President Trump issued a full pardon to Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance cryptocurrency exchange, who had pleaded guilty to enabling money laundering and served four months in federal prison. The pardon came days after Binance.US added support for Trump family’s USD1 stablecoin and …
Donald TrumpChangpeng ZhaoBinanceWorld Liberty FinancialCharles McDowell+3 morebinancechangpeng-zhaocryptocurrencypresidential-pardoncorruption+8 more
A comprehensive Senate Finance Committee investigation led by Senator Ron Wyden uncovered massive financial evidence demonstrating Jeffrey Epstein’s complex international money laundering and trafficking operations. The Treasury Department’s analysis revealed over 4,725 wire transfers …
Senate Finance CommitteeRon WydenTreasury DepartmentJeffrey EpsteinRussian banks+3 morejeffrey-epsteinrussian-oligarchsmoney-launderinghuman-traffickingsenate-investigation+4 more
Treasury Department lifted sanctions on Tornado Cash crypto mixing service previously designated for laundering over $7 billion, removing barriers to anonymous cryptocurrency transactions.
President Trump issued a series of pardons to individuals convicted of financial crimes in February 2025, including Rod Blagojevich (former Illinois governor convicted of corruption), the Chrisleys (reality TV stars convicted of bank fraud), Michael Grimm (former congressman convicted of tax fraud), …
Donald TrumpRod BlagojevichTodd ChrisleyJulie ChrisleyMichael Grimm+5 morepardonfinancial-crimeswhite-collar-crimemoney-launderingwire-fraud+4 more
Attorney General Pam Bondi disbanded Task Force KleptoCapture, the DOJ unit created in 2022 to investigate and prosecute Russian oligarchs for sanctions violations. The task force had seized yachts and brought indictments against Deripaska and Malofeyev before being shut down.
Pam BondiDepartment of JusticeTask Force KleptoCaptureRussian Oligarchsrussiaoligarchsjustice-departmentsanctionsmoney-laundering
President Trump issued pardons to multiple financial criminals in his first week, including a Trump loyalist convicted of wire fraud, a corporation fined $100 million for money laundering violations, and the son of a longtime Republican donor. The pardons extended to Rod Blagojevich who had been …
Donald TrumpRod BlagojevichFinancial criminalsRepublican donorspardonfinancial-crimesmoney-launderingwire-fraudcorruption+2 more
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick refuses to recuse from Trump’s Digital Asset Working Group despite maintaining a $600 million stake in Tether, a cryptocurrency under DOJ investigation. Multiple sources, including Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office, highlight Lutnick’s significant …
howard-lutnickCantor FitzgeraldtetherDepartment of JusticeDepartment of Commerce+1 morehoward-lutnicktethercryptomoney-launderingconflict-of-interest+4 more
Treasury Department records obtained by Senator Ron Wyden reveal 4,725 wire transfers totaling $1.1 billion through Epstein’s account, with hundreds of millions flowing through sanctioned Russian banks. The transfers were correlated to the movement of women and girls from Russia, Belarus, …
Treasury Department records obtained by Senator Ron Wyden reveal 4,725 wire transfers totaling $1.1 billion through Epstein’s account, with hundreds of millions flowing through sanctioned Russian banks. The investigation uncovered potential connections to human trafficking, with victims …
The U.S. Treasury Department published its first-ever comprehensive risk assessment of NFTs for illicit finance, determining that bad actors can exploit NFT platforms for money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing. The report highlights techniques including overpaying for …
Treasury DepartmentFinCENnftmoney-launderingtreasuryrisk-assessmentfinancial-crimes+2 more
HSI agents charged Devin Alan Rhoden (24, active-duty Air Force cyber analyst) and Berman Jerry Nowlin Jr. (20) with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering through NFT schemes. The defendants created two NFT collections (‘UndeadApes’ and ‘Undead Lady Apes’) on …
Devin Alan RhodenBerman Jerry Nowlin Jr.HSIDHSU.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Floridanftmoney-launderingfraudblockchainfederal-prosecution+3 more
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa led a multi-agency investigation charging Devin Alan Rhoden, a senior military cyber analyst, and Berman Jerry Nowlin Jr., an NFT developer, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The defendants created three NFT collections …
Devin Alan RhodenBerman Jerry Nowlin Jr.HSIDHSU.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations+2 morenftmoney-launderingfraudblockchainfederal-prosecution+3 more
Comprehensive investigation reveals systematic connections between cryptocurrency exchanges, shell company structures, and oligarchic money laundering operations. Analysis exposes how platforms like BitMEX facilitate complex financial networks that enable sanctions evasion, cybercrime funding, and …
BitMEXArthur HayesBen DeloSamuel ReedGregory Dwyer+3 morekleptocracy-networkcryptoshell-companiesmoney-launderingsanctions-evasion+1 more
On March 15, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice arrested Ho Wan Kwok (Guo Wengui) in a landmark twelve-count federal indictment alleging a complex, multi-year fraud scheme defrauding thousands of victims of approximately $1 billion. The sophisticated conspiracy involved fraudulent investments …
Guo WenguiHo Wan KwokKin Ming JeDepartment of JusticeSteve Bannon+1 morefinancial-fraudmoney-launderinginfluence-operationsinternational-crimeinvestment-scam
Treasury Department records obtained by Senator Ron Wyden reveal $1.1 billion in wire transfers through just one Epstein account, with “hundreds of millions” flowing through now-sanctioned Russian banks, appearing “correlated to the movement of women or girls around the …
Jeffrey EpsteinSenator Ron WydenTreasury DepartmentRussian banksmoney-launderingrussian-operationsepstein-networkhuman-trafficking
Trump Media receives emergency loans totaling $8 million from Putin-connected Paxum Bank ($2M) and ES Family Trust ($6M) when company near failure, triggering federal investigation
Trump Media & Technology GroupPaxum BankAnton PostolnikovES Family TrustSDNY Prosecutorstruth-socialrussian-moneyforeign-influencemoney-launderingfederal-investigation
On September 20, 2020, BuzzFeed News and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published the FinCEN Files, exposing over $2 trillion in suspicious financial transactions between 1999 and 2017. The investigation, involving 2,657 leaked documents and 2,121 suspicious …
FinCENBuzzFeed NewsInternational Consortium of Investigative JournalistsJason LeopoldDeutsche Bank+7 moremoney-launderingbankingfinancial-crimeregulatory-failuresuspicious-transactions+4 more
BuzzFeed News and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published the FinCEN Files, revealing more than $2 trillion in suspicious banking transactions reported to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network between 1999 and 2017. The files contained over 2,100 Suspicious …
FinCENBuzzFeed NewsInternational Consortium of Investigative JournalistsDeutsche BankHSBC+4 moremoney-launderingbankingfinancial-crimeregulatory-failuresuspicious-transactions+2 more
The ICIJ/BuzzFeed ‘FinCEN Files’ exposed a massive global banking corruption investigation, revealing over $2 trillion in suspicious financial transactions across 200+ banks between 1999-2017. The leaked 2,657 documents, including 2,121 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), showed systemic …
Deutsche Bank agreed to pay $150 million in penalties for its failure to properly monitor Jeffrey Epstein’s banking activities. The bank processed hundreds of transactions for Epstein even after his 2008 conviction, including payments to potential co-conspirators and alleged victims. …
Deutsche BankJeffrey EpsteinNew York Department of Financial ServicesFederal ReserveEpstein co-conspirators+1 moremoney-launderingbanking-violationsregulatory-failurefinancial-crimesco-conspirator-payments+1 more
Three weeks after Epstein expressed fear about revealing Trump’s money laundering operations to Michael Wolff, Epstein was arrested at Teterboro Airport on sex trafficking charges.
Malaysian authorities charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with criminal breach of trust, corruption, and money laundering related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund scandal. On July 4th, 2018, Najib appeared in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, pleading not guilty to …
Special Counsel Robert Mueller unsealed the first indictments in his Russia investigation, charging former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his longtime business associate Rick Gates with 12 criminal counts. The charges include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder …
Paul ManafortRick GatesRobert MuellerMueller InvestigationPaul ManafortMoney LaunderingFARA ViolationsUkraine Lobbying+1 more
Reuters investigation revealed at least 63 Russian nationals invested $98.4 million in
Trump-branded properties in South Florida, primarily in Sunny Isles Beach. The buyers
purchased units at Trump Grande, Trump Towers, and Trump Hollywood, with about one-third
of all units owned through LLCs that …
Donald TrumpTrump OrganizationRussian buyersReutersrussian-moneyreal-estatemoney-launderingsunny-isles-beachshell-companies
Deutsche Bank paid $630 million to U.S. and UK regulators for facilitating $10 billion in
Russian money laundering through “mirror trades” from 2011-2015. The scheme converted rubles
to dollars through sham stock trades between Moscow and London offices. During this same
period, Deutsche …
Deutsche BankDonald TrumpJared KushnerNew York Department of Financial ServicesUK Financial Conduct Authoritymoney-launderingrussian-moneydeutsche-bankmirror-tradesfinancial-crime
After buying Donald Trump’s ‘Maison de L’Amitié’ for $95M in 2008, Dmitry Rybolovlev obtained local approval to demolish the mansion in 2016 and subdivided the oceanfront parcel into three lots that sold for a combined ~$108M by 2019.
On August 14, 2016, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau revealed a secret “black ledger” documenting $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments from Ukraine’s former pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych’s party to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign …
Paul ManafortViktor YanukovychOleg DeripaskaTrump CampaignUkraine National Anti-Corruption Bureaupaul-manaforttrump-campaignukrainerussiamoney-laundering+4 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) released the Panama Papers, a collection of 11.5 million leaked documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. The documents revealed how wealthy individuals and public officials used offshore shell companies to hide assets …
International Consortium of Investigative JournalistsMossack FonsecaVladimir PutinPetro PoroshenkoNawaz Sharif+3 morecorruptionoffshore-financemoney-launderingtax-evasionleaks+2 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published the Panama Papers on April 3, 2016, revealing a massive leak of 11.5 million financial and legal records. The documents exposed offshore financial activities of world leaders, politicians, and celebrities, detailing how …
ICIJMossack FonsecaVladimir Putin associatesVarious world leadersoffshoremoney-launderingtax-evasioninvestigationleak+2 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published the Panama Papers, revealing offshore financial activities of world leaders, politicians, and celebrities. The leak exposed how Mossack Fonseca helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions, and evade taxes. The unprecedented …
ICIJMossack FonsecaVladimir Putin associatesVarious world leadersSüddeutsche Zeitung+2 moreoffshoremoney-launderingtax-evasioninvestigationleak+1 more
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) published the Panama Papers on April 3, 2016, revealing a massive leak of 11.5 million financial and legal records. The investigation exposed offshore financial activities of world leaders, politicians, and celebrities, demonstrating …
ICIJMossack FonsecaVladimir Putin associatesVarious world leadersoffshoremoney-launderingtax-evasioninvestigationleak+1 more
During the 2016 election cycle, the National Rifle Association spent a record $30-55 million supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign—triple its 2012 spending for Mitt Romney. The unprecedented spending occurred during and after Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin’s systematic …
National Rifle AssociationDonald TrumpMaria ButinaAlexander TorshinFBI+1 morenratrump-campaignrussiamoney-launderingmaria-butina+4 more
In late 2016, Deutsche Bank’s internal anti-money laundering specialists flagged multiple suspicious transactions involving Trump businesses and Russian individuals, with the bank simultaneously continuing to loan Trump billions while being implicated in a $10 billion Russian money-laundering …
Deutsche BankDonald TrumpJared KushnerRussian money launderersVladimir Putin+1 moredeutsche-bankmoney-launderingsuspicious-transactionsrussian-financetrump-finances+1 more
By 2014, anonymous Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and shell companies had become the primary infrastructure enabling Russian oligarchs and other kleptocrats to launder an estimated $300 billion or more annually into US real estate. Unlike most developed nations, the United States imposed no …
US TreasuryFinCENRussian OligarchsUS real estate industrymoney-launderingrussian-oligarchsreal-estateshell-companiesfincen+3 more
HSBC paid $1.9 billion for laundering money for Mexican drug cartels and violating sanctions against Iran, Libya, Sudan, and Cuba, but no executives faced criminal charges despite overwhelming evidence of intentional wrongdoing. The bank laundered at least $881 million for the Sinaloa and Norte del …
HSBCLanny BreuerDepartment of JusticeMexican Drug CartelsEric Holder+1 moremoney-launderingtoo-big-to-jaildrug-cartelsfinancial-crimeimpunity
At Trump SoHo (completed 2010), 77% of sales ($110 million) went to cash-paying shell companies. Property developed by Bayrock Group, whose former finance director Jody Kriss testified it was a “spectacularly corrupt money-laundering and tax evasion” operation. In 2013, Khrapunovs …
Trump OrganizationBayrock GroupFelix SaterTevfik ArifKhrapunov family+1 moremoney-launderingrussian-organized-crimeshell-companiesreal-estatekazakhstan-bank-fraud+2 more
Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev purchased Trump’s Palm Beach mansion, ‘Maison de L’Amitié’, for $95 million—more than double Trump’s 2004 purchase price of $41.35 million. The transaction, occurring during the 2008 financial crisis, drew significant scrutiny from …
Dmitry RybolovlevDonald TrumpRon WydenRobert Muellertrump-russiamoney-launderingreal-estateoligarch-paymentsfinancial-capture+1 more
Donald Trump sold the Palm Beach estate to Russian businessman Dmitry
Rybolovlev for $95 million in July 2008. The structure was demolished in 2016
and the land subdivided; subsequent lot sales totaled roughly $108 million.
Dmitry RybolovlevDonald TrumpTrump Organizationrussian-oligarchsfinancial-crimesepstein-networkmoney-launderingreal-estate+1 more
From 2008-2012, shell companies spent $890 million buying 823 Trump condos in cash – 25% of units sold. Delaware LLCs bought an additional 75 Trump condos for $129 million. More than 87% were in Trump-licensed buildings, with sales surging during Trump’s financial troubles when he …
Trump OrganizationAnonymous shell companiesDelaware LLCsBritish Virgin Islands corporationsPanama corporationsmoney-launderingshell-companiesfinancial-crisisreal-estatedelaware-llcs+2 more
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) was indicted by a Texas grand jury on one count of criminal conspiracy related to an alleged illegal campaign finance scheme. On October 3, a third grand jury indicted DeLay for the more serious offense of money laundering.
The charges stem from allegations …
Tom DeLayCongressional CorruptionCampaign Finance ViolationsRepublican PartyTexasMoney Laundering+1 more
Donald Trump purchased Maison de l’Amitié for $41.35 million at a November 30, 2004 bankruptcy auction, outbidding Jeffrey Epstein who went up to $38.6 million. During the auction, Epstein’s attorneys tried to disqualify Trump over title insurance demands, but Judge Steven Friedman …
Donald TrumpJeffrey EpsteinJudge Steven FriedmanJoseph Luzinski (bankruptcy trustee)Abraham Gosman (former owner)+1 moremoney-launderingrussian-moneyreal-estateepstein-network
On April 6, 1999, Jack Abramoff formalized a subcontractor arrangement with Ralph Reed and Preston Gates, involving the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The scheme involved routing $1.3 million through intermediary organizations like Americans for Tax Reform to conceal payments to Reed’s …
Jack AbramoffRalph ReedMississippi Band of Choctaw IndiansCentury StrategiesPreston Gates+2 moreabramoffralph-reedmoney-launderingchoctawcorruption+2 more
From 1998-2016, Deutsche Bank loaned Donald Trump and his companies over $2.5 billion despite Trump’s history of bankruptcies, defaults, and “Donald risk” that caused all other major US banks to refuse him. This lending relationship persisted even as Deutsche Bank was …
Deutsche BankDonald TrumpTrump OrganizationRussian OligarchsJustin Kennedytrumpdeutsche-bankmoney-launderingrussiafinancial-corruption+2 more
Vice President Al Gore attends a fundraising luncheon at the Hsi Lai Buddhist temple in Hacienda Heights, California, organized by longtime Democratic fundraiser Maria Hsia and DNC fundraiser John Huang. The event raises $166,750 for the Democratic National Committee through illegal contributions …
Al GoreMaria HsiaJohn HuangDemocratic National Committeecampaign-financeillegal-donationspolitical-corruptionelection-interferencemoney-laundering
Customs and bank regulators in seven countries simultaneously raid and shut down the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), exposing what becomes known as the largest corporate criminal enterprise in history. The shutdown follows a Price Waterhouse investigation ordered by the Bank of …
William CaseyManuel NoriegaAdnan KhashoggiManucher Ghorbanifarcorruptionmoney-launderingCIAdrug-traffickingIran-Contra+1 more
Agha Hasan Abedi established the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in Luxembourg, creating an international bank with initial capital from Bank of America and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. BCCI rapidly expanded to become the seventh-largest private bank in the world before being …
Agha Hasan AbediSheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al NahyanBank of Americabankingfinancial-crimeinternational-bankingmoney-launderingregulatory-capture