Research Team

Japan’s Fake‑Account Trap: How Police Infiltration Tactics Are Redefining the Anti‑Scam Frontline? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Japan’s Fake‑Account Trap: How Police Infiltration Tactics Are Redefining the Anti‑Scam Frontline?

Japan’s decision in 2025 to expand police authority under anti-money-laundering legislation marks a structural shift in how financial crime is confronted. The amendments to the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds introduce a framework that enables law enforcement to move beyond reactive investigations and into active participation within illicit financial networks. This transition […]

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Israel’s West Bank Death Penalty Law and the War‑Crime Threshold CategoriesWar Crimes

Israel’s West Bank Death Penalty Law and the War‑Crime Threshold

Israel’s West Bank death penalty law introduces a decisive shift in how capital punishment is positioned within the legal framework governing occupied territories. While Israel has historically reserved the death penalty for exceptional cases, the new legislation embeds it as a default sentencing pathway in military courts for Palestinians convicted of certain acts classified as […]

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Human Trafficking in the United States and the Hidden Data Crisis CategoriesHuman Trafficking

Human Trafficking in the United States and the Hidden Data Crisis

Human trafficking in the United States occupies a paradoxical position in policy discourse: it is widely recognized as pervasive, yet remains fundamentally under-measured. The data crisis does not stem from a lack of institutional effort but from the fragmented architecture through which trafficking is identified, recorded, and interpreted. Multiple agencies, each with distinct mandates, collect […]

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From Awareness to Action: Kentucky's New Anti-Trafficking Front CategoriesHuman Trafficking

From Awareness to Action: Kentucky’s New Anti-Trafficking Front

Kentucky has entered a new phase in its response to human trafficking with the launch of a statewide coalition designed to move beyond awareness campaigns toward coordinated intervention. The initiative emerged through an executive order issued by Governor Andy Beshear and publicly championed by First Lady Britainy Beshear in March 2026. Officials describe the coalition […]

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Australia's AML Overhaul: Compliance Burdens for Emerging Sectors CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Australia’s AML Overhaul: Compliance Burdens for Emerging Sectors

Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework entered a decisive stage as regulatory reforms began taking effect in 2026, extending obligations beyond traditional financial institutions. The updated regime targets vulnerabilities identified in professional services and asset-heavy industries, sectors long considered attractive channels for laundering illicit proceeds. Authorities argue the changes represent a structural modernization of […]

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White House Evasions: Defending Trump's Desalination War Crime Threats CategoriesWar Crimes

White House Evasions: Defending Trump’s Desalination War Crime Threats

Tensions surrounding U.S. rhetoric toward Iran’s water infrastructure intensified after a late-March 2026 briefing in which the administration faced repeated questions about President Donald Trump’s warnings tied to the Strait of Hormuz deadline. Reporters pressed officials on whether threats involving desalination facilities could violate international humanitarian law. The exchange exposed a widening gap between strategic […]

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Desalination Threats: Probing U.S. Intent in Hormuz Standoff CategoriesWar Crimes

Desalination Threats: Probing U.S. Intent in Hormuz Standoff

Desalination Threats have become a central element in the escalating rhetoric surrounding the Strait of Hormuz crisis in 2026. President Donald Trump warned that the United States could strike a range of Iranian infrastructure, including power stations, oil facilities and possibly desalination plants, if Iran does not restore normal shipping through the strait by early […]

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Water as Weapon: Legal Perils of U.S. Threats in Iran Conflict CategoriesWar Crimes

Water as Weapon: Legal Perils of U.S. Threats in Iran Conflict

The Water as Weapon debate intensified after President Donald Trump warned that the United States could strike Iran’s critical infrastructure, including power plants, oil facilities and potentially desalination systems. The threat, issued in late March 2026 alongside demands that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz by early April, immediately shifted attention from traditional military targets […]

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Africa’s long push for slavery recognition gains momentum at the UN CategoriesSlavery

Africa’s long push for slavery recognition gains momentum at the UN

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on March 25, 2026, recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity,” a milestone in Africa’s long push for historical acknowledgment.  Resolution’s Passage Dynamics Ghana spearheaded the initiative, securing 123 votes in favor out of 193 member states. Only three nations: Argentina, Israel, and […]

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Mesh Meets Verification: How Sumsub and ComplyAdvantage Redefine KYC Risks? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Mesh Meets Verification: How Sumsub and ComplyAdvantage Redefine KYC Risks?

The initiative described as Mesh Meets Verification emerged from a strategic partnership announced on March 26, 2026, when Sumsub confirmed that ComplyAdvantage’s Mesh intelligence would be embedded directly into its verification platform. The integration targets anti-money laundering screening and customer verification workflows, reflecting a broader shift in compliance technology toward unified data environments rather than […]

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Cross-Sectoral Vulnerabilities Certificate: Tackling 2025's $158B Illicit Crypto Surge CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Cross-Sectoral Vulnerabilities Certificate: Tackling 2025’s $158B Illicit Crypto Surge

The Cross-Sectoral Vulnerabilities Certificate emerged in early 2026 as policymakers and industry organizations confronted the rapid expansion of illicit financial flows linked to digital assets. Developed through the West Africa Trade Hub initiative, the program combines specialized anti-money laundering education for crypto markets with broader training on trade finance risk management. Its launch follows industry […]

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Suweida's 1,700 Dead: UN War Crimes Probe Exposes Syria's Fractured Transition CategoriesWar Crimes

Suweida’s 1,700 Dead: UN War Crimes Probe Exposes Syria’s Fractured Transition

Violence in Suweida governorate erupted sharply marking a severe deterioration in Syria‘s southern Druze heartland. Initial clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin tribal fighters quickly drew in Syrian government forces, transforming what began as localized disputes into multi-actor bloodshed. By mid-July, three waves of fighting had claimed at least 1,707 lives, including Druze civilians, Bedouin […]

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DeSantis Testimony Exposes Michigan Trafficking Data Shortfalls CategoriesHuman Trafficking

DeSantis Testimony Exposes Michigan Trafficking Data Shortfalls

The DeSantis Testimony delivered on March 25, 2026 before Michigan’s Oversight Committee on Child Welfare placed renewed scrutiny on how the state measures and responds to human trafficking. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jason DeSantis argued that official statistics underestimate the scale of exploitation affecting children and vulnerable adults across the state. His remarks reflected growing concern […]

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Court Blocks Trump's DEI Defunding of Trafficking Victim Services CategoriesHuman Trafficking

Court Blocks Trump’s DEI Defunding of Trafficking Victim Services

The decision widely discussed as Court Blocks Trump‘s DEI Defunding emerged after a federal judge in Chicago issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on March 24, 2026, halting enforcement of new conditions attached to federal trafficking victim service grants. The ruling temporarily prevents the Department of Justice from requiring organizations to certify opposition to diversity, equity […]

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Distinction and displacement: What OHCHR’s Lebanon findings mean for IHL enforcement? CategoriesWar Crimes

Distinction and displacement: What OHCHR’s Lebanon findings mean for IHL enforcement?

The latest briefing from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has placed the legal principle of distinction at the center of scrutiny regarding military operations in Lebanon. In its March 17, 2026 update, the agency stated that some Israeli airstrikes and ground activities “may amount to war crimes” if evidence […]

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From “personal sorrow” to reparations? Caribbean backlash to King Charles image CategoriesSlavery

From “personal sorrow” to reparations? Caribbean backlash to King Charles image

The controversy surrounding a Commonwealth Day reception photograph in March 2026 illustrates how ceremonial moments can acquire political meaning far beyond their initial intent. The image showed Charles III standing with Caribbean officials beneath a portrait of George IV inside St James’s Palace. What might once have been seen as a routine diplomatic setting quickly […]

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How Switzerland’s new AML strategy redefines transparency and beneficial ownership oversight? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

How Switzerland’s new AML strategy redefines transparency and beneficial ownership oversight?

Switzerland’s updated anti-money-laundering direction represents a notable shift in regulatory philosophy, moving from reliance on traditional banking confidentiality toward structured transparency over corporate ownership. The policy initiative endorsed by the Swiss Federal Council in March 2026 aligns with legislative changes approved in September 2025, particularly the Federal Act on the Transparency of Legal Entities and […]

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How court’s FinCEN ruling reshapes anti‑money‑laundering oversight in residential real estate? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

How court’s FinCEN ruling reshapes anti‑money‑laundering oversight in residential real estate?

The court decision involving the U.S. financial intelligence authority has triggered renewed debate about how regulatory power is exercised in anti-money laundering supervision. The ruling centers on the authority of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to impose reporting and compliance requirements on financial institutions and certain non-bank sectors. By examining how administrative powers were used […]

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Deterrence or De‑Risking? The Market Fallout from Canada’s 47 Crypto License Losses CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Deterrence or De‑Risking? The Market Fallout from Canada’s 47 Crypto License Losses

The Canada crypto license crackdown has evolved into a concentrated regulatory intervention targeting digital-asset businesses classified as money services businesses. Since early 2026, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada has revoked dozens of registrations, including 47 linked to crypto exchanges, wallets, brokers and ATM networks. One coordinated action that cancelled more than […]

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Why Kenya’s Anti‑Money Laundering Drive Still Lacks the Numbers to Back It Up? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Why Kenya’s Anti‑Money Laundering Drive Still Lacks the Numbers to Back It Up?

Kenya’s anti-money laundering drive has intensified since the country was placed under increased monitoring by the Financial Action Task Force in 2024, with scrutiny continuing throughout 2025. Authorities responded by strengthening prosecutorial capacity, particularly through training programmes organized by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. These initiatives focused on complex financial investigations, including […]

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From Symbolism to System Change: Can Valadao’s Human Trafficking Caucus Deliver? CategoriesHuman Trafficking

From Symbolism to System Change: Can Valadao’s Human Trafficking Caucus Deliver?

The Valadao human trafficking caucus enters the congressional landscape at a time when policymakers face growing scrutiny over how effectively federal institutions address trafficking networks that often operate across state lines and digital platforms. Announced in March 2026, the caucus led by Congressman David Valadao and several bipartisan co-chairs reflects an effort to reposition trafficking […]

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How West Virginia’s HB 4433 Blurs Human Rights and Immigration Enforcement? CategoriesHuman Trafficking

How West Virginia’s HB 4433 Blurs Human Rights and Immigration Enforcement?

The enactment of West Virginia HB 4433 human smuggling provisions marks a notable change in how the state approaches crimes involving the movement and exploitation of people. Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey in March 2026, the law combines expanded penalties for human trafficking with the introduction of a new felony category tied directly to the […]

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The UN Says ‘Possible War Crimes’ in Lebanon. Will Anyone Be Held to Account? CategoriesWar Crimes

The UN Says ‘Possible War Crimes’ in Lebanon. Will Anyone Be Held to Account?

The warning from the United Nations that recent military actions may constitute possible war crimes in Lebanon marks a significant moment in the legal and diplomatic discourse surrounding the conflict. When UN human rights officials state that certain strikes “may amount to war crimes,” the phrasing reflects a careful legal threshold rather than a political […]

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Epstein's Shadow: Should Bill Gates Fund Trafficking Survivors as Amends? CategoriesHuman Trafficking

Epstein’s Shadow: Should Bill Gates Fund Trafficking Survivors as Amends?

Renewed scrutiny surrounding Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein has intensified discussions about the responsibilities of influential figures whose associations intersect with criminal networks. The debate gained traction following March 2026 disclosures and commentary highlighting the moral implications of continued engagement with Epstein after his 2008 conviction. The issue extends beyond individual conduct into broader questions […]

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Tackling AML Inefficiencies: How Insights AI Turns Data Ripples into Compliance Wins? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Tackling AML Inefficiencies: How Insights AI Turns Data Ripples into Compliance Wins?

Anti-money laundering frameworks continue to face structural inefficiencies as financial systems grow more complex and transaction volumes expand. Institutions are under increasing pressure to detect illicit activity while maintaining operational efficiency, yet legacy monitoring systems remain heavily reliant on static rules that struggle to adapt to evolving laundering typologies. The emergence of Insights AI marks […]

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War Crime Rhetoric? Analyzing Hegseth's Statement Amid US-Iran Escalation CategoriesWar Crimes

War Crime Rhetoric? Analyzing Hegseth’s Statement Amid US-Iran Escalation

War crime rhetoric occupies a sensitive space within international humanitarian law, where language itself can carry legal implications. Statements that imply denial of surrender or indiscriminate violence are not treated as mere political messaging but as potential signals of unlawful intent. The phrase “no quarter,” historically associated with refusing to spare enemy combatants, falls within […]

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What the EU’s New Sanctions Signal for Future War‑Crimes Trials? CategoriesWar Crimes

What the EU’s New Sanctions Signal for Future War‑Crimes Trials?

The doctrine of command responsibility has re-emerged as a central legal framework in assessing accountability for wartime conduct in Ukraine. Rooted in post-World War II jurisprudence and codified in Article 28 of the Rome Statute, the principle establishes that military commanders may be held liable for crimes committed by subordinates if they knew, or should […]

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Can Manitoba’s New Anti‑Trafficking Push Match the Scale of the MMIWG2S+ Crisis? CategoriesUncategorized

Can Manitoba’s New Anti‑Trafficking Push Match the Scale of the MMIWG2S+ Crisis?

There is an increase in the scope of anti-trafficking in Manitoba with the authorities grappling with one of the most endemic human rights issues against the Indigenous population in Canada. In the recent years, provincial agencies, the police services, and the advocacy organizations have been provided with more funding and arranged special initiatives, however, the […]

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From forest reserves to frontlines: tracking timber money into terrorism CategoriesUncategorized

From forest reserves to frontlines: tracking timber money into terrorism

Illegal logging has increasingly formed an important source of revenue to the larger politics of conflict in West and Central Africa. Forest reserves which had previously been discussed largely in terms of conservation are increasingly being incorporated in security discussions as locations where environmental crime meets organized violence. Logging into the forests under protection would […]

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Sweden's AML Crackdown Intensifies: Handelsbanken Under FI Scrutiny CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Sweden’s AML Crackdown Intensifies: Handelsbanken Under FI Scrutiny

The Sweden Aml Crackdown is currently on a new stage with the regulators focusing more on the financial institutions of high standards and its compliance systems. Sweden Financial regulator, Finansinspektionen (FI) attested to a formal investigation into Handelsbanken, centered on the bank anti-money laundering procedures with corporate clients between March 2025 and March 2026. The […]

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Blue Shield Emblems Test Hague Convention in US-Israel-Iran Clashes (1).webp CategoriesWar Crimes

Blue Shield Emblems Test Hague Convention in US-Israel-Iran Clashes

The renewed concern over the international regulations of cultural heritage in war, triggered by airstrikes connected to the developing confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Iran started affixing museums, monuments and historic complexes with the Blue Shield Emblems, which is a symbol created by the 1954 Hague Convention on Cultural Property in the […]

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Central Asia AML Reforms: Kazakhstan's Risk-Based Overhaul CategoriesUncategorized

Central Asia AML Reforms: Kazakhstan’s Risk-Based Overhaul

The topic of Central Asia AML Reforms has now received considerable coverage as governments in the region formulate the financial regulation to combat money laundering, illegal money transfer, and avoidance of sanctions. The heart of this change is Kazakhstan which proposed an entire overhaul of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism funding system early in 2026. […]

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Scam Centers: Southeast Asia's Emerging Trafficking Crisis CategoriesUncategorized

Scam Centers: Southeast Asia’s Emerging Trafficking Crisis

The Scam Centers Trafficking Crisis has grown to become the most complicated form of human trafficking in Southeast Asia to integrate into an organized crime, digital fraud, and forced labor multilateral business. In 2025, United Nations assessments estimated that there were 300,000 trafficked into cyber-fraud compounds within the Mekong region and other countries around it. […]

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Why Law Firms Pay More: SRA's AML Bias Against Solicitors Exposed? CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Why Law Firms Pay More: SRA’s AML Bias Against Solicitors Exposed?

The 2024-2025 enforcement data report shows that specified penalties against law firms governed by Solicitors Regulation Authority have drastically increased. In the 2024-25 reporting year, the total fines amounted to about PS1.5 million, which is a significant amount in comparison with previous years. There were dozens of companies fined in 2025 alone, which is an […]

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NOC Mandates Rise in KP Oversight CategoriesHuman Trafficking

NOC Mandates Rise: Exposing Human Trafficking in KP Sports Networks

It was enforced after a provincial karate delegation had attended a tournament in Moscow between February 28 and March 2, 2026. The grievances about irregularities led to identity checking, immigration screening, and search of traveling plans. Officials were interested in finding out whether sports visas were utilized in the legitimate sphere of competition or they […]

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Personal Liability and Hefty Fines: Decoding UAE's New AML Law CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Personal Liability and Hefty Fines: Decoding UAE’s New AML Law

The introduction of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025 is a turning point of the attitude of the United Arab Emirates towards combating financial crime. The UAE AML legislation proposes considerably extended penalties and, in the first instance of this magnitude, entails direct personal responsibility towards the top management. The reform also precedes the planned […]

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GRETA roundtable labor trafficking gaps in Germany prosecutions CategoriesHuman Trafficking

GRETA roundtable labor trafficking gaps in Germany prosecutions

The GRETA roundtable labor trafficking discussions in Berlin in February 2026 marked Germany’s latest review under the monitoring framework of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. Convened by the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, the session brought together federal and state officials, prosecutors, labor […]

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Chad Trafficking Crisis: Mullally's Reforms Amid Refugee Surges CategoriesHuman Trafficking

Chad Trafficking Crisis: Mullally’s Reforms Amid Refugee Surges

The Chad trafficking crisis Mullally assessment has sharpened international focus on a country grappling simultaneously with mass displacement, extremist violence, and entrenched governance weaknesses. On February 26, 2026, Siobhán Mullally concluded a 10-day fact-finding visit, calling for sweeping reforms to address what she described as “persistent impunity and structural vulnerabilities” enabling trafficking networks to flourish. […]

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Vlasenica Indictment: Testing Bosnia's War Crime Glorification Bans CategoriesUncategorized

Vlasenica Indictment: Testing Bosnia’s War Crime Glorification Bans

The Vlasenica indictment glorification case marks one of the most consequential applications of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ban on war crimes denial and glorification since its adoption. On February 27, 2026, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed an indictment against the mayor of Vlasenica, accusing him of publicly honoring individuals convicted of genocide and […]

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Lebanon Victims' Rally: Bridging ICC Probes to National War Crimes Justice CategoriesWar Crimes

Lebanon Victims’ Rally: Bridging ICC Probes to National War Crimes Justice

The ICC campaign by the Lebanon victims rally generated practical momentum after thousands marched in Beirut seeking to hold those responsible over the so-called atrocities perpetrated in the 2024-2025 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The protest was not only organized by civil society groups, survivors, and legal advocates as a demonstration of grief, but as a systematic demand […]

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HUMINT Imperative: DGP's Blueprint to Eradicate North Kashmir Terror Networks CategoriesTerror Financing

HUMINT Imperative: DGP’s Blueprint to Eradicate North Kashmir Terror Networks

This HUMINT imperative DGP model has experienced a new level of urgency after an assessment of high-level security in Sopore by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on February 24, 2026. Having been convened in the conflict sensitive area by the center of north Kashmir, the meeting involved the Inspector General of Police Kashmir V.K. […]

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Section 311 vs Swiss Oversight: MBaer Case Exposes Transatlantic AML Gaps CategoriesAnti Money Laundering

Section 311 vs Swiss Oversight: MBaer Case Exposes Transatlantic AML Gaps

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority terminated enforcement action against MBaer Merchant Bank AG, finding that the bank had an extreme lack of anti-money laundering controls and sanctions risk management. The move came after the bank supervisors found that the Zurich-based merchant bank had taken on board high-risk clients, without adequate mitigation controls. MBaer filed […]

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