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EU Dismantles Network Suspected of Laundering €2 Billion

Authorities in Italy, Latvia and Lithuania on Tuesday arrested 18 people suspected of helping launder €2 billion from a range of crimes through an electronic money institution, or EMI, in the Baltics.

Eurojust, which facilitates cross-border legal cooperation in the EU, said in a statement that the EMI in question offered “money laundering as a service” to thousands of drug traffickers, fraudsters and other criminals by routing their proceeds into and through accounts they controlled through a network of shell companies.

Eurojust did not name the platform involved, but all indications point to Trustcom Financial, an EMI previously based in Vilnius, Lithuania, that lost its license to operate in the Baltic nation two years ago after two of its directors became the subject of a money laundering-related investigation.

An Italian crime syndicate allegedly established the EMI, which advertised its purported “consultancy services” online and laundered some of the funds linked to the scheme into real estate and luxury cars. Authorities have frozen €11.5 million worth of assets as part of the case, including funds in bank accounts.

Moneylaundering.com may update this coverage as more information becomes available.
Topics : Anti-money laundering , Fintech
Source: European Union
Document Date: February 27, 2024