ILZE INSIGHT: Attempts to confiscate frozen assets are set to reveal some very uncomfortable truths about the absence of harmonised laws across the west

Regulatory Watch News

• 

  Operation Economic Outcast Targets Iran’s Shadow Fleet Networks

  FinCEN

  October 21, 2026

  Today, as part of Operation Economic Outcast, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Panama- and Greece-based law firm Karnakis and Karnakis, which has supported illicit Iranian shipping activity for years, indirectly aiding Tehran’s ability to generate revenue to fund its military, weapons, and nuclear programs. Throughout Operation Economic Outcast, Treasury has continued to coordinate with counterparts in Europe and around the world to sever the Iranian regime’s remaining economic lifelines. Treasury today also sanctioned Singapore- and UAE-based shipping agents that directly aid Iranian shadow fleet operations.

• 

  Bulgaria: Mayor of Petrich indicted for fraud involving cultural heritage museum

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  October 21, 2026

  (Luxembourg, 21 October 2026) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Sofia (Bulgaria) has filed an indictment at the Sofia City Court against the mayor of Petrich, a municipality at the border with Greece, accused of fraud involving the reconstruction of a building to convert it into a cultural heritage museum under an EU-funded project. At issue is a project to showcase the shared cultural heritage of Bulgaria and Greece, as part of the ‘Cultural Dipole in Cross-Border Area’ initiative, co-financed with €646 857,59 by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the 2014-2020 INTERREG V-A Greece-Bulgaria Cooperation Programme.

• 

  The UK and Singapore Hold 11th UK-Singapore Financial Dialogue, Deepening Cooperation on Digital Finance, Capital Markets, and Sustainable Finance

  MAS HM Treasury

  October 21, 2026

  Singapore, 20 October 2026… The United Kingdom (UK) and Singapore held the 11th UK-Singapore Financial Dialogue in Singapore today. Reaffirming their strong and longstanding partnership, the discussions focused on advancing cooperation in digital finance and innovation, capital markets, sustainable finance, and regional and multilateral initiatives.