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New Zealand central bank says data system hacked

AP — New Zealand’s central bank said Sunday that one of its data systems has been breached by an unidentified hacker who potentially accessed commercially and personally sensitive information. A third party file sharing service used by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to share and… Read More

Israeli arms manufacturers paid millions to Azeris through Russian bank

Last month, The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s largest aerospace manufacturer, Israel Aerospace Industries, transferred at least $155 million in 2012-2014 to two companies that were reportedly used as a secret slush fund for Azerbaijan’s kleptocratic elite. A new report published earlier this month on Russian… Read More

Auckland gang members arrested for alleged money laundering linked to China

Police seized a Lamborghini worth nearly half a million dollars during a raid on an alleged money laundering service in Auckland. The Lamborghini Huracan, worth $450,000, was seized alongside a Mercedes G Wagon worth $280,000 and five other luxury cars. A Rayglass boat and high-end motorcycles were also seized. During… Read More

28th September 2020

How the Commonwealth Bank helped a Bitcoin fraud suspect accused of laundering billions

Alexander Vinnik is in a world of trouble. The 40-year-old Russian is inside a jail cell in France, where prosecutors argue he is responsible for a vast criminal enterprise. His problems do not end there: US prosecutors want to extradite him to face criminal charges, while New Zealand police have… Read More

24th September 2020

Commonwealth Bank and St George held accounts for Options Rider investor scam, FinCEN files show

A friend recommended Carmelita Roque invest her savings in Options Rider. Options Rider’s use of Australian banks gave the US Army soldier comfort her money was safe. “Seeing the money that I would be wiring would be going to a country like Australia, in my mind that was convincing enough… Read More

10th September 2020

New Zealand: Travel agents reimbursing customers held up by anti-money laundering laws

Yesterday the government announced a support package was being established for travel agents, incentivising them to recover the money of cancelled overseas trips for New Zealand customers. Under the scheme, travel agencies will be paid 7.5 percent of the value of cash refunds and 5 percent of the value… Read More

9th September 2020

Scam targets China-New Zealand money transfers

A scammer has used the Financial Market Authority (FMA) as a cover to steal from people making money transfers to China. A woman stranded in New Zealand during the first Covid-19 lockdown lost a significant amount of money after she tried to transfer funds from China to New Zealand for… Read More

12th August 2020

Reporting of potential terrorist financing more than doubles in NZ

Reporting of potential terrorist financing has more than doubled in New Zealand since the March 15 mosque shootings. Police said people are far more vigilant when it comes to potential terrorist acts after the Christchurch attacks, which killed 51 and injured scores more. The organisation has also ramped up its… Read More

3rd August 2020

Falling foul of anti-money laundering laws results in multi-million dollar fines for Kiwi companies

Abandoned offices generally leave telltale clues about their previous occupants. But not Unit 2, 110 Mandeville St, in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton, wedged between counselling rooms and a private education business. Peering through the locked glass door of the office reveals emptiness framed by a swathe of bare carpet… Read More

23rd July 2020

New Zealand: Two companies fined $7.5 million for breaching money laundering laws

Two remittance companies have been fined a total of $7.5 million for breaching laws to prevent money laundering. The Auckland High Court has fined Auckland-based OTT Trading Group Ltd $3.1m and Christchurch-based MSI Group Ltd $4.4m. The penalties resulted from civil proceedings by the Department of Internal Affairs taken under… Read More

17th July 2020

Malta: €27.6 million recovered from Panama Papers, Swiss Leaks probe

Tax authorities have investigated 237 cases in connection with the 2016 Panama Papers leak and a further 96 over Swiss Leaks and have so far recouped more than €27.6 million, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said on Wednesday. Scicluna said €14.2 million was recovered from 163 concluded cases following the Panama… Read More

6th July 2020

New Zealand forex broker Russell Maher jailed over $1.55m fraud

A foreign exchange broker who defrauded his clients of $1.55 million by using forged documents has been jailed. Russell Maher appeared today in the Auckland District Court and was sentenced by Judge Russell Collins to three years and four months’ imprisonment. The 53-year-old had been charged and later pleaded guilty… Read More

25th June 2020

New Zealand: Police Target Alleged Comanchero Money Laundering Operation

The National Organised Crime Group have disrupted a criminal syndicate allegedly involved in providing money laundering services for the Comanchero motorcycle gang. Today, three men have been arrested at properties across the Auckland region with over $650,000 worth of assets being restrained by Police as part of Operation Rider. These… Read More

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Defense Act Expands Scope of Foreign Bank Records U.S. Authorities Can Obtain

After Brexit, the UK is Open to Almost Unrestrained Antiquities Trade

Alleged RCMP mole accused of selling secrets to kingpin money launderer and terror-financier’s network

China Tripled AML Penalties in 2020 Compared to 2019

Fines for UK firms buying goods linked to Chinese slave labour camps