PEP ALERT ...FORMER LIBERIAN LEADER TESTIFIES

Moses Blah (UID 32881), who served as the Liberian deputy president from 2000 - 2003 and as President for three months after Charles Taylor’s (UID 3232) exile, has testified against his former leader at the war crimes court in The Hague. Taylor is facing 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Taylor is reportedly accused of helping Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels in their brutal conflict with the government. Taylor was profiled on World-Check in late 2000. OFAC designated him as a SDN in July 2004 and he appeared on the UN sanction listing in 2003.

It has been reported this month that Serbian authorities have laid money laundering charges against 24 individuals who they claim are involved in a criminal ring. The amount of the allegedly misappropriated funds obtained through laundering and tax evasion is said to be around 4.5 million euros. Individuals reported to have been charged include Dragan Ignaitovic (UID 746851) and Milan Kuzmanov (UID 746852). Ignaitovic was originally arrested in November 2007, check out his profile to see who else is reportedly involved. World-Check recommends regular screening of your entire client base to guard against adverse risk.

EXTRADITION FOR ALLEGED FORMER ‘WARLORDS’

Carlos Mario Jimenez (UID 246092) was extradited to the US just one week prior to the Colombian government extradition of a further 14 alleged former warlords, who they say have “failed to abide by a peace deal under which their groups were demobilised”. Among them are Salvatore Mancuso (UID 180521), Diego Murillo (UID 215079) and Herman Giraldo (UID 215085). The accused will reportedly face narcotics related charges in a number of States within the USA, including New York, Florida, Texas and the District of Columbia. Check out their profiles to get a broader picture of their alleged activities.

PARMALAT CASE ACCUSED EXTRADITED

Luca Sala (UID 205212), who was arrested in Slovenia in February, has now reportedly been handed over to authorities in Switzerland. More than 90 individuals and entities with reported connections to the 2004 Parmalat case were originally profiled on World-Check. According to reports, approximately 12.4 million euros has been seized from foreign bank accounts, including from Switzerland, in connection with the investigation. A keyword search on Parmalat, will reveal which individuals and entities were investigated. You can also use the unique Display Graph on any of the profiles to help you visualise the complex connections and show the primary, secondary and tertiary relationships.

Reliable sources have indicated that President Bush will announce some types of sanctions against Venezuela on Wednesday. It is not known whether this will involve OFAC listing of financial institutions and their owners, US visa revocations, the designation of certain Venezuelan entities and individuals, or the naming of government-controlled companies. Whatever does occur could seriously disrupt the ability of the named designees to conduct financial transactions, as they will thereafter be denied access to the US financial structure. They may also have US-based funds and assets frozen by Treasury. …read more

Seven individuals have been convicted and sentenced in a Paris court for ‘criminal association in a terrorist enterprise.’ Farid Benyettoun (UID 275272) was accused of recruiting young individuals from a mosque in northern Paris and sending them via Syria and Egypt to fight in Iraq. He was sentenced to six years in jail. Boubakeur el-Hakim (UID 828035), who is reported to be the main organiser of the Paris network, was jailed for seven years. See who was involved in the network by viewing el-Hakim’s profile.

Nelly Avila Moreno (UID 269942) aka 'Karina' has surrendered to Colombian forces. She is reported to have been responsible for a string of murders and kidnappings in the Antioquai region of Colombia. In 2002 authorities placed a reward of US$800,000 on her head. Two months ago Ivan Rios (UID 449485), the FARC commander in the region was slain, and 'Karina' was reported to have taken over the reins.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (UID 41241) who reportedly received funding for the 9/11 attacks, and is said to have been one of the alleged masterminds of the attacks, has been referred for trial by a special military commission. Four others, namely Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash (UID 417358), Ramzi Binalshibh (UID 39086), Ali Abdl Aziz Ali (UID 411797) and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi (UID 40658) will also be tried by a military tribunal on capital charges of murder, terrorism and other war crimes. The US Department of Defense statement read “The five accused will be tried jointly, and the cases are referred as capital for each defendant, meaning they face the possibility of being sentenced to death”.

Don’t miss the World-Check Power Breakfast on the 16th June.
Venue: The Carlyle, Madison Avenue, New York.
Presentations by Kenneth Rijock on 'A Former Money Launderer tells how it's done' and 'Emerging fraud and money laundering threats in 2008.'
World-Check, Consultant Dan Peak will speak about 'Your politically exposed customers and the risk they represent.'
Time: 0830 until noon.

In April 2008 World-Check launched the beta version of Country-Check, a premier risk ranking index for overall country risk. Read more about Country-Check in the full press release or visit the Country-Check site here. Don't delay register now! Country-Check is free, but for a limited period only!

For information and frequently asked questions please visit our website by clicking here.