ImaSpiv

Excited to share my @acamstoday article on how US-based banks can do more to ID & target IWT financial flows. acamstoday.org/combating-ille…

Across the Amazon, criminal organizations and individuals illegally harvest plants, minerals, and wildlife for financial gain. In Belem—a gateway to the Amazon—I announced a new regional partnership to support efforts to disrupt nature crimes causing devastation in the Amazon.

I also had the chance to visit Nairobi National Park and the @SheldrickTrust with @USFWS, where we discussed U.S. and Kenyan efforts to fight the illegal wildlife trade and its negative impacts. @USTreasury is committed to combating the financing of IWT and other nature crimes.

"...when we see world leaders such as Yellen echoing and amplifying our call to follow the money, we know this approach is working and our resolve is strengthened." mg.co.za/opinion/2023-0…

📢 Hot off the press! FINTRAC’s latest #OperationalAlert on #IllegalWildlife trade aimed at assisting businesses in identifying and reporting financial transactions related to illegal wildlife trade is out. #FINTRAC #FinancialCrimes fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/intel/operatio…

It was a distinct honor to visit the beautiful Dinokeng Game Reserve yesterday and speak about a new commitment between the U.S. and South Africa to combat illicit finance linked to the illegal wildlife trade.

.@SecYellen is in South Africa today announcing a new task force to combat wildlife trafficking. The group will “work to boost information sharing by the countries' FIUs and to strengthen controls to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.” reuters.com/business/envir…

Today, Secretary Yellen announced a commitment to form a United States – South Africa Task Force on Combating the Financing of Wildlife Trafficking. home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…

Treasury also listed 157 vessels linked to a network engaged in illegal fishing and human rights abuses. Illegal and unregulated fishing undermines fundamental labor and environmental standards and exacerbates the national security risks of climate change. home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…

International Wildlife Trafficker Charged in the Southern District of New York: Teo Boon Ching, a/k/a “Godfather,” was charged for participating in a conspiracy to traffic more than 70 kilograms of rhinoceros horns. ow.ly/UOtF50L4Mv8 📷 Black rhinos by Kark Strohmayer/USFWS

Today’s coordinated actions were a massive and multi-agency undertaking, with assistance from international partners like the Royal Thai Police, over a period of many years. fws.gov/story/2022-10/…

Also, Ching was extradited to the United States today and he faces one count of conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking and two counts of money laundering. He will be prosecuted by SDNY’s Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/u…

Today, OFAC designated Teo Boon Ching, who has been a notorious wildlife trafficker for the past 20 years. home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…

Thank you, @JuanSoto25_. Sorry to see you go, but grateful for the opportunity to watch your amazing career with the @Nationals.

Guilty pleas in the case in which "the task force in DRC acted on info provided by HSI-Seattle to seize 2,067 pounds of ivory and 75 pounds of pangolin scales in Kinshasa worth approximately $3.5 million, all contraband related to wildlife trafficking." justice.gov/opa/pr/two-for…

Good @NatGeo article by @Dina_Maron about using restorative justice vs. wildlife crime -> “The current system isn’t working,” @meredithgore says, but w/ this program we’re learning more about the crimes & giving offenders an opportunity to give back. nationalgeographic.com/animals/articl…

"Antle and Saywer allegedly used checks that appeared to be used to pay for construction work on Antle’s 50-acre wildlife tropical preserve but were really a fake paper trail to give the appearance of legitimate income." washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/07…

Doc Antle, from Tiger King, indicted on money laundering charges. Read the indictment (linked in press release) for some amazing quotes, like how it is nearly impossible for conversations to be recorded...from the transcript of his recorded conversation: justice.gov/usao-sc/pr/doc…

That is what I hope I've accomplished in my new feature for @NatGeo -- a deep dive into the innate resilience of coyotes, black bears, and raccoons. I pitched this story in 2016, so it's surreal to see it live. Now can we have a coyote emoji please? 2/3 nationalgeographic.com/magazine/artic…

Pizza Rat. "Dumb" pigeons. Rabid foxes. Society's perception of urban wildlife is often negative and driven by disgust. What if we took a minute to respect the animals among us? The ones that faced with immense habitat loss, are thriving in the most unlikely of urban places? 1/3

"This is a landmark paper. If we’re not careful, we’re headed for a future that I think to all of us right now would look quite hellish. ... It’s a very important wake-up call.” -@pinskylab washingtonpost.com/climate-enviro…