NEWS: Former Spanish PM Zapatero placed under investigation for money laundering

Regulatory Watch News

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  Deutsche Bank AG Penalty

  OFSI

  May 19, 2026

  OFSI has imposed a £165,000 monetary penalty on Deutsche Bank AG London Branch (DBLB) for breaches of the Russia financial sanctions regime. 

  Between June and July 2022, DBLB processed two payments totalling £635,618.75 to an entity wholly owned by a designated person. 

  This is the second OFSI monetary penalty case resolved through settlement, demonstrating how proportionate and effective enforcement outcomes can support the rapid communication of compliance lessons to industry. 

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  201 arrests in first-of-its-kind cybercrime operation in MENA region

  Interpol

  May 19, 2026

  SINGAPORE – A first-of-its-kind cybercrime operation in the MENA region has led to the arrest of 201 individuals, with a further 382 suspects identified. Thirteen countries from the Middle East and North Africa took part in Operation Ramz (October 2025 – 28 February 2026) which aimed to investigate and disrupt malicious infrastructure, identify and arrest suspects, and prevent future losses. The operation focused on neutralizing phishing and malware threats, as well as tackling cyber scams that inflict severe cost to the region. In addition to the arrests made, 3,867 victims were identified, and 53 servers were seized. Operation Ramz marked a milestone as the first cyber operation of its scale coordinated by INTERPOL in the MENA region. During this effort, nearly 8,000 pieces of crucial data and intelligence were disseminated among participating countries to initiate and support investigations.

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  Scam alert related to banks

  HKMA

  May 19, 2026

  The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to the press releases issued by the banks listed below relating to fraudulent websites, internet banking login screens, phishing emails or other scams, which have been reported to the HKMA.  Hyperlinks to the press releases are available on the HKMA website.  

  Bank	Type of Scam
  The Bank of East Asia, Limited	Fraudulent website and internet banking login screen
  Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited	Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens
  Chong Hing Bank Limited	Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens
  OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	Fraudulent websites and internet banking login screens