Financial Crime Weekly Podcast

Hello, and welcome to episode 172 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we unpack a sweeping set of global enforcement actions and policy updates—from Interactive Brokers' $11.8 million sanctions settlement in the U.S. to OFAC's crackdown on Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua criminal network. We explore the EU’s sanctions against Russian hybrid threats and t...

Hello, and welcome to episode 171 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode looks at the FCA’s £42 million penalty against Barclays for critical compliance failures, exposes the growing exploitation of UK youth in laundering schemes, and explores mounting international tensions around sanctions—highlighting controversial moves against Palestinian legal advocates and...

Hello, and welcome to episode 170 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode unpacks a wide range of developments—from targeted sanctions and regulatory refinements to emerging threats driven by AI and deepfake technologies. Highlights include UK and US moves against sanctioned individuals and groups, new OFSI guidance on debt payments and domicile, and evolving shado...

Hello, and welcome to episode 169 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode covers a global sweep of the latest enforcement actions and regulatory developments, from US sanctions targeting Hizballah’s financial infrastructure and North Korean cyber operatives, to the UK’s record-breaking penalties for Russia sanctions breaches and a major money laundering fine in Sin...

Hello, and welcome to episode 168 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode explores a sweeping range of global enforcement actions and regulatory developments. Highlights include OFAC’s fine against a US firm over Cuba sanctions breaches, and the exposure of sprawling oil smuggling and shadow fleet networks aiding Iran and Russia. The UK’s National Crime Agency and...

Hello, and welcome to episode 167 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode covers a wide-ranging set of developments across the sanctions, fraud, market abuse, and cybercrime landscapes. Highlights include new UK sanctions guidance for non-UK businesses, the lifting of long-standing US sanctions on Syria, and a revealing review of the UK’s evolving sanctions strateg...

Hello, and welcome to episode 166 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This episode covers a breadth of developments across the financial crime landscape—from a push to reform UK sanctions oversight and new MONEYVAL progress reports on North Macedonia and Romania, to the FATF’s latest warnings on illicit finance risks in the virtual asset sector. It also features FinCEN’s la...

Hello, and welcome to episode 165 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast – midweek edition – I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we look at the sweep of global enforcement actions, including expanded US sanctions targeting Iran’s defence networks and the Houthi oil smuggling operation, alongside EU measures against Syrian elites for human rights abuses. We cover FATF’s push to align financial inc...

Hello, and welcome to episode 164 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we look at developments across the sanctions, money laundering, and cybercrime landscapes. From the UK’s sanctions update delisting Slobodan Tešić and targeting a Ugandan ISIL facilitator, to the US Treasury’s action against CJNG cartel leaders. We look at the FATF’s enhanced standards fo...

Hello, and welcome to episode 163 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we look at new sanctions imposed by OFAC on illicit financial networks, a landmark Justice Department decision on voluntary disclosure in sanctions violations, and the latest geopolitical tensions affecting global enforcement efforts. We also look at China’s potential easing of sanctions...

Hello, and welcome to episode 162 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this episode, we look at developments in global financial crime enforcement, including the UK Information Tribunal's affirmation of OFSI's "Neither Confirm Nor Deny" approach to sanctions licence confidentiality, calls to strengthen UK whistleblower protections for sanctions enforcement...

Hello, and welcome to episode 161 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast – midweek edition – I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this first midweek episode, we cover significant developments in global sanctions, money laundering enforcement, and anti-corruption efforts. From the US imposing sanctions on ICC judges and Iran’s shadow banking network to a global coalition imposing sanctions on two Israeli politic...

Hello, and welcome to episode 160 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this week’s episode, we look at fresh developments in sanctions enforcement, money laundering crackdowns, and fraud investigations. The UK government is pressuring Roman Abramovich over £2.5 billion in frozen funds from Chelsea FC’s sale, while OFAC targets Guyanese and Colombian drug traffickers using...

Hello, and welcome to episode 159 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this week’s episode, we cover developments in global financial crime enforcement, sanctions policy shifts, and emerging regulatory challenges. In the US, the Treasury has provided sanctions relief for Syria, while the EU has made a parallel decision. Switzerland has proposed an overhaul of money launde...

Hello, and welcome to episode 158 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this week’s episode, we begin with the UK’s latest sanctions enforcement strategy, including new measures targeting Russia’s financial networks, extremist settler groups in the West Bank, and corruption in Moldova and Georgia. We then cover the UK’s 100 new sanctions in response to Russia’s largest dro...

Hello, and welcome to episode 157 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this week’s episode, the UK’s OFSI has published a blog post after it issued its first penalty for failing to respond to a statutory Request for Information, reinforcing compliance expectations. Meanwhile, Mozambique has met FATF requirements for removal from the grey list, signalling progress in finan...

Hello, and welcome to episode 156 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. In this week’s episode, we explore major developments in financial crime and global enforcement. The European Union is advancing its 17th sanctions package against Russia, coordinating with the US amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions, while OFAC targets cyber scam operators and tightens sanctions on Irani...

Hello, and welcome to episode 155 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This week’s episode covers key developments in global sanctions enforcement, corporate transparency, and financial fraud. We look at China’s potential easing of sanctions on MEPs, concerns over UK professionals enabling Russian sanctions evasion, and OFSI’s latest amendments to Russian designations and Sy...

Hello, and welcome to episode 154 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This week's edition looks at global developments in financial crime enforcement, sanctions, and regulatory updates. We explore the Yemen International Bank's response to US sanctions, new measures targeting Iranian LPG facilitators, and adjustments to UK sanctions on Syria. Additionally, we look a...

Hello, and welcome to episode 153 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This week's episode covers the latest global developments in financial crime, sanctions, fraud, market abuse, and cyber threats. In this episode, we delve into the controversy surrounding US sanctions on the International Criminal Court, escalating restrictions on Russian financial networks, and cover...

Hello, and welcome to episode 152 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. This week's episode covers a range of topics, including sanctions, money laundering, fraud, bribery, corruption, market abuse, and cybercrime. Highlights include new sanctions imposed by the US and China, updates on anti-money laundering reforms in Switzerland, and significant fraud investigations in...

Hello, and welcome to episode 151 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. After a few quiet weeks, the news has increased this week. On sanctions, new designations aimed at the usual targets in the US, as well as enforcement news. The UK has amended some licences, as well as having issued new designations. On money laundering AUSTRAC has made a number of updates to its website,...

Hello, and welcome to episode 150 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. The sanctions news this week brings new designations from the US and UK, as well as a host of amendments to designations and licences in the UK. The money laundering news brings a Hawala warning from HMRC in the UK, and of the need for public-private collaboration from the FATF. On bribery and corruption...

Hello, and welcome to episode 149 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. The sanctions news this week probably accounts for the bulk of the news. New sanctions from the EU, UK, and US, as well as the monthly report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clear Air. In the UK, the National Crime Agency has published its SARs Reporter Booklet for March, and on bribery news, m...

Hello, and welcome to episode 148 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I’m Chris Kirkbride. On sanctions, threats to Russia from the US, minor changes to the UK sanctions regime, and a couple of pieces of reading I wanted to share. On money laundering, a crypto exchange take-down in the US, while on bribery and corruption, activity in the EU against alleged corruption. On fraud, interesting stor...