facing four criminal charges: influence peddling, money laundering, tax fraud, and smuggling.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office has revealed that businessman Víctor de Aldama and associates allegedly orchestrated the laundering of €27.9 million from Spanish VAT fraud in the hydrocarbon sector through Portuguese shell companies between 2022 and 2024.
The SEC filed proposed partial judgments against David Kushner of Boca Raton, Florida, and his company La Mancha Funding Corp. for allegedly defrauding nearly two dozen investors out of approximately $2.1 million in a series of private securities offerings.
SFO investigators uncovered additional funds relating to £8.2 million investment fraud. Investigation involves suspected fraudulent investment opportunities. Further details of the specific case and defendants not provided in available information.
John Christian Gelin, Heather Marquez, and Kaolee Vang-Thao indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud arising from multi-year and multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud financial institutions and investors in connection with potential real estate transactions.
Federal grand jury returned six-count indictment against Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tamara Sawyer, alleging she embezzled, stole, and knowingly converted $44,607.35 in public funds to her own use between August 29, 2024 and June 22, 2025.
Federal grand jury in Western District of Tennessee returned 11-count indictment charging Misam M. Abidi, 47, of Nolensville, Tennessee, with crimes related to running cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme through his firm Star Credit Holdings, defrauding millions from investors between 2020 and 2024.
On June 9, 2026, the specialized inter-regional jurisdiction (JIRS) of Marseille ordered a judicial operation to dismantle an organized money laundering network. Thirteen individuals were arrested.
A mayor and senior officials in a southern Israeli municipality were detained for investigation on suspicion of misappropriating donated funds.
Fraud & scams
Iraqi authorities seized approximately $107 million connected to massive embezzlement operation within Oil Ministry. Recovery included funds buried underground requiring heavy machinery to excavate.
FinCEN issued a Joint Advisory on Non-Work Authorized Populations and Their Employers and Risks to the Integrity of the U.S.
FinCEN recognized seven cases that effectively used Bank Secrecy Act data to support criminal prosecutions, including the TD Bank case that resulted in almost $3.1 billion in penalties (the largest BSA penalty in U.S. history), a Backpage.
Matthew Blake Morrow-Wu sentenced to 160 months (over 13 years) in prison for perpetrating a scheme to defraud a Manhattan architecture firm.
Fraud & scams
The UK announced sanctions targeting individuals and entities linked to Cambodia's Prince Group, widely alleged to have operated a network of scam centers built on forced labor and human trafficking.
Money laundering
Digital fraud and money laundering of 172 billion rupees through call centres in Islamabad was uncovered. The FIA formed a 9-member Joint Investigation Team. Investigation revealed that 172 billion rupees obtained through forgery were laundered through various bank and microfinance accounts.
The Serious Fraud Office closed its investigation into property manager Signature Group on 2 July 2026 over a suspected £140 million investment fraud. According to the SFO, following a thorough review, the investigation was closed as there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.
Said Abdullahi Ereg, 47, surrendered to the FBI on June 10, 2026, becoming the first person from the FBI's new Most Wanted Fraudsters List to be taken into custody.
Fraud & scams
Hungary's Integrity Authority alleges three unnamed companies received €10 billion in government contracts over four years during the Orbán era, with suspected overpricing risks of €3.5 billion.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into alleged fraud involving the Rassemblement National party.
Fraud & scams
UK Finance's Annual Fraud Report 2026 reveals that payment fraud losses across the UK banking sector climbed to £1.28 billion in 2025, up 4% year on year. There were more than four million cases of fraud. Authorised push payment (APP) fraud losses rose 19% to £576.
Fraud & scams
Nomma Zarubina, 35, sentenced to 14 months in prison for lying to FBI about ties to Russia's FSB intelligence agency and naturalization fraud related to interstate prostitution trafficking. FSB handlers assigned her codename 'Alyssa' and directed her to attend 2021 St.
Money laundering
Billionaire businessman and opposition leader Gagik Tsarukyan was ordered to two months pre-trial detention on charges of large-scale fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Cypriot court issued confiscation order for fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low's €5.9 million luxury villa in Cape Greco, Ayia Napa. First time such action taken in Cyprus without conviction by local court. Low allegedly masterminded 1MDB fraud scheme, siphoning at least $4.
Izmir Public Prosecutor's Office conducted a large-scale operation on Buca Municipality as part of a bribery and corruption investigation.
Money laundering
Four individuals aged between 60 and 63—Seow Choon Pheng, Seow Choon Lien, Chu Tung Wu, and Tan Kui Moi—were charged for their alleged involvement in money laundering and carrying on businesses for fraudulent purposes in relation to a VAT carousel fraud scheme involving gold smuggling.
Adebanjo "Banjo" Popoola, 57, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to three counts of wire fraud. According to prosecutors, Popoola was a building division inspector with the City of St.
The FBI announced that victims of the OneCoin international cryptocurrency investment scheme have until a June 30 deadline to apply for compensation through a special Department of Justice program.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging each of six defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, five counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a sweepstakes scam targeting elderly victims.
FinCEN released updated guidance clarifying how financial institutions can share information about suspected fraud with each other under section 314(b) of the USA PATRIOT Act.
Fraud & scams
European Public Prosecutor's Office confiscated over €305,000 in assets across southern Italy as part of an investigation into suspected fraud involving EU pandemic recovery funds.
Ten suspects pleaded guilty to public procurement fraud in Czechia in investigation into corruption in award of public contracts for road cleaning and marketing services. Cases involved tenders organized between 2020 and 2023 by public entities in the Moravian-Silesian Region.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office coordinated arrests, searches and seizures across Belgium, Czechia, and Poland in investigation into suspected €10 million VAT carousel fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
The European Public Prosecutor's Office conducted coordinated raids across France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium as part of an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of EU funds by the now-defunct Identity and Democracy (ID) group, a European Parliament faction whose prominent members included France's National Rally (RN) and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Jack Lang resigned from the presidency of the Institut du monde arabe (Arab World Institute) on February 7, 2026, after the National Financial Prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation for aggravated tax fraud laundering targeting him and his daughter Caroline.
On 19 May 2026, France's national financial prosecutors confirmed to AFP that investigating judge had been assigned to probe former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe for alleged misappropriation of public funds, favouritism, illegal conflict of interest, and extortion.
On 1 September 2026, the Brussels Council Chamber referred 14 defendants in the Semlex case to criminal court on allegations of bribery of foreign public officials, money laundering, and tax fraud.
FinCEN issued guidance urging banks to identify suspicious activity involving unlawful employment schemes, including identity theft, payroll fraud, and connections to transnational criminal organizations. Financial institutions reported over $2.
LaShonda Moore (38) and Marlon Moore (39) of Frisco, Texas, were sentenced to 40 years each in prison for running Blessings in No Time (BINT), an illegal chain-referral pyramid scheme that defrauded more than 10,000 victims of over $30 million during the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2020-June 2021).
Money laundering
The FIA's Anti-Money Laundering Circle in Karachi apprehended two individuals, Muhammad Saleem Jokheyo and Fayaz Ahmad, in connection with a Rs 10 million fraud case.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded testimony in three corruption cases ('Cases 1000-4000') after 18 months and 98 court sessions. His direct testimony lasted 35 sessions, cross-examination 59 sessions, with 4 additional re-examination sessions.
Miles Guo was sentenced to 30 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, among other charges, for leading an expansive and complex scheme to solicit more than $1 billion of investments.
Money laundering
Operation Ramz, a regional cybercrime enforcement initiative spanning October 2025 to February 28, 2026, resulted in 201 arrests across thirteen countries including Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. The operation targeted malicious infrastructure, identified 3,867 victims, and seized 53 servers.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, Miami resident of Jamaican origin, added to FBI's newly created 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list. Charged with allegedly orchestrating scheme diverting over $34 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
A federal grand jury in Rhode Island returned an indictment charging 26 individuals connected to Providence-area street gangs, including the East Side gang and the Congress gang, with racketeering, conspiracy, and financial crimes.
Money laundering
Vietnamese national and permanent U.S. resident Le Van Hung pleaded guilty before a New York court to conspiracy to commit identity theft as part of a transnational scheme to launder $67 million using data stolen from U.S. citizens.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a new package of sanctions targeting nine individuals and 26 companies associated with Cambodia's Prince Group, accused of engaging in cyber-scams and forced labor.
Money laundering
According to Al-Bilad newspaper, Bahrain's Public Prosecution charged a 30-year-old Asian defendant with money laundering of 22,250 dinars derived from crimes involving electronic signature misuse and fund misappropriation.
Federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment adding allegations that Joshua Wander diverted the majority of a $20 million loan into his personal brokerage account and directed employees to fabricate bank statements to conceal the diversion.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office announced on September 17, 2026, that the Milan general court convicted six defendants at first instance in the 'Moby Dick' investigation into VAT fraud estimated at €520 million.
Jun Wang, 63, a Chinese national and lawful permanent U.S. resident, found guilty of money laundering conspiracy for redeeming $2.2 million in gift cards purchased by fraud victims between June 2019 and June 2021.
Fraud & scams
A Bahraini appeals court upheld a five-year prison sentence for a man found guilty of electronic fraud after deceiving a victim through a fake online reward scheme. The defendant and an accomplice tricked a middle-aged man into sharing banking credentials and withdrew BD12,756 from his account.
Fraud & scams
In January 2025, a pharmacist was sentenced by the Cherbourg court to one year imprisonment (electronic monitoring), two years suspended, 50,000 euros fine, and confiscation of 947,000 euros in assets for defrauding the CPAM of la Manche of 1,510,362.47 euros.
OFAC announced transnational criminal organizations designations including Bo Chen, An Dai linked to Prince Group, and Xiao'er Chen linked to Grand Legend International Asset Management Group.
Fraud & scams
Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities announced multiple high-profile investigations as EU accession negotiations opened June 15, 2026.
Fraud & scams
Risto Riihimäki, chief executive of Lappeenranta-based transport company Idän Liikenteenvälitys IL Oy, was convicted of exporting 164 trucks and trailers to Russia in violation of EU sanctions following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Money laundering
According to OCCRP, a Georgian court convicted Andria Liluashvili of bribery and large-scale money laundering, sentencing him to 12 years in prison. Prosecutors alleged he channeled approximately $1.
The Serious Fraud Office has settled a decade-long investigation into Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC), a Kazakh mining company, over suspected bribery and corruption linked to mining assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
OFAC sanctioned nine individuals and 26 entities linked to Prince Group TCO, including TCO leadership (Hu Xiaowei, described as 'second-in-command'), investors in scam compounds, and front companies across British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Singapore, UK, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Fraud & scams
The FIA apprehended two key members of an online financial fraud ring operating in Faisalabad. During a raid on Satiana Road, authorities recovered 3.5 million rupees in cash, debit cards from various banks, and mobile phones.
Money laundering
According to OCCRP, France's National Financial Prosecutor's Office has requested that BNP Paribas, 13 members of late Gabonese President Omar Bongo's family, and Antoinette Tchibota (wife of Congolese President Sassou Nguesso) stand trial for alleged aggravated money laundering and embezzlement of public funds.
Eli Feldstein corruption allegations center on whether Qatar paid him to advance its interests while serving as Netanyahu spokesman. Feldstein allegedly received approximately 40,000 shekels per month ($7,500 plus VAT) from a Qatari lobbyist Potlick parallel to his government work.
Money laundering
A Bahraini court continued the trial of a department head at the General Administration of Jaafari Affairs whom the Public Prosecution accuses of embezzling charitable funds and money laundering.
Di Li, 43, was sentenced on 3 June 2026 at Inner London Crown Court to 48 months' imprisonment for supplying articles for use in fraud, and 24 months for conspiring to commit fraud by false representation, to run concurrently.
Jose Bello, 38, was charged with four counts of wire fraud for allegedly defrauding investors who believed they were funding short-term, high-return loans for real estate transactions or storm damage repair. Bello allegedly obtained at least $5.7 million from investors in a Ponzi-style scheme.
A New York man was indicted for allegedly operating a multi-million dollar fraud and money laundering scheme targeting investors and financial institutions.
Liviu Mihai Dumitru, 44, a Romanian national, was sentenced to 48 months' incarceration by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to prosecutors.
The Financial Action Task Force officially launched its 2026-2028 Roadmap on Combatting Fraud on the first day of the United Kingdom's FATF Presidency.
Royal Oman Police General Directorate of Investigation and Criminal Investigation thwarted an attempt to channel 6.6 million dollars from international electronic fraud into the local banking system.
Money laundering
Assets worth nearly $2.03 billion have been surrendered in Singapore's largest money laundering case, as 17 suspects remain out of reach of authorities. 15 foreign nationals, part of a group of 17 suspects, have agreed to surrender their assets and have been barred from returning to Singapore.
Ministers from across the globe reiterated commitment to tackling illicit finance through multilateral coordinated action, agreeing to focus on the growing threat of fraud and strengthening risk-based implementation of FATF Standards.
OFAC sanctioned a network of individuals, entities, and vessels across multiple jurisdictions for allegedly shipping Iranian-origin liquid petroleum gas (LPG) 'intentionally disguised as Omani LPG' to end users in South and East Asia.
Elye Wahi, a 23-year-old striker for Ivory Coast competing in the 2026 World Cup, was detained by French police on May 29 on suspicion of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, money laundering, and handling proceeds of crime.
Nine defendants were convicted in U.S. District Court in Dayton, Ohio after lead defendant Alex Garnett, 49, of Mason, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as wire fraud.
John Myers, 41, was indicted on four counts of wire fraud for operating Illinois-based Sterling Capital Investments, LLC.
Fifth annual Operation Henhouse UK-wide fraud campaign (February 2026) coordinated by National Economic Crime Centre and City of London Police resulted in 557 arrests, 249 cease and desist notices, 172 voluntary interviews. £9M secured through Account Freezing Orders, £2.8M cash seizures, £15.
Fraud & scams
UK sanctioned entities linked to Cambodia's Prince Group for operating vast online fraud network. #8 Park (operated by Legend Innovation Co.) allegedly holds up to 20,000 trafficked workers forced into cryptocurrency fraud schemes. Xinbi, a Chinese-language Telegram marketplace, processed over $19.
Paris appellate court confirmed on July 7, 2026 the conviction of the National Rally and several of its leaders, including Marine Le Pen, for misappropriation of public funds in the matter of 'far-right parliamentary assistants at the European Parliament.'
The Financial Conduct Authority secured confiscation orders totaling £851,402.27 against Raymondip Bedi and Patrick Mavanga at Southwark Crown Court on 28 September 2026, with Bedi ordered to pay £603,404.28 and Mavanga £247,997.99.
The SEC charged Jay Lucas and Lucas Brand Equity LLC with fraudulently inducing hundreds of investors to invest more than $50 million in three private equity funds while diverting millions to personal expenses including rent, alimony, wedding costs, and ownership of a newspaper, with parallel criminal charges filed in the Southern District of New York.
Weidong 'Bill' Guan, 63, the former chief financial officer of The Epoch Times, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds in a $67 million fraud scheme.
Fraud & scams
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, identified approximately $17.5 billion in suspicious financial activity potentially connected to healthcare fraud over a one-year period from March 2025 through February 2026.
Fraud & scams
Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) report reveals three-quarters of European adults encountered scams in the past year, with criminal networks causing victims an estimated $57 billion in losses.
Sanjeev Kumar, 45, a Memphis gynecologist, was sentenced to 240 months in prison for using adulterated medical devices in more than 15,000 hysteroscopy procedures on Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Karen Serobovich Vardanyan, a 34-year-old Armenian national extradited from Ukraine, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer fraud for his role in Ryuk ransomware attacks targeting companies throughout the United States.
Fraud & scams
Saima Wazed, 53, former WHO Southeast Asia regional director and daughter of ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, resigned in September 2026 after the Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission filed two cases alleging fraud, forgery, and misuse of power.
Rossen G. Iossifov, 53, a Bulgarian national already serving a 111-month federal prison sentence for online fraud, made an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Kentucky on charges of destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure, aiding and abetting, and conspiracy…
Federal grand jury indicted Florida and Virginia residents for allegedly engaging in a $26 million wire fraud and money laundering scheme. The defendants allegedly defrauded victims through fraudulent business schemes.
An indictment was unsealed charging Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera with wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy for rigging MLB betting schemes.
Indictment filed against Noam Sasson, Deputy Mayor of Be'er Ya'akov, and six other defendants including businesspeople, contractors and companies in wide-scale governmental corruption case involving public tenders worth millions of shekels.
Money laundering
According to OCCRP, Colombian businessman Alex Saab, described as a financial ally of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, pleaded guilty to laundering bribes connected to Venezuela's food distribution program (CLAP) through the U.S. financial system.
Money laundering
French prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of up to 5 years for Ahmed Ali Saleh and Khaled Ali Saleh, sons of deceased Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for allegedly laundering tens of millions of euros in embezzled state funds.
Ultra Electronics Holdings Ltd has been ordered to pay a £10 million penalty and £4.8 million in SFO investigation costs within 30 days, following approval of a deferred prosecution agreement with the Serious Fraud Office after acknowledging failure to prevent bribery under the Bribery Act 2010.
Fraud & scams
The Hong Kong SFC alleges Ng Yu, former chairman of Target Insurance Holdings Limited, was party to a fraudulent scheme to misappropriate funds that were transferred to a Cayman-incorporated fund he controlled. Legal proceedings were restored at a June 17, 2026 case management conference.
The U.S. Attorney's Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against more than $225.3 million in cryptocurrency connected to theft and laundering of funds from victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. This represents the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history.
The FATF held its June plenary meeting, taking action to strengthen supervision of global finance and approving evaluations for Canada and Türkiye.
A vast international money laundering network linked to fake cryptocurrency investment fraud was dismantled in late October 2025, as announced by the Paris prosecutor's office in November 2025. Nearly $700 million were laundered online through this vast network.
Fraud & scams
According to the UK Serious Fraud Office, Reginald Larry-Cole and Scott Martin face trial at Southwark Crown Court on three counts of fraud each, related to the Raedex Consortium vehicle investment schemes.
Money laundering
INTERPOL announced results of Operation First Light 2026, which led to 5,811 arrests and the interception of USD 293 million in illicit assets across 97 countries.
In January 2026, HSBC Bank plc signed a judicial public interest agreement (CJIP) with the Parquet National Financier, agreeing to pay €267.5 million in exchange for dropping prosecution in the CumCum dividend tax fraud case revealed in 2018.
Fatoumata Boiro, 32, of Largo, was sentenced to two years in prison for conspiring to engage in a large money laundering conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Judge Matthew J. Maddox ordered Boiro to pay $6,838,558.31 in restitution.
Frederick Kumi, a 31-year-old Ghanaian national, was extradited from Ghana to face charges involving the alleged defrauding of more than 80 elderly victims out of more than $8 million.
Australia's financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC announced it cancelled, suspended, or refused to renew 45 remittance and virtual asset service provider (VASP) registrations during the past year for alleged AML/CFT failures.
Fraud & scams
According to New South Wales Police, three accountants (ages 46, 34, and 28) have been charged for allegedly helping an organized crime syndicate obtain tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent loans. The 46-year-old accounting firm director faces charges related to $16.
Money laundering
According to Armenian prosecutors, Gagik Khachatryan, 71, former head of Armenia's tax agency (2008-2014) and finance minister (until 2016), has been arrested and charged with allegedly accepting real estate bribes worth $5.
According to Al Tamol, Oman's Royal Police executed a major operation in Sohar, dismantling an alleged international fraud ring operating across 33 locations. Over 380 suspects from five Asian nationalities were reportedly arrested.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cross-examination in the corruption cases (Case 1000, 2000, and 4000) ended on June 16, 2026, after approximately one year of proceedings.
Fraud & scams
Pakistan National Accountability Bureau uncovered massive fraud at Islamabad Cooperative Housing Society: approximately 42,000 plot files sold despite land capacity for only 6,000 plots, creating 36,000 illegal files. Financial irregularities exceed 16 billion rupees.
Fraud & scams
Bahrain: The Public Prosecution referred 16 defendants of Asian nationalities for trial on charges of forging private documents and using them to fraudulently obtain financing from a finance company.
Fraud & scams
Ukraine's Security Service and National Police report they dismantled a cryptocurrency fraud operation allegedly generating approximately $1 million monthly at its peak.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin met approximately one year ago with wives of two senior police officers facing criminal allegations. Meeting included Tziona, wife of Deputy Commissioner Avishay Mualem (former IDF Intelligence Division commander) suspected of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
The Dubai Civil Court of First Instance ordered two fraudsters to jointly pay an investor AED4.65 million (comprising AED4.35 million restitution and AED300,000 compensation) after they deceived him with promises of property investment linked to obtaining a UAE Golden Visa.
Fraud & scams
According to an OCCRP investigation, Mazyar Mahan (formerly Mazyar Mahdavifar) was convicted in absentia by an Iranian court in 2016 in connection with what prosecutors alleged was a $25 million pyramid scheme called Palinure that defrauded hundreds of investors.
The Civil Guard dismantled a criminal organisation dedicated to money-laundering proceeds from fraud, with 20 detained and 11 under investigation in Miranda de Ebro (Burgos), Bilbao, Basauri and Santurtzi.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published its seventh Targeted Update on Implementation of the FATF Standards on Virtual Assets and Virtual Asset Service Providers on July 16, 2026, highlighting that while more countries have introduced legislation to regulate virtual assets, many are still…
Roshan Shah, age 22, a citizen of India attending college in Canada on a student visa, was sentenced by United States District Judge Brett Ludwig to 48 months' imprisonment for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Samuel D. Marcus, 33, of Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea to concealment money laundering, arising from his role as a money mule for Nigeria-based scammers in which he laundered millions of dollars in fraud proceeds, according to prosecutors.
Bill Ying Li, 51, Bing Xun Gong, 56, and Sabir Magdeev, 33, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, according to prosecutors. The defendants allegedly conspired to launder more than $3 million in fraud proceeds through a New Hampshire business.
Sergei Anatolyevich Filimonov, 36, a Russian web developer, was extradited from Georgia and arraigned in Atlanta on fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
Singapore's Monetary Authority issued Prohibition Orders against Goh Hui Bin (5-year ban) and Vijendren S/O Tanapal (4-year ban), both former DBS Bank representatives convicted of forgery offences.
Money laundering
A Bahrain criminal court sentenced an Asian national woman to five years imprisonment, a fine of 100,000 Bahraini dinars, and asset forfeiture of 22,250 dinars for money laundering charges.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control took action against Dubai-based Iranian businessman Ali Ansari, who allegedly oversees a sprawling global network of assets benefitting Iran's leader Mojtaba Khamenei and other regime elites, according to Treasury.
The UK's Domestic Corruption Unit has arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of fraud by abuse of position of trust, bribery and money laundering as part of a joint investigation into alleged irregularities in COVID-19 PPE procurement.
The Serious Fraud Office's trial against defendants Reginald Larry-Cole and Scott Martin in the Raedex Consortium fraud investigation commenced on 14 September 2026 at Southwark Crown Court.
A 15-week trial is scheduled to commence on 5 October 2026 at Southwark Crown Court for former Petrofac senior executives Marwan Chedid and George Salibi, charged with bribery by the Serious Fraud Office. The defendants were charged in February 2024 with a total of five counts of bribery.
During 5 and 6 September, police officers at several police stations in Île-de-France, notably in Seine-Saint-Denis and Hauts-de-Seine, received calls from fraudsters posing as fellow police officers.
Theodore Woo, 49, former chief financial officer of a Miami Beach hedge fund, pleaded guilty to securities fraud.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, Papua New Guinea police raided a Port Moresby property and discovered 39 Indonesian citizens believed to be trafficking victims forced to work in a cyber scam compound.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt led an investigation into suspected customs evasion involving gelatine imports between affiliated companies. Coordinated searches were carried out on August 5, 2026, across Brazil, Belgium, and Germany.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, an Albanian court ordered State Intelligence Service (SHISH) director Vlora Hyseni into house arrest as part of a corruption investigation by the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime. Prime Minister Edi Rama announced her immediate dismissal.
Fraud & scams
Police in Goa, India arrested seven individuals and summoned 24 others for questioning as part of 'Operation Cyber Vigil,' according to OCCRP.
Fraud & scams
The Financial Conduct Authority (ACPR) and the Banque de France warned in July 2026 of a surge in financial scams targeting French citizens. These frauds distributed via online advertising and social media promise exceptional returns (8-15% annually) on non-existent financial products.
Fraud & scams
According to Treasury, Xinbi Guarantee is a Chinese-language illicit online marketplace that allegedly processed over $24 billion in digital and fiat currency since 2022, serving scam center operators in Southeast Asia and other transnational criminal syndicates.
Nineteen defendants including home healthcare workers and owners of home healthcare companies were charged by federal indictment in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with health care fraud and other offenses for schemes allegedly defrauding Pennsylvania's Medicaid program of over $5.76 million.
Fraud & scams
The Kuwait Criminal Court sentenced a Kuwaiti national and an Egyptian national to seven years in prison and imposed a KD 5 million fine following their involvement in a major real estate fraud scheme selling non-existent chalets in Kuwait and Sharm El-Sheikh.
Willie Roy Turner Jr., 29, of Chicago, Illinois, and five co-conspirators were indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Fraud & scams
Lithuania's Financial Crime Investigation Service has formally named three co-founders of cryptocurrency project Bankera as criminal suspects, according to OCCRP reporting.
Fraud & scams
According to the European Public Prosecutor's Office as reported by OCCRP, five individuals and one company have been indicted for allegedly evading more than $20 million in VAT on goods imported from China.
Adanegbe "Gift" Osemwenkhae, 41, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was sentenced to eight years in prison for money laundering.
Money laundering
According to Lebanon's National News Agency, a Lebanese judge has filed new proceedings against former central bank governor Riad Salame, 76, and former Bank Audi head Samir Hanna, 88, alleging embezzlement, money laundering, bribery, illicit enrichment, and creation of shell companies.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, a U.S. federal grand jury indicted Taj Tarsha, 34, of Miami, on securities and wire fraud charges for allegedly diverting more than $10 million from investors in his crypto startup Few and Far, which claimed to be developing a decentralized NFT marketplace.
Fraud & scams
An internal oversight report by France's General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) recorded 341 integrity breaches in 2025, a 45% increase from 2024 and the highest in five years.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, the European Public Prosecutor's Office arrested another suspect in its 'Escape Room' investigation into a cross-border VAT carousel fraud scheme spanning Austria, Belgium, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, and Poland.
The Sharjah Court of First Instance sentenced a person to six months in prison after convicting him of fraudulently obtaining Dh 1.515 million (approximately $412,000 USD) through a fake college enrollment scheme.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, Ukraine's outgoing Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko signed charges against Semen Kryvonos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), alleging document forgery.
Fraud & scams
The ACPR and Bank of France published on 8 July 2026 an alert on the proliferation of online financial fraud during summer. The authorities reported that 66% of reports concern fake investment schemes and 32% fake credit schemes.
Paul Hottinguer, a descendant of a renowned Swiss banking family, is being tried at Paris District Court for tax fraud and money laundering. Hottinguer is suspected of falsely establishing his residence in Switzerland to avoid paying more than 3 million euros in French taxes between 2012 and 2020.
Money laundering
A federal judge in New York sentenced Reza Zarrab to time served after he pleaded guilty in 2017 to helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions through money laundering.
Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, a Cuban national living in Tampa, pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges in an international operation that smuggled Cuban nationals into the United States, submitted fraudulent immigration applications, and moved proceeds through financial transactions and shell companies.
Money laundering
The Changzhou Intermediate People's Court in Jiangsu Province sentenced Yang Youlin, 69, to death after finding him guilty of accepting over 2.21 billion yuan ($325 million) in bribes across three decades, according to OCCRP.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, US authorities charged Lee Reiber (55), CEO of Virginia-based Oxygen Forensics, and Oleg Sergeyevich Davydov (52) of Moscow with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
James Gillingham, 38, dubbed 'the Wolf of Essex', has been sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to fraud, money laundering, and perverting the course of justice.
The president of the Paris judicial court approved on July 9, 2026 a judicial convention of public interest (CJIP) between the National Financial Prosecution Office and company SHAD SA.
FATF published a 'Targeted Report on Regulatory Challenges from Decentralised Finance' highlighting how DeFi's unique features are being increasingly exploited by illicit actors, including fraudsters, ransomware operators, professional money laundering networks and proliferation financing actors.
A federal grand jury indicted Jadee Glover, who owned and operated CashBack Tax Service in Las Vegas, and two employees Julia Brainerd and Shamoya Perkins on charges of conspiring to defraud the United States and willfully preparing false income tax returns for clients.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, Romanian prosecutors have requested 30-day pretrial detention for former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu and businessman Ionel Rusen on allegations involving organized crime and fraud totaling €1.1 million.
Abdinasir Mahamed Abshir, 34, of Lakeville, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris, along with Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan, launched Ireland's National Risk Assessment on Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Proliferation Financing together with a new 30-Point Action Plan.
Money laundering
According to OCCRP, a Milan court sentenced six individuals to prison terms of four to seven years and ordered confiscation of over €300 million for their roles in 'Operation Moby Dick,' a European Public Prosecutor's Office investigation into transnational VAT fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
Jogesh Bhandari (59), Craig Morris (43), and Meenakashi Bhandari (58) were convicted on July 15, 2026, at Leicester Crown Court following a five-week trial and National Crime Agency investigation.
On 18 September 2026, the European Public Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb filed an indictment against four individuals and two companies for subsidy fraud involving the misuse of EU funds intended for the construction of a new briquette production plant in Croatia.
On 8 September 2026, the European Public Prosecutor's Office in Katowice, Poland filed an indictment at the Circuit Court against two suspects accused of attempting to fraudulently obtain €3.3 million in EU funding intended for establishing childcare facilities across Poland.
The UK Serious Fraud Office secured a three-year deferred prosecution agreement with British defence company Ultra Electronics Holdings Ltd, in which the company agreed to pay approximately £15 million to resolve a bribery investigation.
Abdullah Anwar, 28, a Pakistani-origin suspect, was extradited from Qatar on July 10, 2026, to face charges of conspiracy to transport stolen property, mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Anwar allegedly fled to Pakistan while on pretrial release before being arrested in Qatar.
Money laundering
An international anti-fraud operation coordinated by Interpol resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $293 million in illicit assets across 97 countries between January 15 and April 30, 2026.
Fraud & scams
According to the Singapore Police Force, authorities are investigating 231 individuals (149 men and 82 women, ages 15-76) suspected of involvement in scam and money mule operations.
Hasan 'Lucas' Seyhun, 45, of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud for his role in a nationwide scheme that logged more than $500 million in fraudulent claims to government-backed healthcare programs.
Garrett Douglas Johnson, 41, of Dallas, Texas, was indicted on charges alleging he defrauded banks and individual lenders out of more than $20 million. The indictment includes five counts of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud.
The African Development Bank announced the debarment of Martin Obiero Achieng for 24 months with conditional release, taking effect from January 28, 2026.
The AMF issued a public warning against BitKelTrade, a fraudulent online trading platform that impersonates legitimate French media outlets (Le Monde, Le Figaro, France Info, TF1) and public figures to deceive investors.
Money laundering
Federal prosecutors in Georgia unsealed a 25-count indictment against Edward Zimbardi, 59, alleging he masterminded a $165 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme called 'The Crypto Program.'
Fraud & scams
The US Treasury's OFAC designated four individuals and nine entities allegedly tied to Babak Zanjani's network.
According to an internal note from the Ministry of Economy (Bercy) consulted by Le Figaro, French authorities have identified concerning signals regarding the evolution of fraudulent practices targeting the Personal Training Account (CPF).
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced it had filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency that prosecutors allege was stolen from thousands of fraud victims in the United States and Canada.
Money laundering
US prosecutors have charged Edward Zimbardi, 59, with 12 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of money laundering, and one count of money laundering conspiracy in connection with an alleged cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of approximately $165 million.
Fraud & scams
According to Al-Bilad newspaper, Bahrain's Public Prosecution announced the arrest of a fraud network comprising 24 suspects of Asian nationalities accused of misappropriating financial funding from a company using forged documents.
A federal jury in Greenbelt, Maryland convicted Kimberly Goodwin, 54, of Bowie, Maryland, the former president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2419, of participating in a wire fraud conspiracy and eight counts of money laundering.
OFAC designated over 50 Mexican individuals and entities connected to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), marking its largest action ever against this organization. The action targeted CJNG's leadership structure, including new leader Juan Carlos Gonzalez (a.k.a.
Money laundering
Abdullah Anwar, 28, reportedly of Pakistani origin with ties to Karachi and a resident of Garland, Texas, was arrested in Qatar on July 10, 2026, and extradited to the United States.
Fraud & scams
Ugandan police arrested 16 people, including four police officers, for their alleged involvement in a fake gold scam that reportedly defrauded a Dubai businessman of $4 million, according to authorities. The suspects allegedly operated under the company name Real Sunnex Ltd.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that three men have been charged over alleged multi-state schemes to defraud property owners by impersonating them to sell their land and to launder the proceeds.
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland announced that James Carroll Erny Jr., 55, of Glen Arm, Maryland, was sentenced on 23 July 2026 to 13 months in prison followed by eight months of home confinement for bribery.
Fraud & scams
A Montpellier-based business law attorney was permanently disbarred by the Montpellier Court of Appeals on July 23, 2026, following criminal conviction for tax fraud and disciplinary violations.
Five men were indicted in the Western District of Washington in connection with a sophisticated fraud and money laundering operation targeting elderly victims across the nation, as reported on August 28, 2026.
The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Jay Lucas, 71, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire — founder and managing partner of Manhattan-based private equity fund Lucas Brand Equity LLC — pleaded guilty to securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Nineteen individuals pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in Florida.
According to Dawn, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) stopped Sitara Chemical Industries Limited owner Mian Muhammad Idrees at Lahore airport after his name was placed on a no-fly list in connection with an alleged Rs11.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, a Tbilisi court sentenced Grigol Liluashvili, former head of Georgia's State Security Service (2019-2025), to 13 years in prison for allegedly accepting over $2 million in bribes.
On January 15, 2026, the Marseille Criminal Court convicted Jean and Viviane Badache to seven years firm imprisonment each for their central role in the Apollonia real estate fraud scheme that caused over €1.2 billion in losses to more than 740 victims over 18 years.
The Financial Action Task Force published a report stating that decentralised finance (DeFi) is being increasingly exploited by fraudsters, ransomware operators, professional money laundering networks, and proliferation financing actors, according to FATF.
Benjamin Paul Wiener, 43, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was indicted on 29 counts including wire fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, according to the Justice Department.