On July 25, 2019, the United States Department of Treasury reported sanctions against Colombian national and businessman Alex Saab. That same day, Saab and co-defendant Alvaro Pulido Vargas were indicted in the U.S. District for the Southern District of Florida on charges of conspiracy and money laundering.^[1]

People worldwide closely tracked the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election with mixed feelings of anxiety, hope, and, at times, dismay. The international criminal justice community had particular cause for concern about the election outcome due to President Trump's unprecedented decision to impose sanctions on officers of the International Criminal Court ("ICC"). However, this mood has shifted. After President Biden's inauguration and a recent injunction issued by a U.S. federal judge against the Trump Administration's actions against the ICC, there is cause for hope of a renewed relationship between the U.S. and the ICC.

On January 27, 2021, European Union and law enforcement authorities from eight other countries cooperated in taking down malware EMOTET. The U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina filed an affidavit, setting forth its participation in the take down of EMOTET.

CAR has experienced several periods of armed conflict since ratifying the Rome Statute in 2001. The ICC prosecutor opened investigations in May 2007 that focused on war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed within the country from 2002-03.[1] The main case from this investigation was against the former rebel commander and later Congolese Vice President, Jean Pierre Bemba.

President Biden is not a stranger to Central America. As Vice-President, he met with Central American leaders in an effort to strengthen ties between the United States and the region. As a candidate for President, he has announced an ambitious plan for Central America, particularly the Northern Triangle of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The Biden Plan to Build Security and Prosperity with the People of Central America sets forth a number of goals for the region, including $4 billion dollars in aid from the United States. 

                On January 9, 2021, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (the “MOFOCM”) promulgated MOFOM Order No. 1 of 2021 on Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extraterritorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures (the “Blocking Statute).   On January 21, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign of Foreign Affairs for the PRC announced the China imposed sanctions on former U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and 27 other U.S. officials.

On January 22, 2021, the Central Unit of the National Police of the Netherlands, after acting on an INTERPOL Red Diffusion issued by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), arrested alleged drug lord Tre Chi Lop.  The AFP initially issued the arrest warrant for Tse Chi Lop, 57, in connection with AFP-led Operation Volante, which dismantled a global crime syndicate operating in five countries.[1]

On January 22, 2021, a Geneva court found Beny Steinmez guilty of bribing a public official to obtain an iron-ore mine in Guinea worth billions of dollars. The prior month, Romania’s Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s decision in June 2019 and found him guilty of defrauding the Romanian government.

On January 21, 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution to strengthen its tax haven blacklist.[1]

On January 27, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a coordinated international law enforcement action to disrupt a sophisticated form of cybercrime and ransomware known as NetWalker.[1]