NEWS: Spain busts money laundering network exploiting Ukrainian women

Regulatory Watch News

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  Caastle Founder Pleads Guilty To $300 Million Fraud Scheme

  United States Attorney Office -Southern District of New York

  March 5, 2026

  United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that CHRISTINE HUNSICKER, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of CaaStle Inc. (“CaaStle”), pled guilty to one count of securities fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors in CaaStle, a retail-technology business.  As part of her plea, HUNSICKER agreed to forfeit nearly $300 million in proceeds from her illegal scheme, as well as from a scheme to defraud investors in P180, a related business venture.  HUNSICKER pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.

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  Explainer: What is the Commission on Narcotic Drugs?

  UNODC

  March 5, 2026

  Globally, the number of people who used drugs rose to 316 million in 2023, a historic high.  The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) 2025 World Drug Report shows that a new era of global instability has intensified challenges in addressing the world drug problem, empowering organized crime groups and underscoring the need to strengthen responses, cross-border cooperation and judicial action that targets key actors driving these networks. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the United Nations’ central drug policy-making body, is meeting from 9-13 March 2026 to take stock of progress made in the implementation of international drug policy commitments.

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  12 members of money laundering scheme exploiting Ukrainian women arrested in Spain

  Europol

  March 5, 2026

  An international operation in Spain targeting a money laundering scheme resulted in the arrest of 12 suspects. The disrupted criminal network systematically exploited vulnerable Ukrainian women to open bank accounts, which were used in gaming platforms and to transfer illicit profits. Authorities estimate that the criminal organisation made a profit of EUR 4.75 million using this method. Spanish authorities, in close cooperation with Ukrainian police, led the operation with support from Europol and INTERPOL.