Anti Money Laundering News 24 Nov 2025

Anti Money Laundering News (17 Nov – 23 Nov 2025)

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Global AML News Weekly Digest. Here are the top stories making headlines around the world:

UK Uncovers Money Laundering Network Funding Russia’s War Machine

UK authorities, led by the National Crime Agency (NCA), have dismantled a sprawling money laundering network that operated across 28 UK towns and cities, funnelling illicit cash into entities tied to Russia’s military-industrial complex. The network used hundreds of couriers, crypto-conversion routes, and a secretly acquired Kyrgyz bank to move funds into Russia’s Promsvyazbank. Operation Destabilise has resulted in 128 arrests and multimillion-pound seizures, but the NCA warns that the laundering threat remains high. The case illustrates how transnational laundering networks exploit cash, crypto, overseas banks, and sanctions loopholes simultaneously.

Read more: UK discovers money-laundering network funding Russia

ED Arrests Al Falah Group Chairman Under PMLA

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman of the Al Falah Group, for alleged laundering involving diversion of student funds, shell-company structures, and misrepresentation of accreditation claims. Searches across multiple locations resulted in seizures of cash, digital devices, and documents. The case originates from FIRs by Delhi Police alleging that the group’s university misled students by falsely claiming NAAC accreditation and eligibility under UGC norms. The ED states that the accused generated and layered “large proceeds of crime” through entities controlled by his family.

Read more: ED arrests Chairman of Al Falah Group

How US Enforcement Action Tanked in 2025

A recent analysis by The Banker highlights a dramatic drop in enforcement activity by U.S. regulators this year, pointing to political shifts, staffing cuts and a 43-day government shutdown as key drivers. The number of significant fines and monitorships against large banks and regional lenders has plummeted, with only three notable penalties recorded in 2025. The article warns that while enforcement appears relaxed now, the underlying financial-crime risk remains high — and banks should not interpret the lull as diminished threat.

Read More: How US enforcement action tanked in 2025

Videoslots Fined £650,000 for AML and Safer-Gambling Failures

The UK Gambling Commission has fined Videoslots Limited £650,000 after identifying serious breaches in anti-money laundering controls and safer-gambling obligations. Investigators found customers exceeding deposit limits, high-risk transactions via digital vouchers, and inadequate customer-interaction processes even when users showed clear signs of harm. One customer deposited £75,000 in prepaid vouchers in just 16 days without prompt source-of-fund checks. The operator must undergo an independent audit and comply with new licence conditions. The case highlights the risks of over-reliance on automated tools without human oversight.

Read more: Videoslots fined for regulatory failures

Chinese High-Rollers and Cartel Cash: Secret Pipeline Through Las Vegas Casino

A CNN investigation reveals how an underground banking ring used Las Vegas casinos — including Wynn — to launder cartel cash and fund high-roller gambling for Chinese nationals seeking to evade capital controls. Four Chinese nationals allegedly ran an illicit money-transmission network that coordinated private cash hand-offs in hotel rooms, garages, and vehicles. Wynn previously forfeited US$130 million in a similar 2024 case. The findings reaffirm casinos as high-risk environments where criminal groups exploit VIP programs, weak oversight, and third-party intermediaries.

Read more: The secret cash pipeline through Las Vegas casinos

ICIJ Exposes Hidden Crypto Exchange Operating Inside Another

An ICIJ investigation uncovers how Kyrrex ran a dual-entity exchange structure: a regulated Malta-based exchange serving as a public façade, and an offshore St. Vincent entity routing high-risk flows for shell companies, scammers, and sanctioned actors. Blockchain analysis linked Kyrrex-connected wallets to nearly US$10 billion in Bitcoin flows within 3.5 years. The investigation highlights how some crypto firms exploit nested structures, overlapping founders, and offshore licences to disguise illicit activity while maintaining a regulated outward appearance, complicating oversight for regulators and compliance teams.

Read more: Crypto exchange hidden inside another

Stay informed with our weekly digest, bringing you the most impactful news from around the globe. Thank you for reading!
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