News
Weekly Roundup: Vatican Bank Accused of Money Laundering, FDIC Dings Three Banks for AML Deficiencies, and More
printIt wasn't a good public relations week for the papacy. On Tuesday, Italian investigators disclosed that they had launched an inquiry into two attempted transactions potentially linked to money laundering and originating from a Rome bank account controlled by the Vatican's Institute of Religious Works (IOR). Rome officials froze $31 million in the account after officials at Italy's central bank voiced concerns that the suspicious transactions were not in compliance with the country's anti-money laundering (AML) laws because they did not include data on beneficial owners and the purpose of the transfers, the Financial Times reported Thursday. While the investigation...
TO READ THE FULL STORY
Related News
A group of investigative journalists reveal the identities of thousands of suspected tax evaders, U.S. prosecutors increasingly turn to a civil fraud statute to prosecute money launderers, and more, in this week's news roundup.
For a territory with a population of 829, many of whom are sworn to poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Vatican has always had more than its fair share of financial intrigue. But now the 110-acre city-state, capital of the 1.2 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, is trying to reform.
JPMorgan Chase drops a Milan account for the Holy See, Beijing police freeze nearly $800 million tied to at least six "underground" banks, and more.
India is investigating Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd. over alleged money laundering violations, SARs filed by casinos and card clubs have increased since 2004, and more, in this week's roundup.
The National Futures Association handed out three separate fines to entities and individuals over AML violations, four Vatican priests have been charged with laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars, and more, in this week's roundup.
Iran's central bank prepares to sue to win back $2 billion in frozen assets, the U.S. Treasury Department blacklists the heads of a money laundering ring based in Panama and Colombia, and more, in this week's news roundup.
Commerzbank AG agrees to pay OFAC $175,500 for allegedly violating the Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the FDIC discloses two enforcement actions for AML violations, and more, in this week's roundup.
The Justice Department launches investigations into three Israeli banks and continues its probe into the financial network of R. Allen Stanford, in this week's news roundup.
Afghanistan arrests two former top bank officials for alleged graft, Taiwan brings corruption charges against a second former president and FATF advises countries on how to evaluate the risks of alternative financial service providers, in this week's news roundup.
Argentina's Senate approves new anti-money laundering legislation, New Jersey rabbi receives probation for money laundering conviction, and more, in this week's roundup.
President Obama signed a renewal of the Patriot Act into law late Thursday and the U.S. State Department cracked down on international companies for their ties to Iran, in this week's news roundup.
Dubai fines the UAE arm of E-Trade, and a source familiar with the U.S. Justice Department investigation of HSBC says that prosecutors may target individual bankers, in this week's news roundup.
The White House targets top Syrian officials for human rights violations as the United Nations mulls naming countries that haven't enforced Libyan sanctions, in this week's news roundup.
Antiguan officials are questioning the U.S. decision to shut down an online gambling Web site, and Indonesia investigators say that potential AML violations at Citibank may be tied to an embezzlement case, in this week's news roundup.
The OTS dings an Indiana bank for BSA violations as RBS gets an extension on its deal with the U.S. Justice Department, in this week's news roundup.
The European Commission sets a two month deadline for Germany to fully comply with the Third Money Laundering Directive, a secret report is leaked connecting an Islamic political group and al-Qaida, and more, in this week's roundup.
Several large U.S. banks have closed embassy accounts potentially linked to corruption, a Russian official accuses a U.S. charity of terrorist ties and more, in this week's news roundup.
Transparency International downgrades the United States in its annual corruption index, the FDIC dings a California bank for anti-money laundering troubles and more, in this week's news roundup.
Weekly Roundup: Italy Investigates Vatican Priests, Afghanistan to Audit All Private Banks, and More
While U.S. regulators are pushing national banks to hire regional Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) officers, some smaller banks have yet to hire a single full-time compliance officer, the U.S. Treasury Department said this week.
The U.S. Justice Department convicts the former head of a New York bank for TARP fraud, FinCEN delays its deadline on mutual fund BSA programs and more in this week's news roundup.