Mastermind of Colombian pyramid scheme sentenced to 30 years in prison, fined $12.5 million

Colombian pyramid scheme mastermind gets 30 years

Spain judge orders Pinochet widow, other suspects to post bond in money-laundering probe

Spain wants Pinochet’s widow to post bond

MADRID — A Spanish judge has ordered the widow of Augusto Pinochet, his former lawyer and two bankers to post a $77 million (euro51 million) bond while he probes allegations they laundered money for the late Chilean dictator while he was in power, according to a court document released Monday.

Colombia’s top cop: Escobar’s son directly involved in drug lord’s crimes

Escobar son accused in Medellin cartel crimes

Jury says former Iowa kosher slaughterhouse manager guilty on 86 of 91 financial fraud charges

Jury: Fmr. slaughterhouse manager guilty of fraud

Judge to consider scheduling third trial involving ex-Westar CEO, strategy officer

Judge to reschedule ex-Westar CEO trial

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Four years after two former utility company executives were last tried, federal prosecutors are trying to get their case back on track.

Mexico detains alleged drug trafficker, money-laundering suspects

Mexico nabs trafficker, money-laundering suspects

University of Florida professor, wife indicted on wire fraud and money laundering charges

Professor, wife indicted on fraud, money charges

French court decides not to probe 3 African leaders for possible money laundering

French court decides not to probe African leaders

Federal appeals court rules for Miami lawyer charged with laundering Colombian drug money

Fed court: No drug money case against Fla. lawyer

FINRA fines Scottrade $600,000 for allegedly inadequate money laundering controls

Scottrade fined $600K over money controls

WASHINGTON — Industry regulators have fined discount brokerage firm Scottrade Inc. $600,000 for allegedly inadequate money laundering controls to detect suspicious transactions.

Colombian man with links to pyramid scheme deported to US on money-laundering charges

CARACAS, Venezuela — A Colombian man with links to a pyramid scheme that bilked Colombians out of hundreds of millions of dollars was deported by Venezuela on Thursday to the United States, where he is wanted on money-laundering charges.

Appeals court orders ex-Enron executive to be acquitted of charges

HOUSTON — A former Enron Corp. executive is free of criminal charges related to financial fraud at the one-time energy giant after an appeals court ruled he should be acquitted of all counts he faced.

Cooperating witness in NJ corruption probe pleads guilty to bank fraud charges

NEWARK, N.J. — The central figure in a huge New Jersey corruption investigation pleaded guilty Tuesday to separate state and federal charges that included bank fraud, money laundering and official misconduct.

California lawyer, associates accused of laundering visa scheme money through burial plots

LOS ANGELES — An immigration lawyer and two associates have been charged with obtaining fraudulent work visas for immigrants and laundering the money by purchasing cemetery plots, authorities said Friday.

Prosecutor: Ohio pediatrician paid patients for sex acts; Defense: Case ‘flat-out extortion’

HAMILTON, Ohio — A pediatrician performed oral sex on three teen patients and fondled a younger boy during office visits, slipping the teenagers cash payments of at least $200 as they left, a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday.

DeLay’s legal dance in money laundering case is in limbo as he shimmies into show’s 3rd round

AUSTIN, Texas — Republican Tom DeLay danced the cha-cha and the tango on TV, but he’s tiptoeing through a legal web as his criminal case crawls through the courts in Texas.

US hits NKorea in the wallet, targeting private Asian banks in effort to restart nuclear talks

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s push to settle a tense nuclear standoff with North Korea is being spearheaded not by soldiers on a battlefield or big-name diplomats but by government officials knocking on the doors of banks throughout Asia.

Prominent Bahamian lawyer charged in US federal corruption case

NASSAU, Bahamas — A prominent Bahamian lawyer has been indicted on U.S. federal corruption charges in a case that allegedly involves a South Florida politician and nearly $1 million in laundered money.

Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian of graft, imposes life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court sentenced former President Chen Shui-bian to life in prison after convicting him on graft charges Friday, a spectacular fall from grace for a man who rode to power on promises to end decades of corruption and deepen the island’s de facto independence.

Taiwan court convicts former President Chen Shui-bian for graft, imposes life sentence

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A Taiwan court imposed a life sentence on former President Chen Shui-bian after convicting him of corruption Friday, marking a watershed in the island’s turbulent political history.

2 former NE Pa. judges charged with racketeering, money laundering in kids-for-cash scheme

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Federal prosecutors have ratcheted up their pursuit of two former Pennsylvania judges accused of taking $2.8 million in kickbacks to place youth offenders in private detention centers.

Former Army captain pleads guilty to stealing $400,000 while in Afghanistan

HONOLULU — A former Army captain accused of stealing $400,000 in cash from the U.S. government while stationed at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan has pleaded guilty to theft and money laundering charges.

Ex-Fla. sheriff sentenced to nearly 6 years in federal money laundering and corruption case

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A former head of the Florida Sheriffs’ Association has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison in a money laundering and corruption case.

Employee of Mo. group home destroyed in 2006 fatal fire pleads guilty to federal theft charge

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A former employee at a Missouri group home where 11 people died in a 2006 fire has pleaded guilty to a federal theft charge involving Medicaid payments.

Israeli police arrest suspects in US-Israel money laundering and tax fraud case

JERUSALEM — Israeli police said Monday that they had broken up an Israeli-American crime ring specializing in tax fraud and money laundering in an operation codenamed “American Pie.”

Jury to begin deciding whether ex-congressman Jefferson is guilty of taking $400,000 in bribes

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Ex-congressman William Jefferson was a political rock star in west Africa who was willing to wield his influence for financial benefit, but that is not a crime, his defense lawyer told a jury Wednesday.

NYC authorities charge check-cashing companies in alleged ground zero money-laundering scheme

NEW YORK — New York City authorities say an investigation into a contaminated ground zero skyscraper has turned up a money-laundering scheme.

NJ governor calls scale of corruption ‘outrageous’ as 3 mayors among those arrested in sweep

NEWARK, N.J. — Officials are decrying political corruption in New Jersey after more than 40 people, among them rabbis and elected officeholders, were arrested in an investigation in which some were accused of laundering tens of millions of dollars and of black-market trafficking of kidneys and fake Gucci handbags.

NJ community affairs commissioner steps down after governor asks for his resignation

NEWARK, N.J. — A member of the New Jersey governor’s cabinet has resigned amid a sweeping corruption investigation that has ensnared three mayors, two state legislators and several rabbis.

Feds arrest mayors of 3 NJ cities, 2 lawmakers, several rabbis in broad corruption sweep

NEWARK, N.J. — An investigation into the sale of black-market kidneys and fake Gucci handbags evolved into a sweeping probe of political corruption in New Jersey, ensnaring more than 40 people Thursday, including three mayors, two state lawmakers and several rabbis.