Hello and welcome to episode 206 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast. I am Chris Kirkbride. This episode examines global financial crime, starting with sanctions evasion challenges: a report highlights 113 Russian 'shadow' vessels moving €4.7 billion in oil using false flags, then to a UK OFSI General Licence for Lukoil International Entities, while the EU considers using frozen Russian sovereign assets for Ukraine. UK enforcement updates include the FCA charging a former banker and associate in a £70,000 insider dealing case and arresting another for suspected market manipulation. HMRC also announced higher Economic Crime Levy rates from April 2026. Finally, we cover global efforts: the Council of Europe launched an anti-corruption/money laundering initiative, and INTERPOL adopted a Strategic Framework targeting transnational scam centres, though Transparency International warns UK Overseas Territories are lagging on corporate transparency reforms.

A transcript of this podcast, with links to the stories, will be available at www.crimes.financial.