The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

Download Report

    n-img-roi-cross

    Before You Go, Schedule Your Free Demo Today

    Valid Invalid number


    Note: Fields marked with an asterisk(*) are mandatory.

    n-exit-img-roi-cross

    Thank you for your demo request

    We appreciate your interest and look forward to discussing how our solution can meet your needs. Expect to hear from us shortly with scheduling details.

    Close

    Nonprofit Guam Shrine Club Under Fire for Alleged Illegal Gambling and Money Laundering

    n-img-Nonprofit

    Seven people, three GSC officers and four other individuals from Guam Shrine Club, a nonprofit organisation, have been accused of gambling illegally, laundering money, and conspiring to “unjustly enrich themselves.”

    The nonprofit organisation that carries out Hafa Adai Bingo for charity has drawn criticism for gambling and money laundering activities. In the district court of Guam, several GSC officers and four other individuals have been accused of illegal gambling, conspiracy and money laundering.

    To raise funds for transportation to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Hawaii, Jose Arthur Chan (GSC President), Alfredo Leon Guerrero (former president), and Richard Brown, vice president and secretary, conducted bingo games. A conspiracy has been alleged between them, along with Michael Marasigan, CEO of Ideal Ventures, Christine Chan, Jose Arthur Chan’s wife and founder of Nanan Bray, Juanita Capulong, wife of Leon Guerrero, and Minda San Nicolas, founder of TSAC Ventures and sister to Capulong, to “unjustly enrich themselves.”

    Gambling is illegal in Guam, except for bingo games conducted for charitable purposes by certain organisations. Form 990 must be filed by the organisation every year to maintain its status as a nonprofit, as stated by the Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation, however, that did not happen.

    According to the allegations, between March 2015 and December 2021, seven individuals participated in an illegal gambling business disguised as a charity – particularly bingo games sponsored by the Guam Shrine Club. A District Court indictment stated, “It was the object of the conspiracy for the defendants to unjustly enrich themselves and others by operating an illegal gambling business under the guise of charitable and civic fundraising.”

    A GSC officer allegedly misrepresented the organisation’s revenue on income tax forms as part of the conspiracy. The indictment stated, “It was further part of the conspiracy that defendants Alfredo Leon Guerrero, Art Chan and Richard Brown authorised signatories on various GSC bank and credit union accounts, which they used to pay profit distribution checks to co-conspirators and pay expenses incurred by co-conspirators from funds derived from illegal gambling.”

    The bingo proceeds were deposited into the accounts of various GSC banks and credit unions for $34,000,000. According to the court document, “On or about March 12th, 2015, during a GSC executive council meeting, defendants … falsely represented that Marasigan would act as a consultant when the GSC hosted bingo fundraisers, when in fact, Leon Guerrero, Art Chan, Brown and Marasigan well knew that Marasigan and others would conduct, finance, manage, supervise, or direct the GSC’s bingo fundraising activities.” 

    Three months after GSC fundraising/bingo payments began, Guerrero, Chan, and Brown opened an account with BankPacific. That same day, Affinity Solutions and Vantiv signed a merchant processing agreement for Vantiv and Worldpay LLC. Although the GSC officers were involved in financial activities, court documents stated that they had “falsely reported total revenues” on their tax returns. In 2019, Chan signed the last form, which reported $153,880. According to court records, neither a form nor an application was filed in 2020 or 2021.

    According to the court, “On or about June 14th, 2021, defendant Art Chan signed and caused GSC’s amended 2019 Form 990 to be filed that reflected total revenues over $1 million.” This copy did not correspond to the merchant copy used in GSC’s bingo and fundraising transactions.

    In 2019, there were $5,820,546.79 in transactions reported on Form 1099-K, which reports gross sales from cards and third-party networks. According to the report for 2020, the number of transactions was $2,158,952.48; for 2021, the amount was $7,050,182.99. “Between January 2018 to on or about October 22nd, 2021, defendant Marasigan wrote and issued checks, drawn from his and Ideal Ventures LLC’s bank accounts, made payable to Christine Chan, Nanan Bray, Juanita Capulong, Minda San Nicolas and TSAC Ventures as part of their return on investment,” court documents state.

    The amount received by Capulong exceeded $600,000, the amount received by San Nicolas exceeded $700,000, and the amount received by Christine Chan exceeded $1 million. Each of the seven individuals was charged in District Court with conspiring to operate an illegal gambling business, conspiring to launder money. On June 14, Marasigan appeared before Magistrate Judge Michael Bordallo and pleaded not guilty. Under federal court records, Chan, Nicolas, and Brown pleaded not guilty the following day, and Guerrero pleaded not guilty on June 21st.

    Suggested Reads:

    MONETARY AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (MAS) FINES FOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR BREACHING AML LAWS

    CYPRUS MAKES PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING AML MEASURES

    SWEDISH LEGISLATORS PROPOSE AN INCREASE IN MONEY LAUNDERING PENALTIES FOR THE GAMBLING INDUSTRY

    Related Posts

    News

    Chinese regulators extend financial support to bring Hong Kong, Macau closer

    China’s financial regulators revealed an extensive plan to ease investments and cross-border tran...

    Chinese regulators extend financial support to bring Hong Kong, Macau closer Explore More

    News

    Nepal Approves Anti-Money Laundering Bill to Comply with International Standards

    Nepal endorsed an anti-money laundering bill as the initial step to combat financial crime and en...

    Nepal Approves Anti-Money Laundering Bill to Comply with International Standards Explore More

    News

    EU Parliament to Consider Black-Listing Switzerland After Credit Suisse Leaks

    The European Parliament’s main political group called for a review of Switzerland’s banking pract...

    EU Parliament to Consider Black-Listing Switzerland After Credit Suisse Leaks Explore More

    News

    Poloniex Agrees to Pay $7.6M in Settlement of Sanctions Violations

    In a settlement with the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), Poloniex LLC, a former subsidiar...

    Poloniex Agrees to Pay $7.6M in Settlement of Sanctions Violations Explore More

    News

    FIAU Fines Maltese Investment Fund €300,000 for ‘disregard’ of AML Rules

    The FIAU said that Southern Cross Sicav showed ‘disregard’ for its anti-money laundering obligati...

    FIAU Fines Maltese Investment Fund €300,000 for ‘disregard’ of AML Rules Explore More

    News

    Saudi Bank Warns Citizens Against Financial Fraud Schemes Circulating via Fake News Websites

    The Saudi Ministry of Commerce is reiterating warnings about fake news websites looting people by...

    Saudi Bank Warns Citizens Against Financial Fraud Schemes Circulating via Fake News Websites Explore More

    News

    One in Three Western Australians Experience Financial Frauds – Bankwest

    Based on reports, every one in three residents of Western Australia has experienced financial abu...

    One in Three Western Australians Experience Financial Frauds – Bankwest Explore More

    News

    Reddit follows Facebook suit and bans impersonation on its platform

    Earlier this week, Facebook announced its new policy to ban manipulated pictures and videos known...

    Reddit follows Facebook suit and bans impersonation on its platform Explore More

    News

    Twitter Breach – Bitcoin Scams to the Next Level

    A massive attack is reported on Twitter accounts of high-profile and well-recognized brands. Hack...

    Twitter Breach – Bitcoin Scams to the Next Level Explore More

    News

    The UK Introduces New Bill to Combat Identity Fraud and Financial Crime

    The UK government has launched a bill to prevent the flow of dirty money through its economy by c...

    The UK Introduces New Bill to Combat Identity Fraud and Financial Crime Explore More

    News

    Nepal at Risk of ‘Graylisting’ for Allowing Money Laundering

    Nepal could be added to FATF’s greylist as the global AML watchdog has found a  number of deficie...

    Nepal at Risk of ‘Graylisting’ for Allowing Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    Turkey’s Regulatory Authorities Oblige Rigid Crypto Licensing Measures

    Turkey’s Regulatory Authorities stated they will develop rigid regulations for crypto service pla...

    Turkey’s Regulatory Authorities Oblige Rigid Crypto Licensing Measures Explore More

    News

    The IRS Issues Last Minute-Warning To Avoid Tax Penalties

    A new warning has been issued by the IRS with the introduction of an identity protection pin that...

    The IRS Issues Last Minute-Warning To Avoid Tax Penalties Explore More

    News

    UAE Central Bank Issues New AML/CFT Guidelines for Licensed Financial Institutions

    CBUAE (Central Bank of UAE) has administered new AML/CFT guidance for Licensed Financial Institut...

    UAE Central Bank Issues New AML/CFT Guidelines for Licensed Financial Institutions Explore More

    News

    Israel Enforces New Regulations for the Transfer of Digital Currency

    The new digital currency regulations will allow Israeli banks to profit from cryptocurrency tradi...

    Israel Enforces New Regulations for the Transfer of Digital Currency Explore More

    News

    Singaporean Banks Enhance Security to Combat Financial Crime

    The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) stated that the country’s banks are enhancing security ...

    Singaporean Banks Enhance Security to Combat Financial Crime Explore More

    News

    New Crypto Regulations to be Followed by Korean Banks

    South Korea is increasing cryptocurrency regulations by making KYC verification necessary along w...

    New Crypto Regulations to be Followed by Korean Banks Explore More

    News

    Updated Crypto AML Rule in South Korea Set to Take Effect from 25th March

    South Korea’s official financial regulatory body, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), announ...

    Updated Crypto AML Rule in South Korea Set to Take Effect from 25th March Explore More

    News

    Hungary Becomes “Largely Compliant” with FATF Standards After Improving AML/CFT Measures

    The Anti-Money Laundering Body of the Council of Europe has stated that Hungary has improved its ...

    Hungary Becomes “Largely Compliant” with FATF Standards After Improving AML/CFT Measures Explore More

    News

    Latvia Struggles with Flow of Illicit Money Despite Regulatory Crackdown

    Latvia continues to face illicit financial flow despite the regulatory crackdown that shut down t...

    Latvia Struggles with Flow of Illicit Money Despite Regulatory Crackdown Explore More

    News

    Israel Enforces New Regulations for the Transfer of Digital Currency

    The new digital currency regulations will allow Israeli banks to profit from cryptocurrency tradi...

    Israel Enforces New Regulations for the Transfer of Digital Currency Explore More

    News

    Russians Turn To Crypto As the West Imposes Financial Sanctions

    Data has shown that Russians are turning towards transactions in cryptocurrency as a result of we...

    Russians Turn To Crypto As the West Imposes Financial Sanctions Explore More

    News

    FCA Cracks Down on Various Operators Hosting Illegal Crypto Cash Machines Around Leed

    The FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) suspects many sites around Leeds of hosting illegally opera...

    FCA Cracks Down on Various Operators Hosting Illegal Crypto Cash Machines Around Leed Explore More

    News

    FATF issues new guidance on Digital Identity systems

    A guidance paper has been issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to assist governments,...

    FATF issues new guidance on Digital Identity systems Explore More

    News

    Hong Kong to Implement Background Checks for Accounting Students

    Police will carry out a detailed background check of the students that plan on pursuing accountin...

    Hong Kong to Implement Background Checks for Accounting Students Explore More

    News

    Vietnam’s New Legislation on E-Transactions Will Take Effect on July 2024

    The National Assembly of Vietnam passed the new e-Transaction law replacing the previous one, No....

    Vietnam’s New Legislation on E-Transactions Will Take Effect on July 2024 Explore More

    News

    UAE Receives Observer Status at APG For Money Laundering

    UAE becomes the first Arab country receive an observer status at the Asia/Pacific Group of Money ...

    UAE Receives Observer Status at APG For Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    Arizona Bank Used to Funnel 11 Million USD in a Money Laundering Scheme

    According to Federal prosecutors, a money-laundering scheme has been successful in funneling $11 ...

    Arizona Bank Used to Funnel 11 Million USD in a Money Laundering Scheme Explore More

    News

    Danish Gaming Regulator Sanctions Unibet Over AML Violations

    Spillemyndigheden, the Danish Gaming Regulatory Authority has sanctioned Unibet for failing to co...

    Danish Gaming Regulator Sanctions Unibet Over AML Violations Explore More

    News

    Switzerland Ill-Equipped in Fight Against White Collar Crimes: SFAO Report

    The Swiss Federal Audit Office investigated Switzerland’s meager protocols against white-co...

    Switzerland Ill-Equipped in Fight Against White Collar Crimes: SFAO Report Explore More

    News

    UAE talks about developments in combatting the financing of terrorism

    The NAMLCFTC inaugurated its second discussion on March 4 2021 and approved countermeasures that ...

    UAE talks about developments in combatting the financing of terrorism Explore More

    News

    Singapore Under High Scrutiny Amid Money Laundering Scandal

    Singapore, an immaculate business hub, is under fire for one of the largest money laundering case...

    Singapore Under High Scrutiny Amid Money Laundering Scandal Explore More

    News

    FIAU Slaps Triton Capital Markets Limited with €227,000 Fine for AML/CTF Breaches

    The Financial Services Analysis Unit (FIAU) FIAU has fined Triton Capital Markets Limited  €227,0...

    FIAU Slaps Triton Capital Markets Limited with €227,000 Fine for AML/CTF Breaches Explore More

    News

    German FinTech N26 Notches $100M Amid COVID-19 Uncertainty

    A funding deal for an extra $100 million has been closed by a German challenger bank N26 as it pr...

    German FinTech N26 Notches $100M Amid COVID-19 Uncertainty Explore More

    News

    FIAU Fines Maltese Investment Fund €300,000 for ‘disregard’ of AML Rules

    The FIAU said that Southern Cross Sicav showed ‘disregard’ for its anti-money laundering obligati...

    FIAU Fines Maltese Investment Fund €300,000 for ‘disregard’ of AML Rules Explore More

    News

    Prevailing Financial Crimes Make London a Safe Haven for Money Launderer

    The UK’s capital is exposed to multiple financial crimes including money laundering and thefts wi...

    Prevailing Financial Crimes Make London a Safe Haven for Money Launderer Explore More

    News

    Biden Going After Crypto Tax Evaders with Data Sharing Initiative

    President Biden’s administration is proposing global cooperation to curb the threat of crypto-rel...

    Biden Going After Crypto Tax Evaders with Data Sharing Initiative Explore More

    News

    BitGo settles with US Treasury; Sanctions Violations will Cost $98,830

    The U.S. Treasury has settled with BitGo over costs that it helped users in authorised divisions ...

    BitGo settles with US Treasury; Sanctions Violations will Cost $98,830 Explore More

    News

    Twitter Reveals Plans of Addressing Deepfakes

    Last month, Twitter announced that it was working on plans to better handle the rising issues of ...

    Twitter Reveals Plans of Addressing Deepfakes Explore More

    News

    Crypto Bill Approved by the US Congress Set to Revamp Digital Asset Securities

    The US Congress presented comprehensive legislation for the crypto market to redefine workflows a...

    Crypto Bill Approved by the US Congress Set to Revamp Digital Asset Securities Explore More

    News

    Financial Regulators in Uganda Demands Government to Set Crypto Regulations

    Uganda’s financia regulators, Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), want the government to take...

    Financial Regulators in Uganda Demands Government to Set Crypto Regulations Explore More

    News

    US Authorities Seize Bahamas Bank for Laundering $58 Million

    It’s rumoured that Deltec, a Bahamas-based bank popular with crypto clients, is linked to a...

    US Authorities Seize Bahamas Bank for Laundering $58 Million Explore More

    News

    US Court Declares Bitcoin and ETH as Commodities, Dismissing Uniswap Lawsuit

    A US court dismissed the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) lawsuit against the Uniswap protocols...

    US Court Declares Bitcoin and ETH as Commodities, Dismissing Uniswap Lawsuit Explore More

    News

    UAE Imposes Dh65 Million Worth of AML Fines on 137 Companies

    After examining 840 companies, 137 companies failed to comply with anti-money laundering and comb...

    UAE Imposes Dh65 Million Worth of AML Fines on 137 Companies Explore More

    News

    The Ringleader of a Crypto-Ponzi Scheme Arrested After a Flee Attempt

    Mathew Piercey, a Ponzi scheme leader who defrauded $35 million for crypto mining and other inves...

    The Ringleader of a Crypto-Ponzi Scheme Arrested After a Flee Attempt Explore More

    News

    China Pledges “Zero Tolerance” for Financial Fraud

    Top financial regulators in China pledged to introduce stricter controls following the recent dis...

    China Pledges “Zero Tolerance” for Financial Fraud Explore More

    News

    BSP Seeking to Mandate e-KYC For Financial Institutions

    The draft circular suggests obligatory e-KYC processes, including identity verification and custo...

    BSP Seeking to Mandate e-KYC For Financial Institutions Explore More

    News

    Credit Cards are Risky for Crypto Transactions, Says Taiwan’s Financial Watchdog

    Credit cards should not be used for crypto-related transactions, as stated by Taiwan’s financial ...

    Credit Cards are Risky for Crypto Transactions, Says Taiwan’s Financial Watchdog Explore More

    News

    Pacific Financial Intelligence Unit Collaborates to Combat Money Laundering

    The Financial Intelligence Unit of the Pacific region arranged the meeting last week to enhance t...

    Pacific Financial Intelligence Unit Collaborates to Combat Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    NatWest Apologises for AML Failures and Issues Warning on Rising Inflation

    The chairman of NatWest bank has apologised to shareholders for failing to implement adequate ant...

    NatWest Apologises for AML Failures and Issues Warning on Rising Inflation Explore More

    News

    Two More Crypto Firms to Shut Down Over EU Money Laundering Regulations

    Two more cryptocurrency firms – mining pool Simplecoin and bitcoin gaming platform Chopcoin...

    Two More Crypto Firms to Shut Down Over EU Money Laundering Regulations Explore More

    News

    FATF to “Gray List” UAE for AML Failings

    The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is considering adding the United Arab Emirates to its gray...

    FATF to “Gray List” UAE for AML Failings Explore More

    News

    Latvia’s Bank Rietumu Fined EUR 5.85M Over Money Laundering Failures

    The Financial and Capital Market Commission has fined Bank Rietumu EUR 5.85 million over failures...

    Latvia’s Bank Rietumu Fined EUR 5.85M Over Money Laundering Failures Explore More

    News

    Google to Improve its Compliance Program After BTC-e Data Loss

    Google has committed to strengthening its legal compliance program after losing data linked with ...

    Google to Improve its Compliance Program After BTC-e Data Loss Explore More

    News

    South African Government Passes Key AML and CFT Laws to Fight Financial Crimes

    South African government passes two significant laws to implement Anti Money Laundering and Count...

    South African Government Passes Key AML and CFT Laws to Fight Financial Crimes Explore More

    News

    FCA Declares £147m Fine on Credit Suisse for Due Diligence Failings

    Credit Suisse was fined £147,190,200 for breaching FCA’s Principle 2 and 3 for Businesses as it f...

    FCA Declares £147m Fine on Credit Suisse for Due Diligence Failings Explore More

    News

    The United Kingdom implements new Anti-Money Laundering regulations

    The United Kingdom’s finance and economics department has announced the incorporation of new Anti...

    The United Kingdom implements new Anti-Money Laundering regulations Explore More

    News

    SEC Unfolds Strict Regulations to Prevent Financial Crimes in Stock Market

    SEC (Securities Exchange Commission) is to implement tough regulations to prevent money launderin...

    SEC Unfolds Strict Regulations to Prevent Financial Crimes in Stock Market Explore More

    News

    Namibia Enhances its National Crypto Strategy with New Legislation

    Namibia raises the bar with new legislation in the National Crypto Strategy to combat crypto scam...

    Namibia Enhances its National Crypto Strategy with New Legislation Explore More

    News

    Seychelles Prosecutes First Money Laundering Case Against Elites from Pandora Papers

    Seychelles, known for being a tax haven, was recently removed from the EU’s blacklist and is purs...

    Seychelles Prosecutes First Money Laundering Case Against Elites from Pandora Papers Explore More

    News

    Turkish President Announces New Crypto Bill to Legalize Virtual Assets

    Turkey’s Parliament to announce the cryptocurrency bill in the coming weeks. Legal framework will...

    Turkish President Announces New Crypto Bill to Legalize Virtual Assets Explore More

    News

    Taiwan’s Financial Authority Set to Establish Rigid Crypto Regulation

    Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) has designed regulations that protect the c...

    Taiwan’s Financial Authority Set to Establish Rigid Crypto Regulation Explore More

    News

    FSA Japan Considers Imposing Stricter Regulation on Cryptocurrency

    The updated regulation will be designed to provide better protection to Japanese investors. Accor...

    FSA Japan Considers Imposing Stricter Regulation on Cryptocurrency Explore More

    News

    ICAIE Issues Report on Trade-Based Money Laundering in Free Trade Zones, Ports, & Safe Havens

    The ICAIE released a new report called “The Dark Side of Illicit Economies and TBML: Free T...

    ICAIE Issues Report on Trade-Based Money Laundering in Free Trade Zones, Ports, & Safe Havens Explore More

    News

    Lithuanian Government Approves Amendment to Strengthen Digital Currency Regulations

    Lithuania is on the verge of becoming the first country in Europe to pass strict laws on digital ...

    Lithuanian Government Approves Amendment to Strengthen Digital Currency Regulations Explore More

    News

    National Assembly Passes Revised AML Law and Thrift Practice Resolution

    The National Assembly (NA) has passed the revised law on Money Laundering Prevention and Control ...

    National Assembly Passes Revised AML Law and Thrift Practice Resolution Explore More

    News

    FATF to Conduct Checks & ‘Gray List’ Countries to Enforce Crypto AML Regulations

    Global financial watchdog FATF has planned to perform checks and ‘grey list’ countries to ensure ...

    FATF to Conduct Checks & ‘Gray List’ Countries to Enforce Crypto AML Regulations Explore More

    News

    UK Announces New Legislation to Regulate Crypto Assets Industry

    The UK’s government has developed its first legal framework for cryptocurrency trading and ...

    UK Announces New Legislation to Regulate Crypto Assets Industry Explore More

    News

    Black Friday Shoppers Alert: Digital Scam Victims Lose an Average of £1,000 Each

    Black Friday shoppers have been advised to strengthen their cybersecurity as NFIB revealed that v...

    Black Friday Shoppers Alert: Digital Scam Victims Lose an Average of £1,000 Each Explore More

    News

    FATF and EU Delist Bahamas from AML Blacklist

    European Union has finally removed Bahamas from its AML blacklist, right after FATF has delisted ...

    FATF and EU Delist Bahamas from AML Blacklist Explore More

    News

    Police busted a massive £215m money laundering ring in the Northern Ireland

    PSNI police arrested 7 individuals following one of the biggest money-laundering investigations i...

    Police busted a massive £215m money laundering ring in the Northern Ireland Explore More

    News

    Facebook’s New AI Can Help You Circumvent Facial Recognition

    Facial recognition technology is primarily used to detect and identify people but in a turn of ev...

    Facebook’s New AI Can Help You Circumvent Facial Recognition Explore More

    Take the next steps to better security.

    Contact us

    Get in touch with our experts. We'll help you find the perfect solution for your compliance and security needs.

    Contact us

    Request demo

    Get free access to our platform and try our products today.

    Get started