Our monthly round up of news items which are of particular relevance to those businesses regulated for the purposes of AML.
Criminals lose, AML compliance wins, the smarter way to safeguard your business.
Cyber Security
Sanctions Hit Russian Bulletproof Hosting – LockBit Network Disrupted
US, UK, and Australian authorities have imposed new sanctions on Media Land, a Russia-linked hosting provider accused of enabling ransomware gangs most notably LockBit, BlackSuit, and Play. The coordinated action aims to disrupt cybercrime infrastructure by cutting off access to crucial hosting services and freezing ties with sanctioned entities.
Media Land is alleged to have provided “bulletproof” hosting that allowed cybercriminals to facilitate DDoS attacks, phishing campaigns, and major ransomware operations against critical infrastructure and businesses, bypassing previous takedowns thanks to rebranding and offshore strategies.
This third major enforcement move against Russian-based infrastructure this year demonstrates a growing international resolve to combat digital threats that are directly linked to financial crime, fraud, and extortion.
Comment – For AML compliance and due diligence practitioners, the targeting of hosting facilitators and their support networks highlights the rising risks associated with cloud and offshore infrastructure, the importance of understanding supplier/third-party cyber risk We can help.
Organised Crime
Cyber Threats and State Capture Fuel Africa’s Criminal Complexity
Recent analysis reveals that Africa faces a surge in organised crime, driven by state capture and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Criminal networks, often enabled by corrupt officials and digital tools, are exploiting institutional weaknesses and volatile environments, leading to a new era of criminal complexity across the continent.
The landscape in Africa is being fundamentally reshaped by the convergence of digital innovation and entrenched corruption, where cybercrime now accounts for over 30% of reported crime in key regions. The 2025 Africa Organised Crime Index highlights that criminal markets, ranging from financial fraud and drug trafficking to online scams are diversifying rapidly, aided by embedded state actors who erode governance and undermine anti-crime efforts.
Comment -For AML compliance and due diligence teams, this evolution underscores the necessity of enhanced digital vigilance, due diligence on politically exposed persons (PEPs), and proactive risk assessment in unstable markets.
Leveraging platforms like www.investigationengine.com and tailored investigative training can help practitioners better detect hidden ownership, track cyber-enabled illicit activity, and ensure resilience against globalised threats.
Regulatory
FATF keeps Iran on blacklist over AML failures
At the FATF’s latest plenary in Paris, delegates reaffirmed that Iran will stay on the global watchdog’s blacklist, highlighting deep and ongoing deficiencies in its compliance with international AML/CFT rules.
Despite Iran’s recent ratification of the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), the move fell short of expectations due to constitutional reservations and limited enforcement, effectively allowing exemptions for so-called “resistance movements.” The FATF noted that since 2016, Iran has failed to implement the majority of its action plan, and continues to inadequately address both terror finance and transnational crime risks.
The watchdog’s statement underscored the urgent need for Iran to fully criminalise terrorist financing, tighten asset-freezing mechanisms, and regulate informal money transfer channels, seen as key areas of vulnerability under FATF scrutiny. International pressure remains high following renewed sanctions and mounting concerns over proliferation financing risks, as Iran’s support for designated terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah creates an ongoing threat to the global financial system.
Comment – For AML, sanctions, and compliance professionals, FATF’s stance is a meaningful reminder of how geopolitical issues and regulatory non-compliance can lock entire jurisdictions out of the global banking mainstream. Risk teams must stay up-to-date with high-risk countries, enhance their sanction screening and due diligence processes, and be vigilant for indirect exposure through correspondent banking or third-party transactions involving blacklisted actors.
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