Financial Regulatory Forum

By Brett Wolf

NEW YORK, June 12 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) - A civil statute designed primarily to seize the assets of drug trafficking organizations is now being wielded by federal prosecutors in California in an unconventional and little-noticed attack on medical-marijuana shops in the state.

Prosecutors have brought more than a dozen lawsuits seeking the forfeiture of commercial properties that house marijuana shops. The actions pressure owners to either evict these controversial tenants or face costly legal battles or the loss of their buildings. (more…)

By Brett Wolf

NEW YORK, April 12 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) - Citibank has retained Ernst & Young to supervise a regulator-mandated review of the bank’s transactions that will seek to determine the degree to which alleged compliance failures allowed drug traffickers or other criminals to launder money, sources familiar with the arrangement said.

The results of this high-stakes process will likely play a key role in determining the size of any fine the regulator ultimately levies against the South Dakota-based bank, the sources said. (more…)

By Martin Coyle

LONDON, Aug. 30 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) – Banks face enormous legal and logistical challenges as they try to repatriate the billions of pounds worth of frozen Libyan assets invested in the war-torn North African state, according to industry officials. The process could take years to resolve even though the United Nations has already unfrozen some $1.5 billion in humanitarian aid which will be sent to the country.

The fears follow the overthrowing of Colonel Gaddafi’s dictatorship by rebel fighters and the formation of Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) in Tripoli. It is estimated that as much as $120 billion of Libyan assets are sitting in bank accounts worldwide, including up to $17 billion in the UK alone. UK foreign secretary William Hague said yesterday that it might take a while to repatriate frozen Libyan assets. The U.S. and South Africa last week struck a deal that will see $1.5bn of frozen money released for humanitarian aid by the U.N. The South African government initially had concerns about money being sent to the NTC, which it does not recognise. Diplomacy has smoothed over this, however.

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