There’s now growing evidence of an organised fraud network that is exploiting glaring gaps in enforcement here to create legal entities in Ireland that can then be used for criminal activity anywhere in the world.
Investigation – Web of bogus firms covertly using real company addresses - Independent.ie
Showing posts with label Investigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Investigation. Show all posts
6/30/21
5/27/21
Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory
US President Joe Biden has said he expects to release the results of an intelligence report on the origins of the virus.
China's foreign ministry accused the US of "political manipulation and blame shifting".
It has rejected any link between Covid-19 and a virus research lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Read more at: Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory - BBC News
China's foreign ministry accused the US of "political manipulation and blame shifting".
It has rejected any link between Covid-19 and a virus research lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Read more at: Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory - BBC News
Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory
US President Joe Biden has said he expects to release the results of an intelligence report on the origins of the virus.
China's foreign ministry accused the US of "political manipulation and blame shifting".
It has rejected any link between Covid-19 and a virus research lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Read more at: Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory - BBC News
China's foreign ministry accused the US of "political manipulation and blame shifting".
It has rejected any link between Covid-19 and a virus research lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Read more at: Covid: China hits back as US revisits Wuhan lab-leak theory - BBC News
11/2/20
Coronavirus: Beijing Has Blocked WHO from Investigating COVID Origins - by Zachary Evans
The coronavirus was first reported to have originated at an animal market in Wuhan, China, however numerous observers have already questioned this account of the virus’s origins. Among other issues, the original host animal—a species of bat—was not sold at the particular animal market, and the city of Wuhan is home to virology labs where coronaviruses were studied.
While an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus could help prevent future pandemics, China is not allowing the W.H.O. to conduct an independent probe of the matter, according to internal documents and interviews by the Times.
Read more at: Beijing Has Blocked WHO from Investigating COVID Origins
While an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus could help prevent future pandemics, China is not allowing the W.H.O. to conduct an independent probe of the matter, according to internal documents and interviews by the Times.
Read more at: Beijing Has Blocked WHO from Investigating COVID Origins
7/1/20
Germany: German military investigates elite unit over far-right ties
Germany's Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) is widening its
investigation into far-right extremists within the Bundeswehr, Germany's
armed forces, German media reported on Tuesday, particularly focusing
on the most elite unit in the military, the Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), which is based in the southwestern city of Calw.
Read more at:
German military investigates elite unit over far-right ties | News | DW | 10.09.2019
Read more at:
German military investigates elite unit over far-right ties | News | DW | 10.09.2019
11/30/19
Google: EU antitrust regulators say they are investigating Google's data collection
GOOGLE: EU antitrust regulators are investigating Google's collection of data, the European Commission told Reuters on Saturday, suggesting the world's most popular internet search engine remains in its sights despite record fines in recent years.
Read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-alphabet-antitrust-exclusive/exclusive-eu-antitrust-regulators-say-they-are-investigating-googles-data-collection-idUKKBN1Y40NX
Read more at:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-eu-alphabet-antitrust-exclusive/exclusive-eu-antitrust-regulators-say-they-are-investigating-googles-data-collection-idUKKBN1Y40NX
10/8/19
8/11/19
USA: Epsteins suicide raises many questions as the FBI and DoJ launch investigations
FBI and DoJ launch investigations into Jeffrey Epstein's death
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4/10/19
Middle East -Israel: Netanyahu wins re-election with a parliamentary majority, despite of the fact that he is under investigation
"Israel's Netanyahu wins re-election with parliamentary majority: tally" -
Read more at:
1/20/19
Israel: Time to dump Netanyahu
Netanyahu not only a liability for Israel, but also under investigation.
1/10/19
EU probes Nike tax deals in the Netherlands
The EU on Thursday launched an in-depth probe into Nike's tax affairs
in the Netherlands, following revelations in the "Paradise Papers"
scandal that exposed low tax deals for multinationals.
The investigation of one of the world's most iconic brands, with its "Just Do It" moniker, follows a series of other tax probes targeting the Netherlands, including into Starbucks and Ikea.
A similar investigation of Apple's tax affairs in Ireland resulted in a order by Brussels that the iPhone maker repay Dublin an extraordinary 14.3 billion euros in back taxes.
The commission, the EU's powerful anti-trust enforcer, "will investigate carefully the tax treatment of Nike in the Netherlands, to assess whether it is in line with EU state aid rules," Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
The investigation will try to determine whether a series of tax agreements over almost a decade gave Nike an "unfair advantage over competitors" in the Netherlands, she added.
The investigation will focus on two Dutch-based units of Nike that the EU suspects paid tax "that may not reflect economic reality", a statement said.
Read more: EU probes Nike tax deals in the Netherlands
The investigation of one of the world's most iconic brands, with its "Just Do It" moniker, follows a series of other tax probes targeting the Netherlands, including into Starbucks and Ikea.
A similar investigation of Apple's tax affairs in Ireland resulted in a order by Brussels that the iPhone maker repay Dublin an extraordinary 14.3 billion euros in back taxes.
The commission, the EU's powerful anti-trust enforcer, "will investigate carefully the tax treatment of Nike in the Netherlands, to assess whether it is in line with EU state aid rules," Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.
The investigation will try to determine whether a series of tax agreements over almost a decade gave Nike an "unfair advantage over competitors" in the Netherlands, she added.
The investigation will focus on two Dutch-based units of Nike that the EU suspects paid tax "that may not reflect economic reality", a statement said.
Read more: EU probes Nike tax deals in the Netherlands
8/23/18
USA: Cohen and Manafort Will Only Make Trump Stronger - by Peter Roff
It was entertaining to watch the pundits on cable news start to
salivate as news broke Tuesday that an Alexandria, Virginia jury had
found former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty on eight of
the 18 counts with which he’d been charged by Special Counsel Robert
Mueller.
If ever there was a day to see the media has a rooting interest in seeing Donald Trump go down, this was it. Some commentators seemed almost giddy as they reported Manafort guilty on five counts of tax fraud, one count of hiding foreign bank accounts, and two counts of bank fraud as though, somehow, this finding was the certain first step down the road toward removing the president from office.
It’s important to note, at this juncture, that all the crimes of which Manafort was accused—including the ten in which the jury could not reach a verdict and for which federal judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial—had everything to do with his lobbying work and not a thing to do with anything related to his role as a Trump campaign official.
The president, surprisingly, seemed nonplussed by it all.
Read more: Cohen and Manafort Will Only Make Trump Stronger | Opinion
If ever there was a day to see the media has a rooting interest in seeing Donald Trump go down, this was it. Some commentators seemed almost giddy as they reported Manafort guilty on five counts of tax fraud, one count of hiding foreign bank accounts, and two counts of bank fraud as though, somehow, this finding was the certain first step down the road toward removing the president from office.
It’s important to note, at this juncture, that all the crimes of which Manafort was accused—including the ten in which the jury could not reach a verdict and for which federal judge T.S. Ellis declared a mistrial—had everything to do with his lobbying work and not a thing to do with anything related to his role as a Trump campaign official.
The president, surprisingly, seemed nonplussed by it all.
Read more: Cohen and Manafort Will Only Make Trump Stronger | Opinion
7/12/18
USA: Trump Russia investigations: the key questioned answerd
Trump-Russia investigation: the key questions answered
4/10/18
USA: The FBI Raids on Trump’s Attorney Are Bad News for Trump - by N.Eisen, N. Bookbinder and C, Shaw
Monday's April 9 FBI raids on Michael Cohen’s office, home and hotel room are the
clearest sign yet that the president’s longtime attorney is in serious
legal jeopardy. They also represent yet another threatening development
facing Donald Trump after more than a year of investigations into his
campaign and presidency—perhaps the most direct danger yet.
No wonder he’s lashing out wildly—calling the raids “a disgraceful situation” and, absurdly, “an attack on our country.”
The evidence sought by investigators reportedly relates to bank
fraud and campaign finance violations, both of which primarily point to
one thing. Cohen apparently used a home equity credit line to borrow the
$130,000 he paid Stormy Daniels for her silence just weeks before the
2016 election.
If Cohen lied to obtain credit from a federally insured financial institution, that is a felony punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment. And because the payment was likely an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign, it could constitute a willful violation of campaign contribution limits, a separate felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.
That the investigation of Cohen was apparently referred by special counsel Robert Mueller to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York—a Trump appointee—is an early indication that at this point, the matter is not directly related to the Russia investigation.
But that doesn’t mean Trump’s exposure is any less serious. Cohen knows where the LLCs are hidden. He’s been at the center of Trump’s financial universe for decades. If he is as exposed as he seems on the Daniels payment, one wonders what information he might be able to offer prosecutors—including Mueller—in exchange for a deal.
Read more: The FBI Raids on Trump’s Attorney Are Bad News for Trump - POLITICO Magazine
No wonder he’s lashing out wildly—calling the raids “a disgraceful situation” and, absurdly, “an attack on our country.”
If Cohen lied to obtain credit from a federally insured financial institution, that is a felony punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment. And because the payment was likely an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign, it could constitute a willful violation of campaign contribution limits, a separate felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.
That the investigation of Cohen was apparently referred by special counsel Robert Mueller to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York—a Trump appointee—is an early indication that at this point, the matter is not directly related to the Russia investigation.
But that doesn’t mean Trump’s exposure is any less serious. Cohen knows where the LLCs are hidden. He’s been at the center of Trump’s financial universe for decades. If he is as exposed as he seems on the Daniels payment, one wonders what information he might be able to offer prosecutors—including Mueller—in exchange for a deal.
Read more: The FBI Raids on Trump’s Attorney Are Bad News for Trump - POLITICO Magazine
2/8/18
Turkey: Rights watchdog to visit Turkey over rule of law= - by Eric Maurice
The head of the human rights watchdog Council of Europe, Thorbjorn
Jagland, is going to Turkey next week amid a proposed roadmap from
Ankara to fastrack EU-required reforms, in order to lift visa
restrictions on Turks.
But his visit, the third to Turkey since the failed military coup in July 2016, also comes amid renewed tensions between Ankara and the EU.
Jagland is hoping detained journalists will be released from jail and is meeting Turkey's ministers of justice and foreign affairs to discuss options when it comes to the state of emergency and the freedom of expression.
"Our principle is that journalists should not be locked merely for reporting about terrorism. Writing about terrorists doesn't automatically make you a terrorist yourself," Jagland's spokesperson Daniel Holtgen, said in an email.
Turkey's troubled justice system will also be on the agenda. Last month, the nation's top constitutional court demanded the release of two reporters, Mehmet Altan and Sahin Alpay but later reportedly changed its position. Both are facing life sentences.
Holtgen said the constitutional court is seen as "key to implementing the European Convention of Human Rights in Turkey."
The Altan and Alpay case appears to have resonated with Turkey's ambassador to the European Union, Faruk Kaymakci, who told reporters last week the country is going through a difficult time.
"It is a very interesting case but the problem again here is because we are going through a very complex time, a very complicated time," he said.
Read more: Rights watchdog to visit Turkey over rule of law
But his visit, the third to Turkey since the failed military coup in July 2016, also comes amid renewed tensions between Ankara and the EU.
Jagland is hoping detained journalists will be released from jail and is meeting Turkey's ministers of justice and foreign affairs to discuss options when it comes to the state of emergency and the freedom of expression.
"Our principle is that journalists should not be locked merely for reporting about terrorism. Writing about terrorists doesn't automatically make you a terrorist yourself," Jagland's spokesperson Daniel Holtgen, said in an email.
Turkey's troubled justice system will also be on the agenda. Last month, the nation's top constitutional court demanded the release of two reporters, Mehmet Altan and Sahin Alpay but later reportedly changed its position. Both are facing life sentences.
Holtgen said the constitutional court is seen as "key to implementing the European Convention of Human Rights in Turkey."
The Altan and Alpay case appears to have resonated with Turkey's ambassador to the European Union, Faruk Kaymakci, who told reporters last week the country is going through a difficult time.
"It is a very interesting case but the problem again here is because we are going through a very complex time, a very complicated time," he said.
Read more: Rights watchdog to visit Turkey over rule of law
10/2/17
USA: Las Vegas shooting: what we know so far - +20 dead +100 wounded - by Matthew Weaver
More than 20 people have been killed and more than 100
injured after a “lone wolf” gunman fired multiple shots at the Route 91
Harvest country music festival from a hotel overlooking the event in Las
Vegas. Two of those killed were off-duty police officers.
The only suspect, whose motives are unknown, was killed by police. A Swat team used a controlled explosion to enter his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.
Police are searching for the suspect’s companion, Marilou Danley. She is wanted for questioning and is described as a person of interest.
Jason Aldean, the country music singer who was performing when the shooting took place, described the scene as “beyond horrific”. He said he and his crew were safe, but added: “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun nigh
Concertgoers reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay hotel and several videos of the aftermath show hundreds of people fleeing in panic as the gunfire continued. About 40,000 people were attending the festival.
Note EU-Digest: This horrific shooting in Las Vegas, by whoever it might be done, terrorist or a local deranged person, once again, focuses the attention on the outdated 2nd amendment of the US constitution .
The US is in dire need of better controls on the sale of guns, so that people can not go into a gun shop and purchase any kind of gun they desire. Regardless, if the National Rifle Association and their supporters, from the President down to politicians, on both sides of the isle, like it or not.
Read more: Las Vegas shooting: what we know so far | US news | The Guardian
The only suspect, whose motives are unknown, was killed by police. A Swat team used a controlled explosion to enter his hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino.
Police are searching for the suspect’s companion, Marilou Danley. She is wanted for questioning and is described as a person of interest.
Jason Aldean, the country music singer who was performing when the shooting took place, described the scene as “beyond horrific”. He said he and his crew were safe, but added: “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun nigh
Concertgoers reported seeing muzzle flashes from the upper floors of the Mandalay Bay hotel and several videos of the aftermath show hundreds of people fleeing in panic as the gunfire continued. About 40,000 people were attending the festival.
Note EU-Digest: This horrific shooting in Las Vegas, by whoever it might be done, terrorist or a local deranged person, once again, focuses the attention on the outdated 2nd amendment of the US constitution .
The US is in dire need of better controls on the sale of guns, so that people can not go into a gun shop and purchase any kind of gun they desire. Regardless, if the National Rifle Association and their supporters, from the President down to politicians, on both sides of the isle, like it or not.
Read more: Las Vegas shooting: what we know so far | US news | The Guardian
8/10/17
7/12/17
The Trump White House: 6 signs that the Russia investigation could blow up the Trump White House - by J.Morley
The New York Times report that
Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer last June in expectation of
receiving damaging information on Democratic presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton is a blow for a White House already saddled with sinking
poll numbers and a stalled legislative agenda.
After a few weeks of political news dominated by the fate of the Senate health care bill and Trump’s trip to Europe, the Russia investigation has resurfaced with a vengeance.
Read more: 6 signs that the Russia investigation could blow up the Trump White House - Salon.com
After a few weeks of political news dominated by the fate of the Senate health care bill and Trump’s trip to Europe, the Russia investigation has resurfaced with a vengeance.
Read more: 6 signs that the Russia investigation could blow up the Trump White House - Salon.com
4/18/17
Turkey referendum: Ankara blasts EU call to investigate vote despite evidence to the contrary
 |
| Turkey: Now also a fake referendum.result for Recep Tayip Erdogan |
As many as 2.5 million votes could have been manipulated in Sunday's poll which saw a narrow "yes" vote to grant expanded presidential powers, according to observers.
But the EU's call for a probe was blasted as "unacceptable" by Turkish government minister Omer Celik, who urged the bloc to "respect democratic processes". Note EU-Digest: "Omer Celik please stand corrected - this Referendum and the Erdogan government did not respect "democratic processes" as was clearly demonstrated".
The Council of Europe, which monitored the referendum, claimed it was an uneven contest as the "yes" side had dominated campaign coverage, with the arrest of journalists and the closure of media outlets silencing other views.
Mr Korun said: "There is a suspicion that up to 2.5 million votes could have been manipulated.
He also said a last-minute decision by the Turkish election authority (YSK) to allow ballot envelopes without the official stamp was illegal.
Read more: Turkey referendum: Ankara blasts EU call to investigate vote
3/20/17
US FBI Director Comey: FBI probing links between Russia, Trump associates, knocks down Trump wiretap-by E.Sullivan and E.Tucker
FBI Director James Comey confirmed Monday that the bureau is
investigating possible links and coordination between Russia and
associates of President Donald Trump as part of a broader probe of
Russian interference in last year's presidential election.
The extraordinary revelation came at the outset of Comey's opening statement in a congressional hearing examining Russian meddling and possible connections between Moscow and Trump's campaign. He acknowledged that the FBI does not ordinarily discuss ongoing investigations, but said he'd been authorized to do so given the extreme public interest in this case.
"This work is very complex, and there is no way for me to give you a timetable for when it will be done," Comey told the House Intelligence Committee.
Earlier in the hearing, the chairman of the committee contradicted an assertion from Trump by saying that there had been no wiretap of Trump Tower. But Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican whose committee is one of several investigating, said that other forms of surveillance of Trump and his associates have not been ruled out.
Comey was testifying at Monday's hearing along with National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers.
Trump, who recently accused President Barack Obama of wiretapping his New York skyscraper during the campaign, took to Twitter before the hearing began, accusing Democrats of making up allegations about his campaign associates' contact with Russia during the election. He said Congress and the FBI should be going after media leaks and maybe even Hillary Clinton instead.
"The real story that Congress, the FBI and others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now!" Trump tweeted early Monday as news coverage on the Russia allegations dominated the morning's cable news.
Trump also suggested, without evidence, that Clinton's campaign was in contact with Russia and had possibly thwarted a federal investigation. U.S. intelligence officials have not publicly raised the possibility of contacts between the Clintons and Moscow. Officials investigating the matter have said they believe Moscow had hacked into Democrats' computers in a bid to help Trump's election bid.
Monday's hearing, one of several by congressional panels probing allegations of Russian meddling, could allow for the greatest public accounting to date of investigations that have shadowed the Trump administration in its first two months.
The top two lawmakers on the committee said Sunday that documents the Justice Department and FBI delivered late last week offered no evidence that the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower, the president's New York City headquarters.
But the panel's ranking Democrat said the material offered circumstantial evidence that American citizens colluded with Russians in Moscow's efforts to interfere in the presidential election.
"There was circumstantial evidence of collusion; there is direct evidence, I think, of deception," Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on NBC's "Meet the Press." ''There's certainly enough for us to conduct an investigation."
Nunes said: "For the first time the American people, and all the political parties now, are paying attention to the threat that Russia poses."
"We know that the Russians were trying to get involved in our campaign, like they have for many decades. They're also trying to get involved in campaigns around the globe and over in Europe," he said on "Fox News Sunday."
The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled a similar hearing for later in the month.
Read more: Comey: FBI probing links between Russia, Trump associates
The extraordinary revelation came at the outset of Comey's opening statement in a congressional hearing examining Russian meddling and possible connections between Moscow and Trump's campaign. He acknowledged that the FBI does not ordinarily discuss ongoing investigations, but said he'd been authorized to do so given the extreme public interest in this case.
"This work is very complex, and there is no way for me to give you a timetable for when it will be done," Comey told the House Intelligence Committee.
Earlier in the hearing, the chairman of the committee contradicted an assertion from Trump by saying that there had been no wiretap of Trump Tower. But Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican whose committee is one of several investigating, said that other forms of surveillance of Trump and his associates have not been ruled out.
Comey was testifying at Monday's hearing along with National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers.
Trump, who recently accused President Barack Obama of wiretapping his New York skyscraper during the campaign, took to Twitter before the hearing began, accusing Democrats of making up allegations about his campaign associates' contact with Russia during the election. He said Congress and the FBI should be going after media leaks and maybe even Hillary Clinton instead.
"The real story that Congress, the FBI and others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now!" Trump tweeted early Monday as news coverage on the Russia allegations dominated the morning's cable news.
Trump also suggested, without evidence, that Clinton's campaign was in contact with Russia and had possibly thwarted a federal investigation. U.S. intelligence officials have not publicly raised the possibility of contacts between the Clintons and Moscow. Officials investigating the matter have said they believe Moscow had hacked into Democrats' computers in a bid to help Trump's election bid.
Monday's hearing, one of several by congressional panels probing allegations of Russian meddling, could allow for the greatest public accounting to date of investigations that have shadowed the Trump administration in its first two months.
The top two lawmakers on the committee said Sunday that documents the Justice Department and FBI delivered late last week offered no evidence that the Obama administration had wiretapped Trump Tower, the president's New York City headquarters.
But the panel's ranking Democrat said the material offered circumstantial evidence that American citizens colluded with Russians in Moscow's efforts to interfere in the presidential election.
"There was circumstantial evidence of collusion; there is direct evidence, I think, of deception," Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on NBC's "Meet the Press." ''There's certainly enough for us to conduct an investigation."
Nunes said: "For the first time the American people, and all the political parties now, are paying attention to the threat that Russia poses."
"We know that the Russians were trying to get involved in our campaign, like they have for many decades. They're also trying to get involved in campaigns around the globe and over in Europe," he said on "Fox News Sunday."
The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled a similar hearing for later in the month.
Read more: Comey: FBI probing links between Russia, Trump associates
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