The CEO of the U.S. division of the big international bank HSBC is apologizing for lax controls that lawmakers say allowed Mexican drug cartels to launder billions of dollars through the US operation and many other illicit transactions for years.
The Vatican on Friday sought to explain its presence for the first time on a US list of countries that are a potential hub for money laundering, saying it was only natural to be included given its recent efforts to conform to international standards.
Argentina became an important destination for money laundering activities in 2011 and is now part of a list including 66 nations that the US State Department says are “jurisdictions of primary concern.”
Argentina limited the use of cash in the country’s financial markets as President Cristina Fernandez tightens oversight of currency transactions to help contain capital flight and prepare for what is anticipated a ‘difficult’ year for the Treasury and the Argentine economy.
Vice president Danilo Astori anticipated that in 2012 Uruguay will recover investment grade and said that including Uruguay in the OECD “grey list” was a “tremendous injustice” which did not take into account all the advances achieved in combating money laundering and narcotics trade.
The Argentine administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner called Wednesday on the opposition lawmakers to pass an anti money laundering bill before June other wise Argentina could be black-listed for not having the proper controls.
Swiss Ambassador in Argentina Johannes Mattyasy said that “there was no complot, pressure or anything of the sort” in the request of information on CGT Labour Confederation leader Hugo Moyano in connection to a case of money laundering.
Argentina’s powerful truck drivers’ union called for a strike to be held on Monday to show their support to the head of the CGT Labour confederation, Hugo Moyano and his family that are being investigated in Switzerland for alleged money laundering.