Archive for April 2026
ICAIE Supports the Corporate Transparency Act (ACT); Opposes Repeal of CTA via H.R. 425 that Weakens U.S. National Security and Further Empowers Bad Actors and Threat Networks
20 April 2026 The Honorable French Hill Chairman House Committee on Financial Services U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Maxine Waters Ranking Member House Committee on Financial Services U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Hill and Ranking Member Waters, On behalf of the International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE)…
Read MoreThe Twin Devils of Global Illicit Trade and Shadow Economy
A Convergence of Harms that Impact Global Markets An incredible busy week in Washington DC attending numerous meetings and side events during the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG), Semafor World Economy, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, including numerous high-level bilateral discussions with senior officials and…
Read MoreHow big are Criminalized (Illicit) Markets Internationally and the Global Shadow Economy?
How big are Criminalized (Illicit) Markets Internationally and the Global Shadow Economy? In 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected that the Global GDP was estimated to reach approximately $117 Trillion in nominal terms. According to ICAIE’s own research in the past two years, the global illegal economy consisting of an array of illicit markets and illicit…
Read MoreFrom Goods to Money: The Financial Architecture of Illicit Trade; Illicit Shadows Investigative Docuseries: StoryTelling/Powerful Narratives on Why Fighting Illicit Economies Matters
From Goods to Money: The Financial Architecture of Illicit Trade (OECD Forum on Countering Illicit Trade, Session 4 – Panel Discussion), March 18, 2026, OECD Conference Centre, Paris, France: This OECD Forum panel examined the financial underpinnings of illicit trade, exploring how illicit supply chains are enabled, financed, and concealed across borders and sectors. Beyond…
Read MoreWhy illicit cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and illegally-manufactured tobacco products (vapes/e-cigs) continue to be lucrative globally for criminals and other threat networks
Greed begets criminality. Illicit trade enables criminals to use their dirty profits to not only build their illicit wealth but to finance a greater cycle of greed crimes that destabilizes communities around the world. From Chile to Panama, South Africa and Australia to across North America, Europe and South Asia, criminals, terrorists, and smuggling networks…
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