Financial

Solicitors and accountants are targets for serious and organised criminals, but providing quality Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) can disrupt criminals and protect potential victims

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/act-on-your-suspicions-to-help-stop-money-laundering-a3750356.html

Treasury Committee seeks to protect consumers and businesses with tougher regulatory framework

http://www.itpro.co.uk/strategy/28261/bitcoin-news

The UK Supreme Court denied US investment bank Citibank’s request to challenge a lower appeal court’s ruling that British tax authorities were not required to prove the bank was dishonest amid allegations EU carbon trading activities were linked to VAT fraud.

https://carbon-pulse.com/47624/

Europol says criminals are hiding billions in cryptocurrencies, as thousands of government and other websites have reportedly been used to hijack computers to mine more

http://www.computerweekly.com/news/252434855/Criminals-hijack-government-sites-to-mine-cryptocurrency-used-to-hide-wealth

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has charged Barclays Bank in regard to a loan provided to the State of Qatar in 2008.

https://www.itv.com/news/2018-02-12/serious-fraud-office-charges-barclays-bank-over-2-2-billion-qatar-loan/

An accountant from South Wales who stole and laundered more than £1.3m while working for the government of Bermuda has been jailed at Cardiff Crown Court

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cymruwales/news/man-jailed-money-laundering-after-stealing-cash-bermudan-government

Fraudsters are innovating constantly to commit new types of cybercrime, but they also need to create mechanisms to move their ill-gotten gains into cash in hand. This is where mule accounts come in.

https://securityintelligence.com/how-cybercriminals-use-money-mule-accounts-to-profit-from-online-fraud/

Illegal money lender sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment by a Judge in Southwark Crown Court after guilty verdicts for offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/convicted-illegal-money-lender-sentenced-three-and-half-years-imprisonment

Five men who helped launder more than £1.2m stolen by cold-callers who phoned BBC reporter Shari Vahl have been sentenced.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43002870

Fraudsters claiming to be from the Ombudsman are cold-calling victims and telling them they have a cheque for a large amount of money from a compensation claim.

https://actionfraud.police.uk/news/fraudsters-pose-as-financial-ombudsman-service-staff-with-fake-compensation-feb18