NEWS: Caps on banker bonuses scrapped to boost business post-Brexit in London

Regulatory Watch News

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  Commission finds Apple and Meta in breach of the Digital Markets Act

  European Commission

  April 23, 2025

  Today, the European Commission found that Apple breached its anti-steering obligation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and that Meta breached the DMA obligation to give consumers the choice of a service that uses less of their personal data. Therefore, the Commission has fined Apple and Meta with €500 million and €200 million respectively. The two decisions come after extensive dialogue with the companies concerned allowing them to present in detail their views and arguments.

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  Human trafficking-fueled fraud ring dismantled in joint Côte d’Ivoire-Ghana operation

  Interpol

  April 23, 2025

  LYON, France – Two suspected traffickers have been arrested and 33 people rescued from a criminal network that sequestered victims and forced them into exploitative pyramid schemes. The successful operation was carried out by police in Côte d’Ivoire, following a joint investigation with Ghanaian authorities and support from INTERPOL. The case was brought to the attention of police in Ghana by the father of two victims who had been lured through fake job ads online. His daughters had paid nearly USD 9,000 to travel to Canada for work via a recruiter that used a Canadian phone number, giving the employment offer a sense of legitimacy.

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  Investigation ‘Fuel family’: EPPO seizes €20 million from criminal gang dedicated to VAT fraud

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  April 23, 2025

  (Luxembourg, 23 April 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bologna, Naples and Rome (Italy) today seized assets worth €20 million, including a tourism resort and over 150 properties, following an investigation code-named ‘Fuel family’ into a criminal gang alleged to have imported fuel to the Italian market while systematically evading VAT. At the request of the EPPO, the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) in Piacenza seized an exclusive bathing resort, located in the province of Liguria; six high-value properties, located in the province of Piacenza; and 66 buildings and warehouses, as well as 77 plots of land, located in the provinces of Alessandria, Brindisi, Cuneo, Milan, Novara,  Piacenza and the municipality of Chiavari. In addition, law enforcement agents seized eight company offices, located in Milan and Piacenza, and company shares. Nine vehicles (including six luxury cars), three motorbikes and cash were also seized, and bank accounts were frozen.