Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 113

113th PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 113th 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 in eight nations are scheduled between June 5, 2025, and September 1, 2025, influencing the worldwide political landscape. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Resigns Amid Corruption Scandal Involving EU Funds and Family Ties

One noteworthy event has occurred in Lithuania: Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned following a widening corruption scandal that has engulfed his family and inner circle, triggering the collapse of his cabinet after less than a year in office.

His resignation, confirmed first by President Gitanas Nausėda, came after Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service raided UAB Dankora, a company co-owned by Paluckas’ sister-in-law. Investigators are probing whether European Union development funds intended for an electric boat charging facility were misused. The project — located in a village with no direct water access — had received more than 170,000 euros in EU funding, much of which appeared to benefit another firm, UAB Garnis, where Paluckas holds a 49 percent stake.

Austrian EU Ambassador Resigns Amid Allegations of Misogynistic Blog Authorship

Shifting our focus to Austria, Austria’s ambassador to the European Union has resigned following claims that he was behind a misogynistic blog detailing rape and sexual assault under a female pseudonym.

Thomas Oberreiter, 59, was reported by Der Standard, an Austrian newspaper, to be the author behind the webpage, which mixed fantasy with real-life photographs.

“The ambassador requested that he be dismissed for personal reasons. Minister Meinl-Reisinger accepted the request,” Austria’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it could not offer further information because of data protection, and said its statement shouldn’t be taken as confirmation of the allegations against Mr Oberreiter.

Sudanese Armed Groups Form Parallel Government, Appoint Ex-Sovereign Council Member Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi as Prime Minister

In Sudan, an alliance of Sudanese armed groups appointed Mohamed Hassan al-Taishi, a former civilian member of the country’s post-revolution Sovereign Council, as prime minister of a new parallel administration.

The appointment is part of a broader move by the Tasis (Founding) Alliance to establish a government in territories controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).

Two other prominent figures from the pre-war transitional government, Hadi Idris and al-Tahir Hajar, were also named to the new 15-member presidential council. Both men, like al-Ta’ishi, were part of the original Sovereign Council but were later dismissed from their posts after the conflict began.

Wise Subsidiary Fined $4.2 Million by U.S. Authorities for Anti-Money Laundering Failures

In the realm of regulatory affairs, a subsidiary of the Estonian-founded secure money transfer service Wise has been fined US$4.2 million, approximately €3.7 million, by authorities in the United States over anti-money laundering (AML) rules violations, according to Postimees.

U.S. regulators found Wise had not met key AML requirements, including proper due diligence on customers and sufficient monitoring for suspicious activity, leading to exposure to risks that its money transfer services could be exploited for money laundering, the financing of terrorism, or other illegal activity.

Under the terms of a settlement with US authorities Wise is required to fix deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing program in addition to paying the fine, Postimees reported, citing Fintech Global, and will be required to appoint an independent third party to verify that the necessary changes have been put in place, plus submit quarterly reports for the next two years to demonstrate that it is addressing the identified issues.

Former MP Prajwal Revanna Sentenced to Life for Rape in High-Profile Karnataka Case

Shifting our attention to India, expelled JD(S) leader and former MP from Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, has been sentenced to life term by a special court in Karnataka, a day after being found guilty of raping a domestic help at a farmhouse in Holenarasipura.

Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Nayak called the verdict “a victory for the victim” and “a message that everyone is equal before the law”.Prosecution pushed for life imprisonment for Revanna. He revealed that 26 witnesses were examined, and crucial digital evidence – including explicit videos recorded by Revanna himself – played a key role in securing the conviction.

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