Hello, and welcome to episode 176 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we look at developments in sanctions enforcement, including the US imposing sanctions on a Brazilian Supreme Court Justice, a vast Iranian shipping network, and Palestinian officials, alongside the UK Supreme Court upholding sanctions on British billionaire Eugene Shvidler. We also cover a substantial £300,000 penalty for a breach of UK Russia sanctions and recent amendments to the UK's Consolidated List. On the domestic front, the UK government has updated guidance on money laundering exemptions under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Fraud remains a prominent issue, with a massive alleged $500 million COVID-19 testing scheme in the US exposed and alleged internet fraudsters targeted in Nigeria. Furthermore, South Korea has launched a new Joint Response Team to combat stock market manipulation. Lastly, we'll unpack the UK's National Economic Crime Centre (NECC) 2024-2025 Annual Report, highlighting the persistent challenge of fraud—the most reported crime in England and Wales—and money laundering, while detailing the NECC's intelligence-led operations, public-private partnerships, and future focus on disrupting economic crime.

A transcript of this podcast, with links to the stories, will be available by Monday at www.crimes.financial.