October 16 - Convicted criminals and unlicensed agents are operating in the real estate sector across multiple states, a Guardian Australia investigation has found. In New South Wales, the Guardian has established that two individuals convicted of dishonesty offences have been allowed back into the industry well within the usual 10-year prohibition, and that gaps in the law mean convicted money launderers are able to find their way back into the industry.

October 15 - A $3 billion fine by US Department of Justice on Canada's second largest lender - Toronto-Dominion Bank - has revealed how suspicious transactions were overlooked for nearly a decade at its US branches. TD Bank, which is also the tenth largest bank in USA, had pleaded guilty to charges of 'money laundering and illicit finance' last week, and a US Justice Department statement revealed a deeper rot that had been going on for years. "By making its services convenient for criminals, TD Bank became one,” Attorney General Merrick B Garland said in the statement, adding that "TD Bank chose profits over compliance with the law."

October 14 - A Chinese national accused of stealing millions from investors after the collapse of a cryptocurrency exchange also owned companies with businessmen linked to major money laundering investigations in Southeast Asia — including one who has been convicted, and another suspect on the run. Hong Kong police have called Su Weiyi the “mastermind” behind Atom Asset Exchange (AAX), which had more than two million users before collapsing in 2022. Su Weiyi allegedly absconded with investors’ money, but returned to Hong Kong where he was arrested on July 18 and charged with theft.

October 10 - The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) assessed a record $1.3 billion penalty against TD Bank, N.A. and TD Bank USA, N.A. (collectively, TD Bank, or the Bank) for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the primary U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) law that safeguards the financial system from illicit use. TD Bank is among the largest banks in the United States. FinCEN’s $1.3 billion settlement is the largest penalty against a depository institution in U.S. Treasury and FinCEN history. FinCEN’s action also imposes a four-year independent monitorship to oversee TD Bank’s required remediation.