United States: Money Laundering

The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has uncovered $17.5 billion in suspicious financial activity tied to health care fraud schemes, revealing how fraudulent providers exploit Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance programs. Analysis of over 5,700 Bank Secrecy Act reports exposes sophisticated money laundering networks spanning all 50 states, with home health care businesses emerging as the most frequently identified perpetrators.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has published comprehensive amendments to Cuba sanctions regulations, expanded Iran sectoral sanctions to include automotive and rail industries, and targeted multiple transnational criminal networks including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. Meanwhile, the UK and EU have strengthened Russia sanctions enforcement while providing targeted exemptions for specific energy projects, and Asia-Pacific nations are navigating complex sanctions compliance challenges.

The US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control conducted one of the Trump administration's most extensive crackdowns on cartel operations, designating 56 individuals and entities tied to the Sinaloa Cartel and Tren de Aragua. These sweeping sanctions targeted not only cartel leadership but also money launderers, corrupt Mexican officials, and financial facilitators, marking a significant escalation in Washington's network-focused approach to disrupting transnational criminal organizations

This collection showcases Ankura's latest insights spanning cryptocurrency enforcement, parcel shipping costs, sanctions compliance, cybersecurity threats, mortgage industry dynamics, healthcare labor challenges, AI governance in financial services, and business transformation strategies. Each piece examines critical operational and regulatory challenges facing organizations across multiple sectors, offering strategic perspectives on navigating complex business environments.

The US Department of Justice has signaled a potential expansion of enforcement under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and Section 951, despite earlier indications of limited criminal enforcement. Recent regulatory developments, policy announcements, and high-profile prosecutions of US officials suggest a renewed focus on foreign agent disclosure requirements and potential criminal liability for undisclosed relationships with foreign governments.

Georgia's Transaction Hold Law, effective July 1, 2026, applies to most federally insured depository institutions doing business in Georgia. The new law grants discretionary authority to hold transactions suspected of involving financial exploitation of eligible adults.

Global sanctions enforcement intensifies as the US expands its economic pressure campaigns against Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela while the UK and EU strengthen their Russia sanctions frameworks. Meanwhile, China pushes back against US sanctions targeting its companies over alleged Iran ties, and a Dutch chipmaker faces asset freezes amid a complex ownership dispute involving Chinese courts.

FinCEN has issued a new alert urging financial institutions to heighten their vigilance in detecting and reporting suspicious activity linked to digital asset investment scam centers. This guidance addresses the escalating threat of sophisticated fraud operations that exploit cryptocurrency platforms to launder illicit proceeds, building upon previous regulatory warnings about investment scams in the digital asset space.

As forced labor import restrictions proliferate globally, companies face a new compliance challenge: the corruption risks embedded in navigating these expanding regulatory regimes. This analysis examines how the rapid adoption of forced labor trade enforcement mechanisms worldwide may create opportunities for customs-related bribery and explores practical steps for integrating human rights and anti-corruption compliance strategies.