October 14-18, 2024 ? top KYC/AML/CFT headlines

1?? The FATF has made major changes to the criteria for putting countries on its lists to relieve pressures on least developed countries and focus on those countries posing greater risks to the international financial system?? .

2?? FATF is considering blacklisting Russia. The FATF suspended Russia's membership in February 2023?? .

3?? Eleven countries (U.S., South Korea, Japan, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) will launch a new joint body to monitor North Korea sanctions violations. The decision follows the dissolution of a U.N. monitoring body six months ago due to a veto from Russia?? .

4?? Britain is considering sanctioning Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over comments they made about civilians in Gaza and West Bank settlers?? .

5?? French cement-maker Lafarge will face trial in Paris on charges that it financed terrorism and breached international sanctions. Lafarge is suspected of paying $5 million to Islamic State (ISIS) and other jihadist groups to keep its plant in Syria operating in 2013 and 2014?? .

6?? The European Central Bank (ECB) has raised concerns over Serbian lender Alta Pay's bid to acquire Austria’s Addiko Bank. The ECB's intervention stems from worries about potential money laundering risks associated with the takeover?? .

7?? Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz has been freed from custody in Greece but banned from travelling outside the country as he awaits a court ruling on a Romanian-issued arrest warrant?? .