CONVICTED POPULAR FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF PALESTINE (PLO) TERRORIST ARRESTED IN SOUTH TEXAS IN MONEY LAUNDERING/TERRORIST FINANCING INVESTIGATION

George Zahi Rafidi, convicted  and imprisoned for terrorist acts in Israel, and who lied about his membership in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine when he applied for political asylum in the US, has been arrested by Federal authorities in Brownsville, Texas, in connection with a money laundering investigation. Rafidi was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for acts he committed for the PFLP, including attempted arms trafficking, but he was later released and deported in a prisoner exchange. Local media believe the investigation involves terrorist activity.

Rafidi, who entered the US on a tourist visa, concealed his PFLP membership when seeking asylum, and a Federal indictment is pending against him for making false statements and fraud. His arrest, however, appears to be connected to a money laundering investigation involving the operation of underground casinos. There is no additional publicly available information concerning how the money laundering is connected to terrorist financing.

Twenty one motor vehicles reportedly owned by Rafidi's brother Fayes, at two automobile sales businesses, were seized, as  well as cash, documents and computers.

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

IS THE STORY OF DONALD TRUMP'S MISADVANTURE IN PANAMA IN THE MUELLER REPORT, BUT REDACTED FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS ?

The controversy over the more damning details regarding Donald Trump's alleged nocturnal actions in Moscow, during the Miss Universe pageant in 2013, surfaced again yesterday, when text messages from a Russian contact of Trump attorney Michael Cohen appears to have proven that Trump knew about the so-called Russia tapes back in 2016 surfaced in the media. Whether the tapes actually exist today remain a mystery, but there is another dark episode in Donald Trump's life that may be in the Special Counsel's Report, but redacted for national security reasons.

During the period when Donald Trump was traveling to the Republic of Panama *, in support of the Trump Ocean Club project, multiple Panamanian sources have confirmed that he engaged in similar conduct in Panama City, and that such activities were the subject of pre-planned video surveillance on the part of the Panamanian government. Those tapes are known to exist, as is the identity of the individual who engaged in the act of taping Trump, as well as who currently has possession and control of them. They are also said to be far more damaging than that the Russia tapes.

Given the extensive investigation conducted by the Office of Special Counsel, we doubt that Robert Mueller was not aware of the existence of this material, which has been curiously not reported in mainstream American media. Is this story in the Mueller Report, but redacted because of the national security implications ? If an adversary of the United States was to gain access to a copy of the tape, could they not exert undue influence over Trump to bend to their wishes ? 

Russian organized crime is deeply entrenched in Panama; in truth and in fact many Russian nationals of colorful backgrounds purchased units in the Trump Ocean Club. Do the Russians have a copy of that tape ?

Also, given that a number of Specially Designated Global Terrorist organizations not only operate in Panama City, but are allowed to maintain offices there, to facilitate their money laundering activities,  there is a clear and present danger that one of those organizations might gain access.

Lastly, do mainstream American media have this story, but for some reason have declined to publish it, and thus incur the wrath of the Trump Administration ?

*  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v6o_MNzxHA 

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

IRAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD LAUNDERING OF CONSTRUCTION FUNDS INTO CANADIAN REAL ESTATE PRESENTS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR CANADA

The massive flooding experienced recently in Iran is said to have occurred in large part due to underfunded construction of dams and railway lines by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Reportedly, the floods are so bad that IRGC leaders, seeking to examine the problem up close, have been stranded in the field. The IRGC is known to have diverted huge sums from construction projects that it was building, resulting in substandard structures. While Iran now faces reconstruction, the IRGC actions have created a money laundering here problem in the Western Hemisphere. 

Much of the millions stolen from the IRGC-managed construction projects  was laundered through the purchase of real estate in Canada; the previous government there has been accused of willful blindness in allowing dodgy capital from Iran to acquire large real estate holdings, much of it in the Province of Ontario. While the current Canadian government has ramped up its anti-money laundering program, it will take years to uncover all the properties purchased with IRGC flight capital. It seems that Canada's zeal to attract foreign capital has gone astray.

Note that there are some strong allegations that the IRGC, while placing most of its diverted funds in Canada, has also purchased properties in the United States, especially in California, though to date no evidence has been made public.

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst 

CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ANTIGUA IGNORES COURT DECISION ON ITS FORMER FINANCIAL REGULATOR AND CONTINUES TO BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR CRIMINALS & FRAUDSTERS

Leroy King, the former financial regulator in Antigua, remains a free man, notwithstanding the loss, months ago, of his last possible appeal of the extradition order, in a case which has been pending for a decade, and which has given Antigua a permanent black eye in the international community. King, who took bribes from convicted Ponzi schemer Allen Stanford to deceive American regulators and law enforcement agencies, has been ordered extradited a number of times, only for Antigua's courts to allow repeated bogus appeals and petitions, judicial reassignments, and outright dilatory tactics to delay his extradition indefinitely.

Many Antiguans believe that King, if facing a long prison term in the United States for his crimes, would implicate both the present, as  well as the former, prime minister of Antigua in corrupt activities involving Stanford, and for that reason, senior government officials have ordered the courts to do whatever it takes to deter his extradition to the State of Texas, where he remains the sole fugitive from justice in the Stanford International Bank Ponzi scheme.

Now with the extradition case against the billionaire Indian fraudster, Mehul Choksi appearing to go the same way, Antigua's image as a country that ignores the Rule of Law when senior officials so order it, will only be reinforced, and Country Risk for foreign investors will continue to remain elevated .

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

CANADA FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT INVESTIGATING MONEY LAUNDERING IN THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

If there is one thing that financial crime analysts agree upon, it is that one province in Canada has become one huge playground for international money laundering. From Chinese organized crime syndicates using British Columbia casinos to dodgy expats buying up pricey local real estate, money from abroad, as well as drug profits of local origin, finds a home in BC Canada. Now we know one of the reasons why; There's nobody in the field working cases.

Peter German QC PhD, a prominent former executive in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in a report made public recently, disclosed that, in the RCMP E Division money laundering team, of the 25 ostensibly funded positions, only 11 are filled, and only five of those are actually working as investigators; the other 6 are shown as away on training or absent for other reasons.

Now here's where it get really interesting; all those 5 are referring their money laundering cases to the British Columbia Civil Forfeiture office, according to Dr. German. They are not pursuing ANY criminal money laundering prosecutions. No wonder BC is overrun with laundrymen and their
clients.

To quote the report, "In the course of this review, we learned that there are currently no Federal (RCMP) resources in BC dedicated to criminal money laundering investigations.This is particularly alarming when one considers that the issue of money laundering has been front page news in BC for almost two years."  Chapter 6-4, Criminal Investigation, P.2, An Independent Review of Money Laundering in B.C.

The blame appears to be, in part, because of a $500m budget cut imposed upon the RCMP, causing a manpower shortage, and the lack of experienced financial crime investigators. We sincerely hope that Canada will quickly remedy these shortcomings, to interdict the rampant money laundering operations that are infecting British Columbia. Wake up, Canada.

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Anmalyst  

JULIAN ASSANGE EVICTED FROM ECUADOR EMBASSY AND ARRESTED BY POLICE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Here is the Indictment against Julian Assange, who was evicted today from the Ecuadorian Embassy; he is facing extradition to the US; his lawyers have indicated that they will oppose it on several grounds. You may read the Indictment here.

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

READ NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES (DFS) CONSENT ORDER AGAINST STANDARD CHARTERED

If you are following the $1.1bn civil penalty imposed by UK and US regulators for major violations of anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations, read the Consent Order Stsndard Chartered Bank entered into with the State of New York Department of financial Services here. 

https://www.dfs.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2019/04/ea190409_standard_chartered_bank.pdf

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst 
Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

legal@wantedsa.com

RUSSIAN BANK OWNED BY FORMER US CONGRESSMAN CHARLES TAYLOR LOSES LICENSE FOR MONEY LAUNDERING

The Bank of Ivanovo ( Ivonovo JSC KB, Reg. No. 2763), also known as the Commercial Bank of Ivanovo, has had its license to conduct banking operations revoked by the Bank of Russia, the country's Central Bank, on April 5, 2019, pursuant to Order OD-761 An administrator has been appointed temporarily, until the appointment of a liquidator or bankruptcy trustee.

The stated grounds:
(1) Numerous violations of the laws against money laundering and terrorist financing.
(2) Concealing the bank's financial position from regulators.
(3) A 30% decrease in the value of the bank's capital. 

The 80% owner of the bank is reportedly former United States Congressman, the North Carolina Republican Charles Taylor, who claims he is neither an officer nor director at this time. A former KGB agent, Boris Bolshakov. is said to be the second-largest shareholder.

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant

VENEZUELA DIRTY MONEY PAYMENTS TO HEZBOLLAH FLOWED THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ANTIGUA

Alex Nain Saab Moran, the Barranquilla, Colombian businessman who is a close associate of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, reportedly assisted the Venezuelan Government in providing financial support to Hezbollah, moving the money through Antiguan banks. Saab, who is wanted for questioning in his native Colombia on money laundering charges, is believed to have fled to Europe. Devis José Mendoza and Robinson Ruiz Guerrero, his accountant and auditor have already been arrested by the authorities in Colombia, for money laundering.

After Saab's flight to avoid prosecution, the Antigua Government issued an official denial, regarding his involvement in money laundering. Saab, who holds a diplomatic passport from Antigua, is listed as its Economic Envoy, though he appears to have no specific duties, or assignments, as a diplomat.

According to reliable Financial Crime Analyst, Saab is being sought by law enforcement agencies of the United States, and the State of Israel. He allegedly used his contacts to supply food to Venezuela, under a special government program, to collect US Dollars at an artificial rate of exchange, which netted him extraordinary profits. One reliable source has the value of the contract at $200m.

Pursuant to directions from president Maduro, Saab transferred funds through his own offshore bank in Antigua, and employing local Antigua financial institutions, moved laundered money to Asia, and thereafter to Hezbollah, which is a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization (OFAC ). 

He has maintained a close relationship with senior government officials in Antigua, and his Colombian attorney, Abelardo de la Espriella, who has visited Antigua since Saab disappeared from Colombia in late 2018, denies that he has fled the region to avoid arrest.

Given the alleged involvement of a number of Antigua banks, in what will certainly be considered providing material support to a designated terrorist organization, both Country Risk for Antigua, and risk levels, regarding all financial institutions located in Antigua, must be elevated at this time. We have not named the banks, due to the pending investigations. US and EU banks should conduct look backs on all transactions involving Saab's offshore bank, and the lead bank he worked with in Antigua, as US authorities have an ongoing investigation in progress.

Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst  

Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant