Former Nodus International Bank chief executive Tomás Niembro Concha has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, in a case that combines insider bank abuse with Venezuela sanctions evasion. The plea, announced on 20 March 2026, centres on conduct that prosecutors say helped drain at least $24.9 million from the Puerto Rican bank and contributed to its collapse in 2023. The case is significant

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a limited exemptive relief order for certain financial institutions subject to its Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) covering Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, Minnesota. The GTO, which took effect on 12 February 2026, introduced enhanced recordkeeping and reporting requirements designed to support efforts to combat government benefits fraud. The targeted relief refines the scope of reporting obligations to ensure that t

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has launched a dedicated whistleblower webpage to confidentially receive tips relating to fraud, money laundering and sanctions violations. The move strengthens the United States Department of the Treasury’s intelligence-led enforcement framework and signals a continued focus on leveraging insider information to combat financial crime. FinCEN’s Office of the Whistleblower will accept information concerning violations and consp

A Nigerian national has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison for orchestrating a sophisticated multimillion-dollar inheritance fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims across the United States. The case highlights the continued threat posed by transnational advance fee fraud networks and the importance of coordinated international enforcement action. Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha, 44, was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years o

A former US bank relationship manager has pleaded guilty to laundering more than $8 million in Medicare fraud proceeds on behalf of a transnational criminal organisation, marking a significant escalation in enforcement against insider-enabled financial crime. The plea, entered on 3 February 2026, represents the first time the Department of Justice Health Care Fraud Unit has secured a conviction against a former bank employee for conspiring to launder health care fraud proceed

A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida has convicted former NFL player Joel Rufus French for his role in a sprawling healthcare fraud scheme that defrauded Medicare and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) of nearly $200 million. The case represents one of the more egregious examples of patient exploitation seen in recent US healthcare fraud prosecutions and underscores persistent weaknesses in telemedicine, durable

A former US biotech chief executive has been sentenced to prison after misleading investors about a purported breakthrough drug and selling his own shares at inflated prices. On 26 January 2026, Nader Pourhassan, the former Chief Executive Officer of CytoDyn, received a 30 month prison sentence for securities fraud, wire fraud and insider trading, marking another high profile enforcement action against corporate executives who abuse market trust. Pourhassan, aged 62, was conv

A federal jury in Sherman, Texas has convicted LaShonda Moore and Marlon Moore of conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering for operating a large scale illegal pyramid scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic. The convictions underscore how fraudsters exploited economic distress, digital platforms and community trust at a time of heightened vulnerability across the United States. The scheme, known as Blessings in No Time or BINT, operated between June 2020 and June 2021 and targ

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has secured a £265,523.96 confiscation order against Andrew Currie, a former director linked to the collapsed peer-to-peer lending platform Collateral (UK) Ltd, marking another significant step in its efforts to strip fraudsters of illicit gains and return funds to victims. Currie was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to 2 years and 6 months’ imprisonment after defrauding investors through Collateral, a platform that raised funds from retai

The Financial Conduct Authority has introduced Firm Checker, a new consumer-facing verification tool designed to curb the rising scale of investment and pensions-related scams. With FCA research indicating that around 800,000 people reported losses to scams in the 12 months to May 2024, the launch represents a significant escalation in the regulator’s strategy to shield consumers from sophisticated fraud tactics. Firm Checker enables users to confirm whether a financial servi

The Justice Department has announced the seizure of tickmilleas.com , a fraudulent web domain linked to the Tai Chang scam compound in Kyaukhat, Burma. The site posed as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform and was used to lure victims into depositing their funds, which were then diverted through sophisticated fraud and money laundering schemes. The action forms part of the accelerating crackdown on cryptocurrency investment fraud, a threat that continues to genera

Fraud is no longer the work of lone actors exploiting isolated weaknesses. In today’s digital economy, financial crime has evolved into a...