A daily roundup of corruption news from across the Web. We also provide a daily roundup of important risk and compliance stories via our daily newsletter, The Morning Risk Report, which readers can sign up for here. Follow us on Twitter at @WSJRisk.
Bribery:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed corruption allegations, saying they are "full of holes, like Swiss cheese." He says he'll continue to lead the Israeli government; can he survive politically through the scandal? (AP, AFP, WP,NYT, Haaretz, 972, Politico, Haaretz, Haaretz)
China charged a former rising political star with taking bribes. He didn't appear to have been contacted. (Reuters, AFP, AP)
A friend of South Korea's former president was jailed for 20 years for corruption in a case that rocked the country's political and business elite. (Guardian, Reuters, CNN, AJE)
U.S. prosecutors believe Venezuela's oil czar received bribes as part of a graft scheme involving state-owned oil company PdVSA. He didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, he has denied wrongdoing, and has dismissed the U.S. probe as a politically motivated attempt to undermine Venezuela's government. (AP, HC, OCCRP Reuters)
A former FIFA official who pleaded guilty to corruption in the U.S. tried to influence the election of his replacement despite a lifetime ban from the sport. A lawyer for the official declined to comment. (NYT, PDN)
Cybercrime:
Bank cybersecurity officials need more face time with their CEOs to discuss security issues. (Bloomberg)
Thousands of websites were infected by hackers who hijack devices visiting those sites to mine cryptocurrency. And a media organization wants to use readers' computers to do the same. (AFP, DB)
A U.S. official pushed back on a report quoting her as saying Russia hacked U.S. voting systems. (TPM)
Money Laundering:
A French gangster who wrote a book about masterminding the 1976 "heist of the century" is going on trial for money laundering because there is no statute of limitations for the crime. He denies laundering money.(Guardian, BBC)
Criminals use cryptocurrency to launder billions of pounds, U.K. authorities said. (Times)
One eighth of property agents in the U.K. know their anti-money-laundering compliance obligations. (PropertyEye)
A Filipino official failed to show for a hearing on a potential money-laundering violation, and authorities want a warrant. (Inquirer, Rappler)
Romania's premier stood by an adviser sentenced to prison for money laundering and corruption. (AP)
Sanctions:
A North Korean ship that brought an orchestra to Pyeongchang for the Olympics sailed back without refueling, resolving sanctions questions. The U.S. appears to back post-Olympics engagement between Pyongyang and Seoul. (CI, Reuters)
The CEO of Total SA told President Donald Trump to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. (FT)
Mr. Trump threatened sanctions on China. (AFP)
The U.S. Commerce Department issued a temporary denial order for exports by a Turkish man and three companies affiliated with him over supplying U.S.-origin aircraft engines and spare parts to Iran. (release)
Terrorism Finance:
The U.S. and India are teaming up to place Pakistan on a terrorism-finance watchlist maintained by the FATF. Seeking to stave off the move, Pakistan's president imposed U.N. sanctions on a number of terror groups. (TOI, NYT, Reuters, Bloomberg, livemint)
Transparency:
A quarter of property in England and Wales owned by overseas firms is held by entities registered in the British Virgin Islands. (BBC)
Whistleblower:
A Veterans Affairs whistleblower has yet to see action taken on their concerns, seven years later. (ST)
General Anti-Corruption:
As a scandal involving paying for sex in Haiti engulfs the nonprofit Oxfam, the organization's chief was arrested in Guatemala over corruption allegations related to his time as a government minister. The allegations don't concern his work for Oxfam; a representative said he maintains his innocence and that he was open to the organization's board. Guatemala's former president was also detained in the probe. He said after a court appearance that the issue was handled properly and he hopes justice is done. (Guardian, WP, Reuters, Guardian, AP, AFP)
The world’s largest sovereign-wealth fund cracked down on corruption in its portfolio, saying it will weed out companies that don’t live up to its anti-corruption standards. (Bloomberg, Reuters)
Kyrgyzstan's president called on corrupt government agencies to root out graft. (OCCRP)
Corruption hampers Iraq's rebuilding efforts. The country jailed a former minister for 21 years for graft. (RFI, AFP)
Former Baltimore police officers were convicted in a corruption case. (WP)
PEPWatch: European anti-fraud officials are concerned about potential corruption by the inner circle of Hungarian leadership. (OCCRP, Guardian)
