Although the grandson of a former head of the Communist Party USA, Bill Browder isn't exactly beloved by Russian officials, even those professing nostalgia for the Soviet Union's supposedly golden days.
U.S. officials are increasingly relying on economic sanctions as a tool of foreign policy, but the effectiveness of sanctions in achieving policy objectives is questionable, according to Bryan Early, political science professor at University at Albany.
At its highest levels, Russian corruption over the past 20 years has been disguised by networks of shell companies and facilitated by foreign banks willing to turn a blind eye to state embezzlement, according to Karen Dawisha, a political science professor at Ohio-based Miami University.
Whatever the effectiveness of sanctions meant to sway Russia's involvement in Ukraine, one thing is certain: they've worsened the country's capital flight problem. By year's end, approximately $128 billion will have moved abroad, up from $63 billion in 2013, according to Russia's central bank.
The EU on Monday adopted extended sanctions targeting Moscow's oil and defense industries' measures expected to raise compliance costs for banks in the economic bloc, once implemented.
Military clashes in Ukraine are complicating behind-the-scenes efforts by some EU nations to prevent new sanctions and roll back existing financial restrictions targeting Russia.
Diplomatic tension over Ukraine has raised doubts that the United States will attend an upcoming Moscow plenary of the world's largest anti-money laundering task force, say current and former officials.
As the Obama administration weighs punitive measures against Russia, part of its calculus will be the degree to which Russian officials can undermine U.S. national interests, including sanctions against Iran.
Resolving the growing tension between data privacy restrictions and anti-money laundering laws and overseeing the next round of mutual evaluations will define Russia's stewardship of a global anti-money laundering group, say analysts.
A House panel Thursday advanced sanctions legislation that would blacklist individuals deemed responsible for the detention and death of a Moscow attorney who uncovered an alleged tax fraud scheme.
Former Holy Land Foundation leaders appear in court to appeal convictions, the United Kingdom announces charges against an individual for alleged Bribery Act violations, and more, in this week's roundup.
A Russian law that prohibits corporate bribes and raises the ceiling on punitive fines isn't likely to impede businesses from offering illegal incentives to win lucrative contracts, say political observers.
Russia's compliance with international anti-money laundering standards is likely to remain tenuous, according to Ethan S. Burger, a senior lecturer for the Faculty of Law and Centre for Transnational Crime Prevention at the University of Wollongong in Australia.
The Bank of New York Mellon settled a $22.5 billion civil lawsuit brought by the Russian government for the actions of a rogue bank employee who laundered billions of dollars, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Russia's finance minister.
Settlement talks between the Bank of New York Mellon and Russia over the country's alleged loss of taxes on $7.5 billion have stalled, according to a lawyer representing the federation.
Russia has offered to drop a controversial $22.5 billion lawsuit against Bank of New York Mellon in exchange for an $800 million settlement, a Russian financial newspaper reported Tuesday.
The Russian Federation is set to approve a European-based proposal that would bolster the country's ability to seize the assets of suspected money launderers and terrorists, according to a Russian news report.
The U.S. State Department imposed economic sanctions on companies in China, Russia and Venezuela for allegedly selling components that could help Iran, North Korea and Syria develop weapons of mass destruction.
High-level corruption in Russia continues to thwart government efforts to counter money laundering and terrorist financing in the country, a European anti-money laundering watchdog said in a report made public Thursday.
The Russian government has hired celebrated U.S. attorneys Alan Dershowitz and G. Robert Blakey to testify about U.S. RICO laws as part of its $22.5 billion lawsuit against the Bank of New York Mellon for its alleged role in a money laundering scheme.