Tag: Balkan

Regulatory Watch News

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  Panamanian Doctor Pleads Guilty in Criminal Fraud Case Expected to Save U.S. Government $25M

  US Department of Justice

  April 15, 2025

  Based on assistance provided by the United States, Panamanian authorities have obtained a criminal plea from Dr. Rolando Chin, a surgeon residing in Panama, in connection with a widespread fraud scheme perpetrated against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Dr. Chin and others in Panama. The Department of Justice, the Department of State, and VA initially uncovered rampant fraud perpetrated by various medical doctors and pharmacies in Panama making claims to the VA’s Foreign Medical Program (FMP), which supports vital medical care for U.S. veterans living abroad.

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  Encrypted app intelligence exposes sprawling criminal networks across Europe

  Europol

  April 15, 2025

  Law enforcement authorities across Europe and Türkiye have dismantled four major criminal networks responsible for fuelling the flow of drugs into the EU and Türkiye, following a series of coordinated raids supported by Europol. These results were made possible by the continued exploitation of encrypted communication platforms, including Sky ECC and ANOM, which remain powerful tools in the hands of investigators.

  Unmasking the drug pipelines into Europe

  On 15 April, coordinated raids took place in several European countries and Türkiye, targeting both the leadership and logistical arms of these criminal networks. A total of 232 suspects have been arrested, including High Value Targets who played a pivotal role in drug trafficking and money laundering operations.

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  France: EPPO carries out searches and arrests seven people in probe into VAT fraud involving luxury cars

  European Public Prosecutor's Office

  April 15, 2025

  (Luxembourg, 15 April 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Paris (France) has carried out searches and arrested seven suspects in several cities in France, in a probe into an alleged VAT fraud involving valuable vehicles, conducted between 4 February and 10 April 2025. On 11 April 2025, three of the suspects were charged with organised fraud, money laundering, criminal conspiracy and abuse of vulnerable persons. They are subject to coercive and preventive measures, including prohibition to speak to other suspects.