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AMLi and reporter.london test the Cayman Islands’ new corporate ownership registry
LONDON–In another exclusive story resulting from a collaboration between AML Intelligence, the premium newswire for anti-money laundering professionals, and reporter.london, it is revealed that despite its advertised transparency, the new beneficial ownership corporate registry of the Cayman Islands leaves much to be desired. In short, reporter.london applied to the Caymans government to find out who…
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EXCLUSIVE: Kremlin’s sanctioned crypto payment network has Budapest link
LONDON–A multi-billion-dollar, supposedly “sanctions-proof” international payment system backed by the Kremlin and sanctioned by the West, has been associated with a business in downtown Budapest – staffed by a Latvian go-karting enthusiast – since December 2024. Leaked documents corroborated by reporter.london with open-source reporting suggest there is a risk that Hungarian company MiddleAsiaTrade House kft,…
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‘Anti-democratic’: Georgian activists slam US oil firm for political lobbying
An email from the CEO of the oil firm, seen by reporter.london, implies that the company plans a return to the country after years of controversy. LONDON–Top Georgian opposition and civil society figures have criticised a US oil company for lobbying against international measures aimed at the country’s Georgian Dream party government, which is in…
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Fugitive Moldovan tycoon recruits top Russian bankers to run sanctions-busting crypto firm: leak
CITY OF LONDON–Senior executives from Russia’s mainstream banking sector have joined an avowedly sanctions-proof crypto and payments firm at the heart of the Kremlin’s strategy to disrupt the West, leaked documents show. The documents reveal, in granular detail, the emerging sanctions evasion tactics and election interference campaigns run by fugitive Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor, who…
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Irish land reg loophole could attract money launderers, ex-senior judge says
CITY OF LONDON–A loophole in Irish rules around the land registry database and mortgage securitization may be used by money launderers, Edmund Honahan, retired Master of the High Court in Ireland, said in an interview. Honahan has long been campaigning for reforms in how Ireland handles changes to land registry entries. He has warned for…
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Reporter and Follow the Money exposed Monaco’s delays in criminal prosecution
Reporter and Dutch investigative media outlet Follow the Money have exposed unexplained delays in a criminal investigation in Monaco, involving bank accounts alleged to contain proceeds of fraud and potentially sanctions evasion. Based on offshore company documents leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, and an exclusive interview with pre-eminent global sanctions campaigner Bill…
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Crypto-jihad: Tether and FBI slow to stop Hamas funding, top analyst says
LONDON—Global cryptocurrency provider Tether and the American government could have seized at least $10 million in crypto from Hamas, compared to just over $200,000, which was actually recovered last month. The US department of justice seized the USDT equivalent of $201,400 in March from terrorist organisation Hamas, according to a statement. The move came after…
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Reporter and 5 partners investigate the associate of top presidential candidate in Romania
BUCHAREST — Mircea Geoană’s ex-campaign manager in Romania has business ties to a Russian who is close to the military and has campaigned for the Russian side in the Ukraine war. The campaign manager’s son also did a deal with a former executive from a company founded by a sanctioned oligarch, while the dad was…
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Arm’s-length: Uzbek tycoon with links to Putin pal and sanctioned Russian bank grabs strategic assets in Europe
LONDON–Eriell Group is the top oil and gas services company in Uzbekistan, but until recently, its corporate headquarters was in Jersey. The firm’s chairman continues to do multi-million euro deals in Europe despite Eriell’s close ties to sanctioned Gazprombank and, allegedly, Gennady Timchenko, a sanctioned oligarch and personal friend of Vladimir Putin. The Eriell parent…