Article: Hong Kong Raises IPO Profit Minimum in Watered-Down Move

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Hong Kong Raises IPO Profit Minimum in Watered-Down Move

Kiuyan Wong, 20 May 2021

Hong Kong’s exchange backed off from a proposal to double or even triple the annual profit requirement for companies seeking to sell shares on its main board following opposition from banks.

The threshold will instead be raised 60% to HK$80 million ($10 million) in the recent three financial years, effective starting next year, according to a statement released on Thursday. The exchange had proposed more than doubling or tripling the level. The bourse and the Securities and Futures Commission also issued a joint statement vowing to crack down on suspicious IPO activities such as inflating the market capitalization, executing “ramp-and-dump” schemes and unusually high underwriting commissions. Continue reading “Article: Hong Kong Raises IPO Profit Minimum in Watered-Down Move”

Article: Reports: Fraud a concern for merchants, brands

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Reports: Fraud a concern for merchants, brands

Kristina Knight, 20 May 2021

Online payment fraud could cost online merchants as much as $20 billion in 2021. That is a key takeaway from new Juniper Research data which predicts that the influx of inexperience digital shoppers during the pandemic could cause ecommerce fraud to skyrocket from $17.5 billion 2020 to more than $20 billion this year.

That would be an increase of about 18% YoY, much brought about by fraudsters who are targeting consumers who aren’t as savvy at protecting their financial information in the digital space. To staunch the flow – and to protect their shoppers, Juniper’s experts believe digital merchants must up their fraud prevention strategies across the ecommerce space, utilizing AI to spot potential fraudsters before damage can be done. Continue reading “Article: Reports: Fraud a concern for merchants, brands”

Article: FBI probing federal contractor’s donations to Sen. Collins’ campaign

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FBI probing federal contractor’s donations to Sen. Collins’ campaign

Dennis Hoey, Portland Press Herald, Maine, 19 May 2021

A Department of Defense contractor with ties to Maine is under investigation by the U.S. government for allegedly making illegal contributions to Sen. Susan Collins’ 2020 re-election campaign.

An FBI search warrant in the investigation names Martin Kao and Clifford Chen. Kao is the former president and CEO of Hawaii-based Navatek — now known as Martin Defense Group — and Chen was Navatek’s chief financial officer at the time the contributions were made. The contractor is based in Honolulu and has offices in Maine, Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, Michigan, Oklahoma, Kansas and South Carolina.

Kao and Chen are accused of making illegal contributions of about $45,000 to Collins’ re-election campaign and $150,000 to the independently operated 1820 PAC, which supported the Republican’s re-election bid. Donations of that nature constitute violations of federal law that prohibit federal contractors from making political contributions, according to FBI Special Agent Michelle Ball, who filed an application for a search warrant on April 7. The warrant, which had to be executed before April 21, was authorized by U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey. Continue reading “Article: FBI probing federal contractor’s donations to Sen. Collins’ campaign”

Article: Barclays first bank to publish online scam refund details

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Barclays first bank to publish online scam refund details

Karl Flinders, 19 May 2021

Which? has called on banks to be more transparent about the proportion of victims of authorised push payment (APP) fraud they refund.

Barclays has signed up to a code to do so and has revealed that 74% of customers who suffered losses because of APP fraud in the first two months of this year have been repaid.

APP fraud, also known as bank transfer fraud, occurs when a consumer pays for something which turns out to be fake, and a criminal steals their money. Banks often reimburse customers through the Contingent Reimbursement Model, introduced in May 2019. This sets out when victims who are manipulated into making real-time payments to fraudsters are to be reimbursed and by whom, and banks usually take responsibility. Continue reading “Article: Barclays first bank to publish online scam refund details”

Article: Meat Institute Responds to DOJ Investigation Calls into Cattle Market

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Meat Institute Responds to DOJ Investigation Calls into Cattle Market

NAFB News Service, 19 May 2021

The North American Meat Institute this week defended its members against allegations of wrongdoing in the cattle market.

The response follows a closed-door meeting between livestock and farm groups focusing on ways to improve cattle market transparency and a letter from Republican lawmakers to the Department of Justice. The lawmakers requested DOJ continue its investigation regarding cattle market manipulation. Continue reading “Article: Meat Institute Responds to DOJ Investigation Calls into Cattle Market”

Article: California readies to prevent blackouts, but threats remain

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California readies to prevent blackouts, but threats remain

ADAM BEAM, 19 May 2021

California’s top energy regulators on Tuesday said the state is better prepared to avoid last summer’s rotating blackouts, but they cautioned the power grid of the nation’s most populous state is still vulnerable to extreme heat waves that could force more outages later this year.

State officials say they have acquired an additional 3,500 megawatts of capacity ahead of a likely scorching summer that threatens to increase demand beyond what the grid can handle. That includes an additional 2,000 megawatts of batteries designed to store energy generated from renewable sources — like solar — that stop working when it gets dark.

In general, one megawatt of energy is enough to power hundreds of homes, depending on how it is generated. Continue reading “Article: California readies to prevent blackouts, but threats remain”

Article: China stocks drop from 11-week high on commodity retreat amid a crackdown on pump-and-dump scheme

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China stocks drop from 11-week high on commodity retreat amid a crackdown on pump-and-dump scheme

Iris Ouyang, 19 May 2021

Stocks in mainland China retreated from a three-day advance as commodity prices eased and lingering concerns about global inflation soured appetite for risks. Financial markets in Hong Kong were closed for a public holiday.

The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.5 per cent to 3,510.96 at the close of Wednesday trading, after a rally this week that lifted the gauge to the highest level in 11 weeks. The Shenzhen Composite Index climbed 0.2 per cent, while technology-heavy ChiNext rose 0.8 per cent. Continue reading “Article: China stocks drop from 11-week high on commodity retreat amid a crackdown on pump-and-dump scheme”

Article: China reiterates warning against cryptocurrency use in transactions

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China reiterates warning against cryptocurrency use in transactions

Eileen Yu, 19 May 2021

Three state-backed financial groups in China have issued a joint statement warning against the use of cryptocurrencies as payment, citing their volatility as a high risk. They further remind industry players that digital currencies cannot be used in any financial activities in the country.

National Internet Finance Association of China, China Banking Association, and Payment and Clearing Association of China said Tuesday that its members should not be involved in transactions dealing with cryptocurrencies. These included activities encompassing intermediary services that facilitate trading as well as the exchange of fiat money. Continue reading “Article: China reiterates warning against cryptocurrency use in transactions”

Article: Lahore court extends Jahangir Tareen’s bail in money laundering case

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Lahore court extends Jahangir Tareen’s bail in money laundering case

Shahid Hussain, 19 May 2021

A Lahore sessions court extended Wednesday the bail of PTI leader Jahangir Tareen and his son Ali Tareen until May 31, in three money laundering and fraud cases.

The court told the Federal Investigation Agency to complete its investigation by then and not ask for more time. It had extended the bail until May 19 in the last hearing.

FIA, which has filed the cases, told the court that it needs more time to examine the heavy financial transactions done by Tareens. The court asked whether it wants to arrest the two, but the FIA said that it is still investigating, and will inform the court once it decides to arrest them. Continue reading “Article: Lahore court extends Jahangir Tareen’s bail in money laundering case”

Article: WA gambling watchdog ‘ineffective’ in face of money laundering risk

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WA gambling watchdog ‘ineffective’ in face of money laundering risk

Hannah Wootton, 19 May 2021

The Western Australia gambling watchdog’s board “regularly discussed” the threat of money laundering in Crown’s Perth casino but did not feel it had “the resources or authority” to investigate it itself, a royal commission heard on Wednesday.

The Gaming and Wagering Commission instead relied on AUSTRAC, WA Police and the Federal Police to stop any possible illegality on its watch, despite not knowing how these law enforcement agencies actually did so. Continue reading “Article: WA gambling watchdog ‘ineffective’ in face of money laundering risk”

Article: How to Actually Prosecute the Financial Crimes of the Very Rich

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How to Actually Prosecute the Financial Crimes of the Very Rich

PAUL E. PELLETIER, 19 May 2021

It was tax season 1999. I was a federal economic-crimes prosecutor in Miami, and this was the time of year my colleagues and I brought cases to deter would-be tax cheats. My target was a tax-return preparer operating out of Liberty City’s “Pork & Beans” projects, made famous in the movie Moonlight. This tax preparer had been manufacturing false W-2s and Social Security numbers so that her clients would receive an earned-income tax credit to which they weren’t entitled—amounting to more than $100,000 in bogus refunds. She eventually pleaded guilty and spent nearly three years in prison, which at the time I considered a broadly just result. She had committed a real crime against the United States. Continue reading “Article: How to Actually Prosecute the Financial Crimes of the Very Rich”

Article: Fact check: Resolved lawsuits against Pfizer alleged marketing fraud, data manipulation

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Fact check: Resolved lawsuits against Pfizer alleged marketing fraud, data manipulation

Adrienne Dunn, 19 May 2021

The claim: Pfizer was sued for $2.3 billion for “bribing doctors and suppressing adverse trial results” A viral social media post suggests that Americans shouldn’t trust Pfizer — one of the primary producers of coronavirus vaccines — because of a 2009 lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company.

The April 26 Instagram post claims, “Pfizer got sued for $2,300,000,000 in 2009 for ‘bribing doctors and suppressing adverse trial results.'”

The caption reads, “And you still trust them ?? With your babies ???” The post appears to be referencing a $2.3 billion settlement by Pfizer in 2009, but it’s misleading about the scope of the allegations relating to the settlement. Continue reading “Article: Fact check: Resolved lawsuits against Pfizer alleged marketing fraud, data manipulation”

Article: Fed Govt seeks seizure, repatriation of illicit funds

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Fed Govt seeks seizure, repatriation of illicit funds

Nduka Chiejina, 19 May 2021

The Federal Government yesterday appealed to countries that are the main destination for illicit financial flows (IFFs) to freeze, seize and repatriate such funds. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Mrs. Zainab Ahmed made the appeal during a virtual International Conference on Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and Asset Recovery.

According to her, countries that are the main destination for IFFs and their proceeds should take urgent steps to assist in combating this scourge, by preventing the inflow of illicit funds, freezing or seizing assets already in the country, and by ensuring that illicit funds and any proceeds are repatriated. The government is also leading the call for African countries to be present when decisions on IFFs are taken at a global level. Continue reading “Article: Fed Govt seeks seizure, repatriation of illicit funds”

Article: Fraud, money laundering and the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Fraud, money laundering and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tracy Molino, Anthony Scalia, 19 May 2021

As discussed in our four-part series, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated a trend away from using cash and other “touch-based” payment methods. This acceleration has been coupled with an increase in digital and contactless payment methods. The ongoing lockdown measures and stay-at-home orders have directly impacted consumer habits, resulting in consumers conducting their shopping online and away from retail stores, ordering their meals via delivery apps instead of dining in restaurants, and banking online as opposed to stopping by the teller on their commute home from work.

While the continued shift toward digital and contactless payments has been a driving force behind economic recovery, it is not without its risks for consumers and businesses, potentially creating an online environment ideal for fraudsters and money-launderers. In this insight we examine recent developments in this space in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Article: Fraud, money laundering and the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Article: Fitch Maintains Rating Watch Negative on Australia’s Crown Resorts

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Fitch Maintains Rating Watch Negative on Australia’s Crown Resorts

Fitch Ratings, 19 May 2021

Fitch Ratings has maintained the Rating Watch Negative (RWN) on Australian gaming operator Crown Resorts Limited’s ‘BBB’ Long-Term Issuer Default Rating and senior unsecured rating.

Fitch placed Crown’s ratings on RWN in November 2020 to reflect an increased risk of severe regulatory action, which could have a significant impact on the company’s business or financial profile, following a delay in the approval to open its Sydney casino. These risks were highlighted when Crown was deemed unsuitable to hold a gaming licence in New South Wales (NSW) in February 2021, followed by the commencement of royal commissions in Victoria and Western Australia (WA) into Crown’s activities.

Crown is working with NSW’s Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) on its remediation, but the final impact of the regulatory action remains unclear.

The regulator said in mid-May 2021 that it has reached an agreement with the company on several matters relating to the Sydney casino and is appointing an independent monitor to review Crown’s structural changes to allow it to make a final decision on suitability. Fitch will resolve the RWN once the outcomes of the regulatory actions are known and we have assessed the impact on Crown’s operations and financial profile.

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