Monday, December 16, 2013

RICHARD CHICHAKLI CONVICTED ON ALL CRIMINAL COUNTS

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA


CHICHAKLI IS CONVICTED, BUT THE DARK CLOUD OF INTER-AGENCY RIVALRY REMAINS OVERHEAD



Richard Chichakli, the Syrian-American CPA and fraud examiner whose long partnership with Viktor Bout, in an aviation smuggling enterprise, for both friend and foe, placed his activities under a global microscope, has been convicted by a jury, in US District Court in New York City.

The defendant, who insisted in representing himself at trial, faced clear and convincing evidence that he, and Bout, while under American sanctions, had attempted to purchase Boeing aircraft for export.  

The defendant was convicted as follows:

 (1) One count of Conspiracy to commit Money Laundering. ($1.7m was wire transferred into the US. by Chichakli)
 (2) One count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.
 (3) Six counts of Wire Fraud.

If the Court, at sentencing, chooses to run the courts consecutively, instead of concurrent, he could spend the rest of his life in a Federal Prison. Bout, who was his co-defendant, but could not be tried at this time, due to to US laws on extradition, is already serving a 25-year sentence, for his participation in a conspiracy to sell surface-to-air missiles to the FARC.

Though Bout and Chichakli are obviously guilty of a long list of criminal offenses, perpetrated during their "careers" of shipping arms into conflict zones, which included long civil wars in Africa, and supporting dictators involved in crimes against humanity and war crimes, there are bigger issues at play, which deserve a public forum.

First of all, how extensive was the relationship between Bout & Chichakli, and US agencies, whether they be law enforcement or intelligence ? There appears to be a concerted effort, by the United States Government, to cover up what individuals with personal knowledge assert was a long association.

Was that association active when Bout met with DEA agents who succeeded in perpetrating their missile purchase sting operation, and was he acting within the scope of his employment ?    If so, is Bout entitled to a new trial ? The answers to these questions should be provided to the Court, free of any "classified information" subterfuge.

Second, what about Bout's allegations, that he was specifically targeted, due to the fact that he had committed multiple offenses, while under the protection of an American agency, and therefore could not be prosecuted ? Crimes perpetrated under the umbrella of American intelligence service, which generally carry the proverbial "Get out of Jail Free card,"are deeply resented by law enforcement.

Bout alleges that he and Chichakli became the subject of a concerted, directed effort to tweak the nose of our intelligence agencies, by arresting some of their private contractors. Chichakli was not charged until after the US obtained Bout's laptop, after his arrest.

Were these cases really selective prosecution, and if so, how will this ultimately affect the validity of their convictions ?

Our intelligence agencies, and our government, are not anxious to reveal the extent to which unsavory individuals perform tasks, covertly, on its behalf.

These are dirty jobs that are often a necessary evil, but which many Americans would find offensive, immoral, illegal, or distasteful.

Our law enforcement community understandingly takes offense; and I do not blame them. It is a morality issue, wrapped inside a legal dilemma.

Inter-agency rivalry among America's many Federal agencies, whether for budget dollars, publicity over their successes, or expansion plans, is a fact of life, but these competing agencies should not take out their anger on the individuals who are working for the other agencies, and who engaged in conduct they regard as criminal.
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Thursday, October 24, 2013

ECUADOR FORMS PARTNERSHIP WITH IRAN TO LAUNDER US MONEY

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



ECUADOR'S IRAN SANCTIONS EVASION SUPPORT IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL POLICY


Much has been made this year, by a number of knowledgeable commentators, about Ecuador's increasing involvement in assisting Iran in evading the global sanctions in place against it, due to illegal WMD and ballistic missile programs.
 
While this is correct, it is more important that Ecuador's role is not just a passing interest, but a matter of its national policy, which was initiated five years ago.
 
On November 6, 2008, a senior Ecuadorian compliance official, Paulina Arauz, pursuant to the request of the then-general manager of the Central Bank of Ecuador, Mauricio Martinez, prepared and delivered a confidential eleven-page Opinion Letter* to Martinez.
 
The opinion dealt with the methods of implementation and facilitation of a financial relationship between Ecuador and Iran:
 
(1) The document discussed the potential ramifications of any transactions with Iran, spelling out in detail US laws and Executive Orders,  and the possible consequences for Ecuador.
 
(2) Using information that the author stated was obtained from the dominant commercial off-the-shelf high risk database, several financial institutions said to be known Iranian correspondents, either directly or indirectly, were surveyed, and details on who was, and who was not, sanctioned, as a result, were covered.
 
The conclusion arrived at; the use of certain obscure third-party correspondents, in financial dealings with Iran, and which do not currently show up on commercial AML databases, provide a solution for the Central Bank, with reduced risk.
 
This opinion formed the basis for Ecuador's establishment of a close financial relationship with Iran. it means that all substantial international trade transactions with Ecuadorian companies, financial institutions, and indeed the government itself, could very well be fronts for Iran.
 
You should consider the implementation of enhanced Due Diligence, should you encounter any such transactions, lest you be unwittingly facilitating Iran sanctions evasion.
 
 
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OFAC HAS IMPOSED A FINE TO A TRADING COMPANY FROM UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


OFAC LOWERS THE BOOM ON A UAE TRADING COMPANY FOR IRAN SANCTIONS VIOLATIONS

Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has levied a civil penalty of $1.5m, upon a UAE-based investment & trading company, Alma Investment LLC, for violation of Iranian Transactions and Sanctions regulations. The conduct that gave rise to the penalty:
 
"Alma originated at least six electronic funds transfers, totaling $103,283, processed through financial institutions located in the United States, for the benefit of persons in Iran.
 
OFAC determined that Alma violated the prohibition against the exportation of services, directly or indirectly, from the United States, to Iran, or the Government of Iran, set forth in §560.204 of the regulations."*
 
Note well that the civil penalty is fifteen times the amount transferred; There were a number of aggravating factors cited by OFAC:
 
(A) Alma concealed and/or omitted material information in funds transfers originated by Alma, for processing through the United States. This conduct was willful and reckless.
 
(B) Alma appears to be associated with multiple Iranian entities, and facilitated Iran-related payments through the United States.
 
(C) Alma's management, including senior management, had actual knowledge of the illegal conduct.
 
(D) Alma has no compliance program.
 
(E) Alma did not cooperate with OFAC during the course of the investigation.
 
(F) Alma omitted references to OFAC-sanctioned countries or persons on the transactions, which were processed through the United States.
 
The Enforcement Information stated that the penalty will have a deterrence effect, and encourage greater due diligence.
 
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

MIAMI BANKS ARE NOT PREPARING AND ARE EVADING SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


SOME MIAMI BANKS ARE MONTHS OR YEARS BEHIND IN SAR FILINGS

A major Miami-area executive search firm was advertising recently for clerical staff, to prepare and file delinquent Suspicious Activity Reports for a bank, located here, that has a long and sordid history of AML compliance deficiencies.
 
The employment offer was for an extremely small hourly wage, which means that anyone who was qualified, through training and experience, to analyze the available information, and properly compose SARs, would not be applying for the job.
 
The bank officer who tried to cut corners by paying a pittance for this important compliance work should be terminated, in my humble opinion.
 
Moreover, the bank was, according to the executive recruiter, more than ONE YEAR BEHIND in its SAR filings. Where are the Federal auditors and regulators here ? No bank, even one with a robust AML/CFT program, should be late filing its SARs the next year.
 
The money launderers will be in, and out, of the bank, and long gone, well before the SARs are prepared and filed.
 
Apparently there are several other Miami banks with this same SAR delinquency. This is what happens when regulatory agencies only give offending banks repeated Cease & Desist Orders, when they catch them with violations.
 
The banks simply do not fear the regulators. Only when one of the most egregious violator loses its charter will the other banks institute truly effective AML/CFT compliance.
 
 
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

I M F EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS A CRIMINAL

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


 
EX-IMF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GETS PROBATION IN SWISS FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

Jacques de Groote, who was the former Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, and later the Belgian Director at the World Bank, was sentenced to probation and a large fine this week, after he was convicted in a case where €500m was seized, and which charged aggravated money laundering, fraud, and securities fraud.
 
While the Czech managers, who were the major actors in the fraudulent purchase of a Czech firm being denationalized, received prison terms, de Groote's only punishment was to pay a fine of 230 Swiss Francs, daily, for 330 days, for a total of 759,000 CHF.
 
When Swiss courts pronounce lenient sentences that do not include prison time for fraud on this scale, they fail to deter future financial crime.
 
 
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Monday, October 21, 2013

USB BANK TOP EXECUTIVE ARRESTED IN ITALY

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



FROMER HEAD OF UBS GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT ARRESTED IN ITALY ON AMERICAN WARRANT

Raoul Weil, the former head of UBS Global Wealth Management division, was arrested this week in Bologna, Italy, after traveling there from his native Switzerland, where, as a Swiss national, he could not be extradited.

Weil was declared a fugitive in 2009, by the US Department of Justice, when he declined to travel to Miami to face Federal charges that he aided and abetted high net-worth US citizens in evading taxes on their wealth, by hiding the funds in accounts whose owners could not be readily ascertained.

Weil, who was charged in 2008 with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, allegedly ran a team of Swiss bankers, who entered America as tourists, and worked with United States taxpayers to hide their assets at UBS, using offshore accounts, and other vehicles designed to obscure beneficial ownership.

The bankers employed techniques more common to individuals engaged in espionage than financial professionals, for they were not licensed in the US, including the lurid tale about their smuggling diamonds into the country inside toothpaste tubes, and using encrypted email accounts, all to assist tax evaders.

Weill allegedly supervised the tax evasion activities of approximately  17,000 US citizens; the figure of $20bn, hidden from the US taxman, has been alleged in the Indictment. He faces a maximum of five years in Federal Prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Known to be a cocky, confident businessman, Weil may have finally run into a problem that he cannot solve.

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COMMERZE BANK AG CLOSES NEW YORK BRANCH

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



CEASE AND DESIST AGAINST COMMERZBANK AG FOR AML VIOLATIONS


Readers who wish to view the complete text of the Order to Cease and Desist Issued upon Consent, against Commerzbank AG, and Commerze Bank AG, New York branch, for ineffective anti-money laundering controls, can find it here*.
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* Cease & Desist Order


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TURKEY'S GOVERNMENT MAY BE PROMOTING IRANIAN SANCTIONS EVASION

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



WATCH TRANSACTIONS WITH CORPORATIONS FROM TURKEY CLOSELY FOR IRAN SANCTIONS EVASION ACTIVITY

If you carefully read my recent article, Malaysia, a Center of Iran Sanctions Activity, you may have noticed that the Iranian businessman, who admitted being a highly successful sanctions evader regarding receiving payments for Iranian oil, utilized legitimate, as well as shell, companies in Turkey to achieve his goals.
 
While the UAE and Malaysia were well-known participants, the inclusion of Turkey had not been seen publicly before.
 
Turkey has moved closer to Iran recently, in both international trade, as well as inter-governmental cooperation, since the incident involving a vessel attempting to enter restricted waters off the Palestinian Territory of Gaza resulted in the deaths of several Turkish nationals, but there are troubling signs of cooperation, which raise the risks that agencies within the Government of Turkey may be facilitating Iranian sanctions evasion:
 
(1) Last week, authoritative American media reported that Turkish intelligence services had identified ten Iranian nationals involved in espionage, on behalf of Israel; They had met with their Israeli handlers inside Turkey, and had subsequently been identified by Turkey to Iran. Some have been reportedly executed by hanging, according to published reports.
 
(2) Classified intelligence on Iran, delivered to Turkey by the United States and by Israel, has reportedly been shared, by Turkey, with Iran.
 
(3) The chief of a major Turkish intelligence agency is known to have close ties with Iran, and has been accused by some reliable sources of Anti-Semitic sentiments.
 
Since intelligence services are well-versed in the formation and operation of shell and front companies, and given the obvious pro-Iran leanings of Turkey's intelligence agency, it is reasonable to assume that Iran has suggested that some officers in the Turkish Government assist it in evading existing global sanctions, and that it has facilitated payments, both on and out of Iran, that violate UN sanctions.
 
Pay particular attention to transactions where you are receiving payment from those Turkish banks who have branches or subsidiaries in Iraq.
 
I have previously named them on this blog; an adept Tehran purchaser/sanctions evader could easily route the payments as follows:
 
(A) From an Iranian bank to an Iraqi bank. (No compliance problems from the Iraqis, unfortunately.)
 
(B) From the Iraqi bank to a Turkish bank's branch in Baghdad.
 
(C) An intrabank transfer, to the Turkish bank's Ankara or Istanbul headquarters.
 
(D) Payment to the US or EU bank. The original Iranian payment is three steps removed, and therefore unknown to the recipient, or its bank.
 
Therefore, compliance officers at international banks whose clients are engaged in the sale of goods to Turkish companies will want to carefully examine those transactions.
 
I know that it is probably too much to expect your customers to get letters, from the Turkish purchasers, that are the functional equivalent of End User certificates, but you can ask for them.
 
Such written assurances might very well be sufficient, should US regulators, or law enforcement agencies, come around later, asking why your customer's entire shipment of goods showed up in Iran.
 
(1) Are dual-purpose, meaning that they have  potential military applications in WMD or ballistic  missile programs, and could be used by Iran for that purpose.
 
(2) Are goods that have not been previously ordered by the client's customer previously, or in such quantities that far exceed the customer's possible short-term needs.
 
(3) Are ordered from Turkish companies that are not known to your bank client.
 
(4) Are located in Eastern Turkey, near the Iranian frontier, and the goods purchased are not normally shipped to that area.
 
(5) Are being sold for a price that exceeds current market pricing, or where your bank client has urgently requested that the payments be transferred, or where you cannot verify the identity of the purchasing corporation.
 
Given Turkey's drift into the Iranian orbit, you need to be careful with Turkish transactions.
 
 
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OFAC REFUSES TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST DAHABSHIIL WHICH SUPPORTS AL-SHABAD OPERATIONS

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



WHY WON'T OFAC SANCTION THE SOMALI MSB DAHABSHIIL ?

Dahabshiil, the money service business headquartered in Somalia, has gone to court in the United Kingdom, seeking injunctive relief against Barclays, which is scheduled to exit their relationship, for both money laundering, as well as terrorist financing, grounds.
 
Barclays has declared that it will delay closing Dahabshiil accounts, pending the imminent court ruling. What's wrong with this picture ?
 
Dahabshiil has a long and checkered history of accommodating, and facilitating, the finances of Al-Shabaab, which is a designated terrorist organization. Al-Shabab* has:
 
(1) Received what amounts to annual bribes, or tribute, from the MSB.
 
(2) Forwarded money, from other Middle Eastern countries, to Dahabshiil accounts in Somalia, which was then used to fund terrorist acts inside the country, including the targeted killing of Somali government officials.
 
(3) Extorted money, from Somali expats abroad, and sent it in to itself in Somalia, through Dhaabshiil accounts.
 
Dahabshiil has also been accused of using bribes and threats to shut down critical media comments on its operation.
 
Where is OFAC on all this ? Someone in a position of leadership at Treasury needs to take action to designate this MSB immediately, and not two years later, please.
 
Al-Shabaab represents not just a clear and present danger to the Government of Somalia, it threatens Kenya and the entire East African region.
 
Its conversion of expatriate Somalis could even pose a terrorist threat to the United States.
 
Barclays should have to be the only entity going up against this terrorist organization.
 
The US & the UK need to strand up and be counted with sanctions.
 
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* Its full name is Harakat al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen (Movement of Warrior Youth).


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Saturday, October 19, 2013

SWISS BANK ADMITS GUILT & CLOSES

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock
 



SWISS BANK TARGETED BY UNITED STATES TAX AUTHORITIES TO ABRUPTLY CLOSE ITS DOORS

Bank Frey & Co AG, a Swiss financial institution under investigation for banking US taxpayers, announced that it will "cease business activity."
 
The announcement stated that the banks was financially sound, and will not be liquidated.
 
The stated reasons for the closing( direct quotes):
 
(1) Increasingly difficult market conditions.
 
(2) Ever-growing regulations and the unsustainable requirements that smaller private banks are required to comply with.
 
(3) The [Swiss] tax dispute with the USA.
 
Though Bank Frey is not currently under indictment in the United States, this action may have taken place at this time due to the recent guilty plea of Swiss-American attorney Edgar Paltzer, in US District Court in New York City,* to Conspiracy to Commit Tax Fraud, in connection with accounts of US taxpayers in the bank. It appears that Paltzer is cooperating with American authorities.
 
Readers who did not see the original article covering the New York Federal case  can find it here**.
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OKKE ORNSTEIN ESCAPES PANAMA PRISON

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA   ~Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock ~




DUTCH FRAUDSTER OKKE ORNSTEIN FLEES PANAMANIAN JUSTICE FOR THE NETHERLANDS

Okke Ornstein, who was sentenced to 38 months in a Panamanian prison, in connection with his convictions in four separate white-collar cases in the Republic of Panama, failed to appear for his fifth criminal felony trial and has illegally fled the jurisdiction for refuge in Europe.
 
He is believed to be hiding somewhere in the Netherlands, where there is a pending criminal investigation against him for child pornography.
 
Ornstein is thought to have fled Panama, rather than risk arrest for years of unpaid child support owed to the mother of his two adopted children, who is the former companion of convicted master fraudster Marc Harris, Ornstein's ex-partner in a Ponzi scheme that collapsed after Harris' arrest. Ornstein received immunity from prosecution in that case.
 
He has a reputation in Panama, not only as a fraudster, but also as a serial blackmailer; He is regarded in Panama City as a danger to the community.
 
The fugitive, who has been posting to the Internet in Dutch of late, should be considered a dangerous career criminal, and should he attempt to establish an account relationship at an EU bank, it is hoped that the banks' compliance officers are all readers of this blog.
 
Ornstein, who is not a fan of the undersigned's articles about him, appearing frequently on this blog, has repeatedly claimed that the information about him that has been published is untrue, but I believe that his four felony convictions speak for themselves.
 
He is a danger to the investing public, and let us hope that Panama has contacted INTERPOL, to have a Red Notice issued against him.
 
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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

MIAMI - HOT ZONE FOR VENEZUELAN OPPONENTS OF MADURO REGIME

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


REPORTING ON VENEZUELAN MONEY LAUNDERING CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH IN MIAMI 



Things are heating up in Miami, and I am not referring to the temperature; individuals who have been reporting on the rampant money laundering occurring in, through, and out of, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, have been targeted, threatened and harassed, and there is more trouble coming to the Magic City.
 
Here is what we have seen lately:
 
(1) A Miami media figure, who has been extensively covering Venezuelan money laundering news, had a visit, at his home, from unknown visitors, who left a threatening note, warning him from continuing to expose the rampant laundering in Venezuela. Fortunately, he was not home at the time.
 
(2) Two Venezuelan expats, both known opponents of the regime, were the object of intentional automobile accidents, conducted by a pair of Cuban agents who have been conducting surveillance of individuals who are outspoken critics of the Maduro regime.
 
The obvious intent is to intimidate regime opponents. Please note that they are known to drive a white Range Rover while conducting surveillance.
 
It is doubtful that they have registered as agent of a foreign government, as Federal law requires. Remember that a Venezuelan agent in the "Suitcasegate" case was convicted for such unlawful activities in Miami a while back. Let's hope that Miami FBI office is watching the watchers.
 
(3) A Colonel in the Venezuelan Army, whose initials are R.V.L.P., is reportedly due to arrive in Miami this week, to supervise the campaign of intimidation.
 
Look for him to pose as a civilian, and a tourist. Unfortunately, CBP will probably allow him into the country, as he is not listed under any OFAC sanction, but he does pose a threat to the Miami Venezuelan community, as well as those agent whose identities thus far have remained unknown.
 
(4) One of Miami's more experienced politicians, who is based in Doral, the Miami-Dade municipality with the largest number of Venezuelans, and who is no friend of the Maduro regime, has promised to actually publish a blacklist of Venezuelan money launderers.
 
If he is referring to the list I am familiar with, and which I have discussed on this blog, its publication will greatly upset the Government of Venezuela, as well as cause compliance officers at Miami-area banks to run to their client lists, and then to their attorneys, for advice.
 
Notwithstanding any implied or express threats from Venezuelan or Cuban agents, we will continue to cover Venezuelan money laundering activities on this blog; please stay tuned, as things will certainly get ugly, but Miami can handle it.
 
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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

HASSAN HABID HEZBOLLAH'S UNIT HAS AN ARREST WARRANT FOR MURDER



FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR ADDITIONAL HEZBOLLAH ASSOCIATE


The Special Tribunal for Lebanon has issued an arrest warrant for Hassan Habib Merhi, named as an associate of Hezbollah, for his role in the assassination of Rafik Hariri, and twenty one others.


 
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VIKTOR BOUT'S ATTORNEY ASKING FOR REHEARING


FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



VIKTOR BOUT'S ATTORNEY REQUESTS REHEARING EN BANC OF HIS APPEAL

We have previously reported that Viktor Bout's appeal of his Federal criminal conviction was affirmed by the Second Circuit. His attorney of record, Albert Dayan, has now filed a Petition for Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc*.
 
The grounds for the petition, which Mr. Dayan's brief states involves questions of exceptional importance:
 
(1) Outrageous conduct of the United States Government violated Due Process.
 
(2) Conspiracy to Commit Reckless Murder is a crime that does not exist.
 
In another development, Bout's wife, Alla Bout, has told Russian media that her husband has sent a letter to Mr. Dayan, terminating his representation, and that Bout has decided not to proceed further with the appeal process, which is contradicted by the filing of the Petition for Rehearing En Banc.
 
Mr. Dayan's office has advised that he has not as yet received any such communication from his client.
 
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Monday, October 14, 2013

FARC & VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT DECLARE WAR ON VENEZUELA OPPOSITION

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock

 
NORTH KOREAN WEAPONS ON SEIZED SHIP WERE DESTINED FOR THE FARC, AND FOR TERRORIST ATTACK IN VENEZUELA

We have all seen the latest update on the North Korean freighter, seized by the Republic of Panama when it attempted to illegally transit the Panama Canal with undeclared military cargo; the weapons and aircraft hidden under tons of sugar were all in operational status, and the MiGs even had fuel in their tanks, but there is much more to the story.
 
Details emerging on the true destination of the missiles, arms, and fighter jets are alarming many in Latin America, though they are curiously absent from mainstream North American and European media.
 
Here is what was supposed to happen, before some unknown source tipped off the Panamanian Government, which searched, and detained, the North Korean vessel, before it could enter the Panama Canal:
 
(1) After transiting the Canal, The missiles and small arms were to be offloaded at a clandestine port in Ecuador, close to Colombia.
 
The FARC was then slated to take possession of these arms, and therefore upset the balance of power between its troops and the Colombian Armed Forces, as Colombian military aircraft would thereafter be at risk for missile attack, and several of the FARC Fronts, thus rearmed, would be able to take the offensive once more.
Apparently, the peace process, currently under way in Havana, is being conducted by the FARC in bad faith.
 
(2) The Venezuelan portion of the plan, started by Cuban officials working in the Maduro government, involved publicly releasing fabricated information regarding a planned invasion of Venezuela by Opposition forces.
 
(3) According to the plan, The MiG fighter jets were to be deployed, reportedly using Cuban pilots, to attack targets in Venezuela's principal cities, and the operation blamed upon the Venezuelan Opposition, former Colombian President Uribe, and several American conservatives who are outspoken critics of the Maduro Government.
 
This fabricated "offensive" would be used as a pretext for the Venezuelan Government to respond violently, arresting or eliminating the entire Opposition leadership, and moving Venezuela closer to an absolute police state, under close Cuban supervision.
 
While this may sound like something from a Tom Clancy novel,  I assure you that there is a factual basis for this information.
 
As a matter of fact, three weeks before the vessel was seized,  a former Venezuelan Ambassador and security analyst, Thor Halvorssen, who is one of the leaders of Venezuelans  in exile, was the first to warn about this operation, and advised that it posed a clear and present danger to both countries.
 
But for Mr. Halvorssen's predictions, and the timely intervention of Panamanian authorities, this plot would have become reality. The Spanish-language version of the Miami Herald covered this case, in an article published on Saturday, substantially after it occurred; no other articles have appeared in the press.
 
Anyone who believes that the FARC is ready to make peace with Colombia, or who believes that the Maduro Government is anything other than an evil dictatorship, guided by Cuba, should now recognize the ugly reality; the FARC and the Maduro Government want to take their respective countries down a very long road, where there is no light at the end of the tunnel, only darkness.
 
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PANAMA - BALBINA HERRERA EXPOSES FINMECCANICA SCANDAL & GOES TO JAIL

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock





PANAMANIAN POLITICIAN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS FOR PRIVACY LAW VIOLATIONS FOR DISCLOSING DAMAGING EMAILS IN FINMECCANICA SCANDAL

Balbina del Carmen Herrera Arauz, the leader of Panama's Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), has been sentenced to three years in prison for revealing the contents of emails that reportedly implicate Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal in the Finmeccanica bribery scandal.
 
Herrera, who is a former candidate for the presidency, released private e-mail messages in Panama's biggest scandal, in which individuals linked to Martinelli reportedly received large kickbacks, to be delivered to the Panamanian President, for government contracts.
 
Whether Martinelli will be charged with corruption in Italy, after he leaves office next year, is one of the more interesting debates in Panamanian politics.
 
Panama's fatally flawed criminal justice system rarely indicts or convicts the guilty, but Sra. Herrera may have been targeted for a specific purpose.
 
The problem is, it is difficult to ascertain whether she was charged because of the threat that her disclosures posed to Mr. Martinelli, or other factors.
 
Herrera was the 2009 presidential candidate who received substantial support from the late Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.
 
She professes political views on the extreme left, and her election could have moved Panama into the Venezuela-Ecuador-Nicaragua orbit, and away from the influence of the United States.
 
She has been linked to Hezbollah, as well as to individuals who held power during the Noriega presidency. Do not expect her to cease her opposition to the present government.
 
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DOUGLAS BATES ROTHSTEIN SCHEME COLABORATOR OUT ON BOND

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



LAWYER INVOLVED IN ROTHSTEIN PONZI SCHEME APPEALS COURT BAN ON PRACTICING LAW UNTIL HIS TRIAL 

Douglas Bates is a workers' compensation and personal injury attorney in Plantation, Florida; Mr. Bates was indicted in August, in one of the Scott Rothstein Ponzi scheme Federal cases, where he stands accused of perpetrating an elaborate charade upon investors in the Rothstein fraud: misrepresenting that he referred many important cases to the Ponzi schemer, to convince the victims, including a New York-based hedge fund, that the phantom settlement clients Rothstein claimed to represent were real.
 
Out on bond, the Magistrate Judge imposed an "onerous" Special Condition upon Mr. Bates, according to his attorney. I will quote it here verbatim from the bond hearing:
"Cease and desist in the practice of law, in any manner, while on release, immediately."
His lawyer filed a motion to amend the conditions of his Pretrial Release, arguing:
 
(A) The order amounted to a determination of guilt without trial by jury.
 
(B) The order was a denial of the presumption of innocence.
 
(C) The order was a denial of Due process; it amount to a taking of his law business.
 
The US Attorney responded that the Magistrate was correct, in that he found that Bates' "pervasive criminal activity" kept Rothstein's Ponzi scheme alive, when he provided, on law firm stationary, false opinions and statements.
 
Bates has now appealed the Magistrate's ruling to the District Judge handling the case.
 
The issue: whether a lawyer who was a principal actor in a Ponzi scheme poses a sufficiently clear threat to the public to terminate his legal practice, while he is out on bail, and prior to his trial. There are valid points to be made on both sides of the argument.
 
When the District Judge makes his ruling, we shall update our readers accordingly.


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MURCIA ACCUSES PANAMA GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS STEALING HIS MONEY

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock

 
PONZI SCHEMER MURCIA SAYS MARTINELLI AND OTHER PANAMANIAN LEADERS STOLE FROM HIM

Convicted Colombian billion dollar Ponzi schemer, David Helmut Eduardo Murcia Guzmán, in an extensive interview, has named several of Panama's senior officials and politicians as members of an organized crime group that he refers to as Panama's Mafia, and asserts that several of them stole millions, or even billions,  of dollars entrusted to them.
 
Murcia has now gone public with information, previously reported here, regarding his extensive dealings with Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, and alleged that Martinelli, to whom he delivered a large amount of cash, is guilty of grand larceny.
 
Though Murcia's reputation for truth may be questionable, due to his multiple criminal convictions, and operation of an international Ponzi scheme that defrauded millions, other sources have repeatedly confirmed Murcia's claims that he lost literally billions of dollars to several prominent Panamanian businessmen and political figures.
 
You can take his statements with a grain of salt, but you cannot ignore the evidence.
 
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Saturday, October 12, 2013

VENEZUELA VIOLATES INTERNATIONAL LAW BY HOLDING A US-OPERATED OIL SHIP

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock






VENEZUELAN MILITARY SEIZES AMERICAN OIL COMPANY RESEARCH VESSEL IN DISPUTED WATERS 

The Venezuelan Navy, entering Guyanese maritime territory that Venezuela claims for itself, has seized The vessel and crew of the Research Vessel Teknik Perdana, owned by US-based Anadarko Petroleum, and brought it into Venezuelan waters.
 
The Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs has firmly objected to this act, in extremely strong public statements, and stated that this incident could seriously damage the relationship between the two countries, as it violates international law, and existing agreements between the two countries.
 
The vessel, with a US-based crew, was operating in the Roraima Block, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, conducting an exploration of the sea floor, when it was intercepted by the Venezuelan naval vessel "Yakuana" and forced to sail to Margarita Island. it current status is unknown.
 
There has been no response yet, by the United States, but you can be certain that it will come shortly, as the recent Venezuelan expulsion of American diplomats in Venezuela, and the subsequent similar American action against Venezuelan diplomats in the US has shown.
 
Roraima exploration block Guyana has been, for many years, under the influence of the Castro regime in Cuba, and Raul Castro in particular,  and for that reason it is believed that Venezuela has not aggressively pursued its maritime territorial claim.
 
Informed sources advise that the failure, on the part of Venezuelan President Maduro, to object to the Guyanese contract with Anadarko, at the time he visited Guyana recently on a official visit, was not well received by the Venezuelan military, which contends that the disputed maritime area is under Venezuelan sovereignty, and that the Anadarko agreement should not have been permitted without objection.
 
Most likely, the Venezuelan Navy initiate this incident to embarrass President Maduro, and does it  demonstrates the weakness of his current position as national leader.
 
The government-controlled press in Venezuela has been completely silent about this incident, indicating that it was not behind the seizure of the vessel, and does not want its citizens to have one more topic to criticize Maduro about. His regime appears to be on its way out, but how that plays out is anybody's guess.
 
This seizure could further poison US-Venezuelan relations, and result in an American retaliation, diplomatic or otherwise, that will raise risk levels for foreign investment in Venezuela.
 
The United States has historically responded vigorously to seizures of its vessels and crews, going all the way back to the Barbary Wars, on the north coast of Africa in the nineteenth century. Do not expect it to be ignored.
 
 
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Friday, October 11, 2013

PANAMA FABRICATES FACTS ABOUT CUBA

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock
 




PANAMA SAYS CUBA LIED ABOUT ARMS SHIPMENTS TO NORTH KOREA  

Statements made by officials in the foreign ministry in the Republic of Panama have indicated that the original Cuban claims about the quality of the cargo carried in the North Korean freighter captured by Panama were untrue.
 
The Government of Cuba claimed that the military cargo seized by Panama, when the ship attempted to transit the Panama Canal consisted of antiquated aircraft and parts, to be reconditioned by North Korea, and returned to Cuba.
 
After careful examination, Panamanian government sources now say that operational MiG aircraft, and additional engines, whose records showed recent operation, were on board the vessel.
 
Panama has already levied a $1m fine on North Korea, for attempting to travel through the Canal with undisclosed military cargo, and the crew is in custody at a Panamanian military installation.
 
It is doubtful that any charges will be levied upon Cuba, though, due to the central role played by the Colon Free Zone, which ships goods to Cuba,  allowing it to evade American sanctions.
 
 
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NESSIN ABADI OF PANAMA UNDER ARREST

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock



WHY HAS PROMINENT PANAMANIAN BUSINESSMAN BEEN DETAINED IN CUBA FOR ONE YEAR ?

Nessin Abadi, a Panamanian businessman, of Middle Eastern extraction, and who is associated the ownership of several Panama City companies that trade with Cuba, including AudioFoto, has been under house arrest in Havana for the past year, according to family sources who released the information, in an effort to secure his release.
 
Abadi, who has reportedly been charged with corruption, operated some of his businesses from the Colon Free Zone. He had allegedly traveled to Havana to collect a large debt owed by the Government of Cuba, and was taken into custody after his arrival.
 
Notwithstanding the widespread American sanctions against Cuba, many Panamanian companies are  engaged in exporting a wide variety of goods there, including the transshipment of US-made goods, which are barred by law from resale to Cuban purchasers.
 
Abadi's alleged criminal misconduct, which purportedly involved bribes and kickbacks, most likely occurred over a period of several years, and if so, why detain and charge him now ? There's much more to this story than appears on the surface;  has Abadi fallen out of favor with the Castro government, and why ? We shall seek to get some answers, and report back shortly.
 
 
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Thursday, October 10, 2013

PANAMA BANKS ARE THE MOST DESIRED

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


WHY ARE COLOMBIAN INTERESTS BUYING UP PANAMANIAN BANKS ?

There have been two recent major purchases, of Panamanian banks, by Colombian financial groups. One of them has come to the attention of Panama watchers for three reasons, and the grounds for their concern could indicate a bigger picture.
 
Here are the three issues cited by observers in the Panama banking world:
 
(1) In one of the purchases, it appears that the buyer may have overpaid. Inasmuch as one of the goals in any major purchase is to shave off every bit of the price that you possibly can, so that you conserve your operating capital to run your new business, this is puzzling.
 
Add that to the fact that one of the red flags of a criminal enterprise is its apparent disinterest, as a purchaser, in driving down a high price for an item to be acquired. Criminal organizations often overpay to make the deal happen, as they generally have an excess of cash on hand.
 
(2) One of the banks purchased has, to be frank, a history of "colorful" clients regarding money laundering issues, and it is not known whether all these clients have been exited, and whether effective compliance procedures have been instituted, to keep their ilk out of the bank in the future.
 
(3) There are persistent rumors that other, unidentified Colombian interests are actively seeking to purchase licensed and operating Panamanian banks.
 
Considering the muddled nature of Panama's current political unrest, problems with corruption allegations against senior members the current government, and the upcoming 2014 presidential elections already causing concern, there are important instability issues facing the Republic of Panama.
 
Why would a prudent businessman choose to invest in a country that has several potentially fatal problems to solve ?
 
I have no direct evidence to support their suspicions, but consider this. Whether there are criminal organizations involved as investors, while front men handle the actual acquisitions, is not known at this time, but all this interest in Panamanian banks begs the question: why now ?
 
 
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CANADA MARIJUANA GROWER GET BUSTED IN USA

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock




CANADIANS TRAVELING THROUGH US TO AVOID BAD WEATHER IN CANADA ARRESTED FOR BULK CASH SMUGGLING

It appears that US law enforcement agencies are alert for foreign nationals, transiting America, who fail to declare their bulk cash.

A Canadian couple reportedly engaged in the sale of marijuana grown in British Columbia were arrested when they tried to entered the US, with C$73,080 hidden in their motor home, and charged with bulk cash smuggling.

Apparently, bad weather in the Canadian Rockies caused them to detour through the United States, while en route from the Province of Manitoba, to British Columbia.

The affidavit of the arresting officer stated that they routinely secreted the marijuana in several hockey equipment bags, and transported it to Winnipeg each month, where they sold it. The defendants are Robert and Jonna Booth.
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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

CANADA OFFICIALS GO AFTER CORRUPT PANAMA OFFICIALS

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock


CANADA TO FILE INSIDER TRADING CHARGES AGAINST SENIOR PANAMANIAN OFFICIALS

Informed sources have disclosed that Canadian regulatory agencies intend to file insider trading and securities fraud charges against a number of senior Panamanian government officials shortly,  in connection with the Petaquilla Minerals Ltd./ Financial Pacific gold scandal.
 
Included in the reported targets are wealthy Panamanian businessmen, several of the republic's ministers, and even Panama's President has been linked to the investigation.
 
This action is being taken notwithstanding the fact that a Panamanian investigation reportedly cleared the PEPs named in local media.
 
The mining company's headquarters is in British Columbia, which confers jurisdiction upon Canadian securities regulators.
 
Canadian citizens are among those who sustained major losses in the Petaquilla scandal.
The fact that law enforcement action is imminent was reportedly leaked by unknown Canadian sources to global media; it was immediately reported in Panama.
 
What impact will the filing of charges against a large number of senior Panamanian PEPs have upon the upcoming presidential election in Panama ? More importantly, will the defendants named be detained, and sent to Vancouver for trial, and will this destabilize the government ?
 
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CHINA HAVE NO POLITICAL RESOLVE

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock
 
 
 
 
CHINA ALLOWS BO XILAI TO APPEAL HIS CORRUPTION CONVICTION
 
In a strange twist of events, China yesterday announced that it was allowing the controversial leader, Bo Xilai, to appeal his corruption conviction.
 
Since China does not follow the rule of law, and court rulings are generally based upon what the Communist Party of China dictates, the outcome is all but certain; his conviction will be affirmed, but there is more to this than meets the eye.
 
Is allowing Bo Xilai to appeal an acknowledgement of the power of China's corrupt PEPs, even when one of them is facing a long prison term ? The Bo Xilai trial was supposed to send a message to senior PEPs, that corruption would no longer be tolerated, and that those who continue would face severe penalties, but giving him the right to file a cosmetic appeal saves him face, and affirms his power.
 
By this act, China demonstrates that it does not yet have the political resolve to dismantle its system of utterly corrupt PEPs, who become wealthy, at the expense of foreign companies seeking to enter the large Chinese market.
 
The PEPs demand bribes and kickbacks, which violate Western laws on corruption, and expose foreign companies, and their staff, to criminal charges at home, even when they have no actual involvement in the payments.
 
Expect no real reform, which means more problems for Western businesses in China, and therefore higher risk. When will China rein in its corrupt PEP culture ?
 
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Tuesday, October 8, 2013

AFGHANISTAN REVERTING BACK TO TALIBAN

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock





RAISE COUNTRY RISK ON AFGHANISTAN
 
Remarks, made publicly by the President of Afghanistan this week, indicate that unacceptable Afghan demands upon the US, for post-2014 assistance, will kill any possible permanent American military presence after the pullout date, meaning that the Afghan Army will be the sole defenders against a resurgent Taliban, who could regain control of the country.
 
Afghanistan is demanding:
 
 (1) A specific amount of $ in US Aid agreements, which president Obama cannot guarantee, inasmuch as only the US Congress can authorize aid each year.
 
 (2) A security guarantee against any external threat, such as Pakistan, which the US will not give. There will be no mutual assistance agreement.
 
 (3) No immunity for any post-2014 US or NATO troops who remain in Afghanistan.
 
This could end like Iraq, with no US port-pullout presence, causing an unstable result. We have previously warned about the widespread corruption, rampant bulk cash smuggling, lack of adherence to the rule of law, and threats posed by opposing tribal rivalries.
 
Add the fact that Afghans will not  have any Western troops on station in 2014, and you have a poor outlook for the long term. The Taliban will not honor the contractual agreements of the present government, should they take over again.
 
Any investment or extension of credit in Afghanistan, in light of these developments, would be unwise.
 
Raise Country Risk on Afghanistan at this time, and reduce any exposure you have now to zero before the end of next year.
 
 
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USA BIG BANKS COMMIT SUICIDE & DO NOT DIE

FROM THE - JOURNALS of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA ~ Contributed & Written by Kenneth Rijock
 



IT IS HIGH TIME FOR US REGULATORS TO IMPOSE THE "DEATH PENALTY" ON MONEY LAUNDERING BANKS

The imposition of even multi-million dollar civil fines and penalties upon US bank, for egregious money laundering offenses, is simply not working.
 
Those fines don't even approach five per cent of the banks' annual earnings, and are obviously considered the cost of doing business by those in charge.
 
Clearly, even repeated fines are no acting as an effective deterrent. Bank directors sneer at fines & penalties, and go right back to their business, which often means allowing dirty money in, so long as it generates handsome profits for the bank.
 
While American regulators have taken foreign banks, operating in the United States, to task, by closing their American affiliates down, when called for, the United States has never revoked the charter of a national bank for money laundering activities.
 
It is now high time to take this extreme action, when the next obscene money laundering violation surfaces.
 
To do any less allows American banks to continue with their AML charade, all the way to the bank.
 
If a US bank was to lose its charter for serious money laundering, or terrorist financing, violations, bank shareholders, whose annual profit checks then stopped, would bring massive suits against officers and directors, and the financial world would sit up and take notice.
 
I know this is an extreme step, and it will result in painful job losses, but bank boardrooms need to learn what the consequences are to paying only lip service to AML/CFT laws, the hard way.
 
 
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