Hong Kong announces four-year-high in asset seizures for 2020 as top official warns the pandemic has changed how criminals launder money

Regulatory Watch News

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  Update to How CISA Shares Cyber-Related Alerts and Notifications

  CISA

  May 12, 2025

  Starting May 12, CISA is changing how we announce cybersecurity updates and the release of new guidance. These announcements will only be shared through CISA social media platforms and email and will no longer be listed on our Cybersecurity Alerts & Advisories webpage. The focus of our Cybersecurity Alerts & Advisories webpage will now be on urgent information tied to emerging threats or major cyber activity. CISA wants this critical information to get the attention it deserves and ensure it is easier to find. We’ll continue to communicate releases and updates to our stakeholders. To stay informed, subscribe to receive our email notifications on CISA.gov.

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  Cyber-attacks: Council extends sanctions and legal framework

  European Council

  May 12, 2025

  The Council today decided to prolong the restrictive measures (sanctions) against cyber-attacks threatening the EU and its member states for a further year, until 18 May 2026. The legal framework (sanctions regime) for these measures is extended for three years until 18 May 2028. This framework allows the EU to impose targeted restrictive measures on persons or entities involved in cyber-attacks which cause a significant impact, and constitute an external threat to the EU or its member states. Restrictive measures can also be imposed in response to cyber-attacks against third states or international organisations, where such measures are considered necessary to achieve the objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).

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  Investigation Admiral: First convictions in Portugal for 23 defendants guilty of massive international VAT fraud

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  May 12, 2025

  (Luxembourg, 12 May 2025) – On Friday, the Central Criminal Court of Lisbon (Portugal) convicted 10 individuals and 13 companies for their role in setting up and operating a fraudulent scheme, dedicated to the sale of electronic goods in the EU market, while evading the payment of VAT. This investigation, code-named Admiral, was first announced in November 2022 and is considered the biggest VAT fraud ever investigated in the EU with an overall damage now estimated at €2.9 billion. The convictions in Portugal mark only the first judicial outcome in this wider and ongoing cross-border investigation.