Russia’s risk level in the Basel AML Index has hit a record low following a December 2019 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) assessment that rated the country’s anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CFT) systems as reasonably effective.
Financial investigations are critical to proving crimes such as corruption, fraud and trafficking in humans or illicit goods. They are also central to confiscating illegally obtained assets from criminals – so that crime doesn’t pay.
Yet there is often confusion about who performs financial investigations, how, when and why, as well as their relationship to criminal investigations. All of these questions are further complicated by the fact that different countries have different legal systems, different laws and different terminology.
Publication
Quick Guide 2: Intelligence
Manuel Medina, specialised Intelligence Analyst for our Illegal Wildlife Trade programme, sets out the basics of intelligence analysis and why we do it. Key questions are:
This quick guide to cryptocurrencies and money laundering investigations addresses the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Monero to facilitate serious crimes or to launder stolen money. It was originally published in March 2019 and updated in August 2023.
It explores, in brief:
A French version of Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration: A Toolkit for Arbitrators has just been published. You can download the toolkit in English, Russian and French (Corruption et blanchiment d’argent dans l’arbitrage international – Boîte à outils pour les arbitres) here.
A Russian version of Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration: A Toolkit for Arbitrators has just been published. You can download the English and Russian versions here.
News
4th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies – Interpol Singapore, 18-19 November
**UPDATE** The conference has been postponed until 18-19 November due to travel restrictions relating to the coronavirus emergency.
The 4th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies will take place this year on 18-19 November 2020 at the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore.
Over 80 arbitrators, lawyers and experts from around the world gathered at the University of Basel on 10 January 2020 to tackle the thorny issues of corruption and money laundering in international arbitration.
Corruption and money laundering affecting an underlying dispute are a considerable challenge for arbitrators and parties in investment and commercial arbitration. If corruption and/or money laundering is established, arbitrators need to decide about the legal consequences for the parties’ claims.
Die Schweiz ist der global wichtigste Standort für die Raffination von Gold. Jahr für Jahr werden circa 2200-3100 Tonnen Rohgold in die Schweiz importiert. Der Grossteil der Importe ist auf die Geschäftstätigkeit der hiesigen Goldraffinerien zurückzuführen. Sie sollen gemeinsam rund 50-70% der weltweiten Goldproduktion in die Schweiz importieren, um daraus Goldbarren, Halbfabrikate und andere Güter herzustellen.
Switzerland is the world leader in gold refining. Of the roughly 2,200–3,100 tonnes of raw gold imported into the country each year, the majority is destined for Swiss gold refineries. Together these companies are estimated to refine 50–70 percent of the world’s gold production, transforming it into gold bars, semi-finished products and other goods.