Anti-Financial Crime & Financial Crime Compliance
Regulatory Intelligence Leadership | Insight | Network

AML, Banking, CFT, EU, Financial Crime, Financial Services, News, Regulatory, Schuman

IN HER OWN WORDS: What AMLA Chair Bruna Szego told MEPs were the agency’s top priorities for 2026-27

Premium December 2, 2025

LEARNINGS SO FAR: AMLA Chair Bruna Szego, told MEPs: "So, what is my takeaway? While the financial sector understands its role, the non-financial sector lags behind. The landscape there is quite fragmented with many obligated entities facing real challenges in applying even basic controls due to costs and lack of reliability information. I've been telling them that building awareness and prepare this preparedness at national level is essential. But we also know that designing a system that is both effective and realistic will take time."

NEWS: Ponzi scheme fraudster to pay £452,000 after FCA secures confiscation order

NEWS: How scammers are targeting fans at World Cup 2026 and European football’s AML overhaul – ‘Collared’ Episode 5

 Premium

NEWS: Ex-AC Milan director under investigation for money laundering in Albania

OPENING REMARKS OF BRUNA SZEGO, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, DEC 2: “WHEN I appeared before you last year, I outlined my vision to build AMLA around five long-term goals: Ambition, Co-operation Technology, Communication, and Global leadership. And today, I would like to update you on our progress on some of these and to share our plans moving…

AML Intelligence
Subscribe now to have unlimited access

With our membership subscription, you will have unlimited access to the AML Intelligence site, updated daily with the latest analysis, opinion, and breaking news across the sector, newsletter delivered twice per week, access to our Global Bank Fines & Penalties database, free access to Boardroom Series and more!

View subscription optionsIf you have an account, log in

NEWS: Ponzi scheme fraudster to pay £452,000 after FCA secures confiscation order

NEWS: How scammers are targeting fans at World Cup 2026 and European football’s AML overhaul – ‘Collared’ Episode 5

 Premium

NEWS: Ex-AC Milan director under investigation for money laundering in Albania

Regulatory Watch News

  • FCA secures confiscation order against Ponzi scheme fraudster

    Financial Conduct Authority

    Mr Pugh, 36, is serving a 7 years and 6 months prison sentence for defrauding investors out of £1.3m. Run from his bedroom in Devon, Pugh used Facebook adverts to target investors and promised them wholly unrealistic returns, claiming these would be generated by trading across various markets. Only 19% of the funds collected from investors were traded and the scheme was, in effect, a Ponzi scheme, which was run with another individual. At a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 5 June 2026, Mr Pugh was ordered to pay £452,286.80. This represents the total value of the assets the court found available for recovery. The funds will be used to compensate the victims of his crimes.

  • Italy: EPPO seizes assets in investigation into subsidy fraud involving RRF funds for SMEs

    European Public Prosecutor's Office

    (Luxembourg, 8 June 2026) – At the request of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Naples (Italy), last week the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) conducted searches and seized assets at the residence of five suspects in Naples, Caserta and the surrounding province, as part of an investigation into possible subsidy fraud involving RRF funds for Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME).   Assets to the value of €305 500 were ordered to be seized by the Judge for Preliminary Investigations in Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Caserta), including cars, real estate, and funds held in the suspects’ bank accounts.

  • Crime family who used corrupt airline check-in attendant to help smuggle vast amounts of drugs cash to the UAE are convicted

    National Crime Agency

    A criminal family and their associates smuggled almost £30 million of cash out of the UK to the United Arab Emirates hidden in suitcases. A National Crime Agency investigation showed that the group worked with a British Dubai-based organiser to smuggle the money via Dubai-bound Emirates flights leaving from Manchester, Birmingham and Brussels airports between December 2017 and November 2019. Couriers smuggled the criminal cash in up to five suitcases at a time, sometimes helped by corrupt Emirates check-in attendant Emma Rauf, who worked at Manchester Airport.

Sign Up To Our Newsletter

Contact Us