Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 123

123rd PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 123rd edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present to you the most recent updates and news on the global political stage.

Recent and upcoming elections influence the worldwide political landscape in eight nations, slated between Sep 30, 2025 and Oct 29, 2025. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

General Ruphin Zafisambo Named Madagascar Prime Minister Amid Third Week of Anti-Government Protests

One noteworthy event has occurred in Madagascar, President Andry Rajoelina named army General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, a week after dissolving his government amid heated anti-government protests over power and water shortages. Zafisambo replaced Christian Ntsay, who was dismissed along with the rest of the government in Rajoelina’s initial action responding to the “Gen-Z” inspired mass protests organized through social media.

Zafisambo, who was director of the military Cabinet in the prime minister’s office from 2021 until his appointment, has assumed office amid protests that have entered a third week, punctuated by repeated calls for Rajoelina to resign.

Laurent Nuñez Appointed Minister of the Interior in Sébastien Lecornu’s Government

Shifting our focus to France, Laurent Nuñez, former Paris Police Prefect, has been appointed Minister of the Interior in Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s government. He succeeds Bruno Retailleau, who is leaving the government.

Late in the morning on Monday, October 13, 2025, the transfer of power took place between the outgoing Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, and his successor, Laurent Nuñez.

A former tax inspector who graduated from the National School of Administration (ENA), now the National Institute of Public Service (INSP), Laurent Nuñez joined the Ministry of the Interior in 1999. As sub-prefect of Bayonne, he followed Basque affairs (2010-2012) after having been chief of staff to the prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis (2008-2010). From 2015 to 2017, he held the post of police prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône, before briefly heading (from 2017 to 2018) the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI).

Togo’s Badanam Patoki Appointed Minister of Economy and Strategic Monitoring

In Togo, President of the Financial Markets Authority of the West African Monetary Union (AMF-Umoa), Togolese Badanam Patoki, a former official of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of his country, was appointed this Wednesday, October 8, to the position of Minister of Economy and Strategic Monitoring by Faure Gnassingbé.

Appointed in April 2021 at the head of the former Regional Council for Public Savings and Public Markets (CREPMF), Mr. Patoki thus enters the government with not only the portfolio of the Economy, which was previously attached to that of Finance, but also a brand new one, that of Strategic Monitoring.

EFG Capital Pays $650,000 Fine in FINRA Settlement Over AML Compliance Failures

In the realm of regulatory affairs, EFG Capital International has agreed to pay a fine of $650,000 as a part of a settlement with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

From 2018 through 2021, EFG’s customers, some of whom the firm designates as high-risk based on their geographic location or other factors, sent and received approximately $5.5 billion in wire transfers, including transfers involving jurisdictions that EFG designated as having a high-risk of money laundering.

The firm’s AML policies and procedures required the firm to monitor those wire transfers for potentially suspicious activity, including for activity involving high-risk geographic locations and transfers that are unexplained, unusually large or show unusual patterns.

EFG, however, failed to establish and implement policies and procedures that could be reasonably expected to detect and cause the reporting of suspicious wire transfers in four respects.

Former Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for Corruption

Shifting our attention to the United States, one day before the Illinois General Assembly’s fall veto session is scheduled to begin, one of the most powerful lawmakers in state history is headed to prison.

Michael J. Madigan, D-Chicago, served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021 and was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021. He chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years and led Chicago’s 13th Ward Democratic Organization.

A federal judge sentenced Madigan to 7.5 years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $2.5 million earlier this year, after a jury convicted the former speaker on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and use of a facility to promote unlawful activity.

Judge John Robert Blakey presided over the trial of Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain. Blakey also sentenced Madigan and ordered the former speaker to report to prison at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13.

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