NEWS: AUSTRAC warns lawyers and accountants: ‘Learn from $2B banking fines’

Regulatory Watch News

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  3,354 individuals prosecuted in Europol-coordinated hit against pharmaceutical crime networks

  Europol

  February 25, 2026

  Between April and November 2025, law enforcement, judicial, customs, medical and anti-doping authorities from 30 countries joined forces in Operation SHIELD VI. Europol coordinated this global effort targeting the trafficking of counterfeit and misused medicines, as well as illicit doping substances and food supplements. As in the previous operations, the 2025 edition was supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Frontex, INTERPOL, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and national medicine agencies.

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  Treasury Sanctions Exploit Broker Network for Theft and Sale of U.S. Government Cyber Tools

  OFAC

  February 24, 2026

  WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Sergey Sergeyevich Zelenyuk (Zelenyuk) and his company, Matrix LLC (doing business as Operation Zero), as well as five associated individuals and entities, for their acquisition and distribution of cyber tools harmful to U.S. national security.  Zelenyuk and Operation Zero trade in “exploits”—pieces of code or techniques that take advantage of vulnerabilities in a computer program to allow users to gain unauthorized access, steal information, or take control of an electronic device—and have offered rewards to anyone who will provide them with exploits for U.S.-built software.  Among the exploits that Operation Zero acquired were at least eight proprietary cyber tools, which were created for the exclusive use of the U.S. government and select allies and which were stolen from a U.S. company.  Operation Zero then sold those stolen tools to at least one unauthorized user.

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  Solicitation of Application for Membership on the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group (BSAAG)

  FinCEN

  February 24, 2026

  SUMMARY: FinCEN is inviting the public to nominate financial institutions, trade groups, and non-federal regulators or law enforcement agencies for membership in the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. New members will be selected for three-year membership terms.