California Acts to Stop Ygrene Energy Fund from Deceiving Consumers About PACE Financing, Placing Liens on Homes Without Consumer Consent
The Federal Trade Commission and State of California are taking action against home improvement financing provider Ygrene Energy Fund Inc. for deceiving consumers about the potential financial impact of its financing, and for unfairly recording liens on consumers’ homes without their consent. The FTC and California allege that Ygrene and its contractors falsely told consumers that the financing wouldn’t interfere with the sale or refinancing of their homes, in many instances relying on high-pressure sales tactics or outright forgery to sign…
Broker for Israeli Arms to Myanmar Arrested in Thailand for Drug Dealing and Money Laundering
Haaretz Daily Newspaper reports: Documents reveal that a corporation implicated in corruption, served as a middleman between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit (publicly traded co), Israel Shipyards (publicly traded co) and Myanmar’s brutal junta, despite international sanctions over the Rohingya genocide. Company Company Relation Location Industry Description Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) Parent Israel Aircraft Engines Elta Systems Ltd Subsidiary of Parent Israel Electronic Navigation/Tracking Systems Iai Asia Pte. Ltd. Subsidiary of Parent Singapore Wholesalers Iai North America Inc. Principal…
“Cash is King” to Avoiding US Sanctions
Miami – It was a deal that brought together oligarchs from some of America’s top adversaries. ‘The key is the cash,’ the oil broker wrote in a text message, offering a deep discount on Venezuelan crude shipments to an associate who claimed to be fronting for the owner of Russia’s biggest aluminum company. ‘As soon as you are ready with cash we can work.’ The communication was included in a 49-page indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York federal court charging…
Sanctions on anti-war, Ukrainian individuals? Alex Ozhelskiy and Mikhail Fridman
Alexander Ozhelskiy, 22, son of Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, posted a video address in which he says that he does not support the war in Ukraine and thinks the sanctions against him are unfair. Alexander states that he has participated in “pro-Ukrainian protests”. Ozhelskiy is the co-founder and general director of Esef Direct Investments LLC, as well as a co-founder and director of Alliance Management Company LLC. He is also co-founder of Esef Development LLC and Esef Properties LLC. His…
Leaked: Unintentional whistleblower Berlusconi tells “true story” of the Russia/Ukraine “massacre”
Ukraine throws damns this treaty to hell [less dramatic translation: violates the treaty] a year later, and begins attacking the borders of the two republics…Desperate, the two republics send a delegation to Moscow and finally manage to talk to Putin.
Two Florida Medical Study Coordinators Sentenced in Connection with Scheme to Falsify Clinical Trial Data
Department of Justice / Southern District of Florida / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / Wednesday, October 19, 2022 MIAMI – A federal judge sentenced two Florida women to prison in connection with their participation in a conspiracy to falsify clinical trial data. Senior U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham of the Southern District of Florida sentenced Analay Rico, 37, of Fort Lauderdale, to 40 months in prison and Daylen Diaz, 44, of Miami, to 24 months in prison. The court also ordered…
Illicit Financing Risks in the Digital Assets Space: Department of the Treasury Releases Three Reports on Digital Assets and Invites Comment
On September 16, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) published three reports in response to a March 2022 Executive Order concerning the development of digital assets. The reports address the future of money and payments; implications for consumers, investors, and businesses; and the illicit financing risks of digital assets. Secretary Yellen described the reports as identifying the challenges and risks of digital assets used for financial services, while providing recommendations for mitigating such risks. The reports responded to President…
OFAC Sanctions Virtual Currency Mixer “Tornado Cash”
On August 8, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) sanctioned virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash for having laundered more than USD 7 billion worth of virtual currency since its founding in 2019. This includes over USD 455 million worth of stolen virtual currency associated with the Lazarus Group, a “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) state-sponsored hacking group” that is responsible for the largest known virtual currency heist to date.[1] Notably, Tornado Cash…
Russian Sanctions Update: Will “Biting” Eighth EU Sanctions Package Prohibit Legal Services?
“Russia should not benefit from European knowledge and expertise.” That is the view of European Commission (“EC”) President Ursula von der Leyen, who recently proposed an eighth package of sanctions against Russia in response to “escalation” in Ukraine. Among the “biting” new sanctions will be a wider ban on the provision of European services to Russia. The list of banned services has not yet been announced, but there are multiple reports circulating that this may include legal services. Watch this…
16 Wall Street Firms admit to Recordkeeping Failures, agree to pay $1.1 billion in penalties
The SEC charged 15 broker-dealers and one affiliated investment adviser for widespread and longstanding failures by the firms and their employees to maintain and preserve electronic communications. The firms admitted the facts set forth in their respective SEC orders, acknowledged that their conduct violated recordkeeping provisions of the federal securities laws. The following eight firms (and five affiliates) have agreed to pay penalties of $125 million each: Barclays Capital Inc. BofA Securities Inc. together with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &…
Oracle Turkey, UAE and India Foreign Bribery Charges Settlement with SEC
Oracle Corporation settled charges with the SEC after allegedly violating provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Oracle subsidiaries in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and India were said to have created and used slush funds to bribe foreign officials in return for business between 2016 and 2019. Oracle agreed to cease and desist from committing violations of the anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting controls provisions of the FCPA and to pay approximately $8 million in…
Central African Republic: Said trial opens at International Criminal Court
Mahamat Said Abdel Kani – a top-ranking leader of the mostly-Muslim Séléka militia – pleaded not guilty to all charges, which relate to atrocities carried out in 2013, in the Central African Republic capital, Bangui. Much of the violence stemmed for clashes between Séléka and the mostly-Christian Anti-balaka faction. Occupation Before the crimes were committed, from late 2012 to early 2013, Séléka militia advanced towards the capital, attacking police stations, occupying military bases, capturing towns and regional capitals, and targeting…
DOJ Announces New Corporate Enforcement Strategy
On September 15, 2022, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced updated guidelines for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) corporate criminal enforcement in a speech at New York University Law School. Monaco previously announced in October 2021 that DOJ would take a tougher stance on white collar crime. Shortly thereafter, Monaco formed an advisory group to evaluate potential changes to existing DOJ policies to facilitate DOJ’s more aggressive approach. The advisory group solicited feedback from defense counsel, executives, compliance personnel,…
Politician accuses FDIC of coercing banks into denying services to lawful crypto companies
In a letter dated August 16, 2022, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey addressed FDIC acting chairman Martin Gruenberg to inquire about some recent FDIC actions that came to light by way of whistleblower reporting. Toomey said that the affected parties came forward to reveal that their banks received letters from the FDIC discouraging the bank from doing business with legitimate crypto companies: According to whistleblower communications that we have corroborated, personnel in the FDIC’s Washington, D.C., headquarters are urging FDIC regional…
Not being covered in media: Official UK data on adverse reactions to vaccination and “excess deaths”
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Russia asks for UNSC meeting to discuss strikes on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Russia claims that Ukrainian forces have repeatedly launched targeted attacks hitting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, a sensitive area known as the largest nuclear power plant in Europe with at least six operating reactors. On August 7, the military-civilian administration of Energodar city, located in the north-western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine, accused Ukrainian forces of launching a 220 mm Uragan rocket with a cluster warhead. The Russian officials said that Ukraine’s strike has damaged the station’s administrative buildings…