Deep investigations that expose illicit activity.

Happy Monday!  It’s April 29, and we’re tracking top stories to start the week: Western banks in Russia paid $855M in taxes to Kremlin last year, Jim Biden was in business with Qatari officials, Know Your Customer EO facing stiff opposition from cloud industry, China firms go 'underground' on Russia payments as banks pull back, and much more...      

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🎯 Western banks in Russia paid €800M in taxes to Kremlin last year. The top seven biggest European banks in Russia posted combined profits of more than €3B last year, a threefold increase on their performance in 2021. FT 

🇷🇺 Moscow may seize private U.S. assets in Russia Reuters

Top Stories

🌎 Jim Biden was in business with Qatari officials. Alleged arrangements would be some of the closest known links between a Biden relative and a foreign government. Politico

🌎 Know Your Customer executive order facing stiff opposition from cloud industry. Vast logistical and financial costs would chill industry and sophisticated actors could easily dupe with fake identities. Record

🌎 China firms go 'underground' on Russia payments as banks pull back. As China's big banks pull back from financing Russia-related transactions, companies turn to small banks on the border and underground financing channels. Reuters

🇨🇳 New Eight-Person U.S. Group Helps Fight China Economic Coercion Bloomberg

🌎 The NGO Network Orchestrating Incitement on American Campuses. Protests are tightly coordinated and well-funded by a network of radical and often antisemitic non-governmental organizations. NGO Monitor

💥 Protesters overrun U-Yard barricades on day four of protest GW Hatchet

💥 Statement from Columbia University President Minouche Shafik Columbia U

🌎 California woman pleads guilty in $150M counterfeit postage scheme. Criminals mailed more than 34M parcels containing counterfeit postage labels. LAT

🌎 World War II History Haunts Attempts to Seize Russian Assets. Berlin has emerged as an opponent of plans to seize frozen Kremlin funds for reconstruction and military support of Ukraine. WSJ

🌎 Congress Leads on Iran Sanctions. New foreign-aid package includes a series of new sanctions, countering Biden’s accommodation. WSJ

🌎 How Fentanyl Laid Waste to Guatemala’s Time-Worn Opium Trade. Reshaping the drug war in one of Central America’s most lawless corners, the fentanyl boom has devastated the trade in opium poppies. NYT

🌎 Tech bros love talking about micro dosing – but the legality of psychedelics is a messy grey area. Despite surging social and scientific support for drugs such as psilocybin, many advocates live in fear of jail or personal ruin. Independent

IN THE NEWS

Russia

🇷🇺 Russia’s Shadow Fleet Goes Rogue CEPA

🇷🇺 Half of Russia's payments to China made through middlemen Reuters

🇷🇺 Oligarch sanction setbacks are no big deal Euro News

🇷🇺 Why Iran and Russia can dodge Western sanctions DW

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China

🇨🇳 Chinese Firms Flout U.S. Sanctions for Lucrative Russia Deals Politico

🇨🇳 Singapore sees fewer new Chinese family offices after money-laundering crackdown SCMP

🇨🇳 China to revise AML law amid crackdown on illicit capital flows Straits Times

🇨🇳 TikTok plans to fight a new law. Congress already laid a defense. Politico

🇨🇳 Top semiconductor company leaves China due to U.S. sanctions Tom’s Hardware

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Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 From bribes to sex scandals, lawyer investigations scrutinized over ‘whitewash’ claims FT

💸 Italian Mobsters Grew Powerful in Toronto. Experts Say Canadian Law Can’t Stop Them. OCCRP

💸 On Alvin Bragg and the art of not taking the law too seriously Hill

💸 Mexican president claims that criminal groups are ‘respectful’ and ‘respect the citizenry’ AP

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Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Senators Question Biden Administration on Russia's Use of Tether to Evade Sanctions WSJ

🔐 Taiwan prosecutors target 20-year sentences for Ace Exchange suspects Cointelegraph

🔐 South Korea to officialize crypto investigative unit amid surge in crime Block

🔐 DOJ challenges motion to dismiss Tornado Cash co-founder’s charges Cointelegraph

🔐 Microsoft Warns Windows Users Of Ongoing Russian Hack Attack Forbes

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Trafficking

🚚 Biden administration’s Hispanic chain gang Washington Times

🚚 Commerce Department announces new restrictions on U.S. firearms exports AP

🚚 Save the Children disputes abuse allegations after Guatemalan prosecutors raid offices AP

🚚 France charges ex-wife of top IS group official with crimes against humanity AFP

"You can vote your way into Socialism, but you have to shoot your way out." --Walter Williams

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