This past February, Thailand was added to a high-risk blacklist by an international organization many people have never heard of. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was established by the Group of Seven (G7) in 1989 to combat money laundering
Last week, one of the most important international banking organizations said it was preparing to ban blacklisted Iranian banks for their role in facilitating illicit financial transactions. Although existing international sanctions have placed significant pressure on Tehran, the United States
Europe’s security is being threatened by a terrorist organization that many people have never heard of. Last week, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), based in north Africa and active since 2002, posted pictures of five Europeans kidnapped in
In recent years, the United States has imposed a punishing sanctions regime on Iran’s banking sector. To further increase Tehran’s level of financial pain, a great number of Congressional and advocacy groups have repeatedly called on the White House to
In recent years, the United States has imposed punishing sanctions on Iran’s financial sector. Last week, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new measures intended to hamper Iran’s ability to raise and move funds internationally. Several Western allies have followed suit
In a court decision that has received surprisingly little media coverage, a New York District judge ordered Citibank to freeze almost $2 billion of debt-securities allegedly belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran. This past August, victims of Iranian terror
As details of the Iranian terror plot to blow up the Saudi Embassy in Washington DC become clearer, the U.S. and other Western allies will look to punish Iran. One of the most powerful ways to influence Iran is through
Indonesian companies and financial institutions are poised to help Iran sidestep international sanctions by setting up a joint bank to facilitate billions of dollars of annual trade between the two countries. In addition, the Indonesian government is allowing its national
In recent weeks, the United Nations has sponsored meetings in Mogadishu to help Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) improve security, promote reconciliation and draw up a new constitution for the war-ravaged country. One of the biggest obstacles to ensuring peace
Written with John Cassara. As the Obama administration reviews its Afghanistan and Pakistan policy, looking for creative means to challenge extremist funding, the drug trade is increasingly coming into focus. Afghanistan’s booming narcotics industry generates much of the money that
Human smuggling is a lucrative business. Despite the best efforts of customs officials around the globe, smugglers remain in business, in part because of their access to capital and law enforcement’s reluctance to use some of the most advanced tools