FIU Colombia Suspended from Egmont Group After Pegasus Spyware Revelations by President Petro!

Charlene Lensburg
Tue, 24 Sep 2024 10:39:59 +0000
Colombia, Money Laundering, Egmont Group, Gustavo Petro

Due to recent actions involving FIU Colombia and the unauthorized disclosure of information, the Egmont Group Heads of FIU have suspended FIU Colombia’s access to the Egmont Secure Web (ESW). Colombia’s removal from the Egmont Group’s secure data-sharing platform following President Gustavo Petro’s public revelations on spyware procurement poses a significant challenge to its financial crime detection infrastructure.

Key Points:

Colombia was suspended from Egmont Group for sharing confidential data. This emergency measure will remain in effect while the Egmont Group further assesses the situation in accordance with our internal procedures.

President Gustavo Petro revealed sensitive information on national TV.

Allegations concern the previous administration’s purchase of Pegasus spyware.

Short Narrative:

The Egmont Group, an international anti-money laundering body, suspended Colombia’s access to its secure financial crime data-sharing platform after President Gustavo Petro disclosed confidential information during a televised address. Petro revealed that in 2021, under former President Iván Duque’s government, Colombia paid $11 million for Israeli spyware Pegasus allegedly to monitor political opponents and activists. The suspension limits Colombia’s ability to detect illegal transactions related to drug trafficking and other criminal activities while the investigation continues.

Compliance Insight:

Colombia’s suspension from the Egmont Group weakens its ability to cooperate internationally on financial crime detection, posing challenges to anti-money laundering efforts. This situation highlights the importance of securing sensitive information in global compliance initiatives.

By disclosing Egmont Group-obtained intelligence, President Petro triggered Colombia’s suspension, raising concerns about maintaining confidentiality in sensitive financial crime investigations. The Egmont Group‘s secure platform is vital for global coordination in combating money laundering, and this incident underscores the tension between transparency and operational security in compliance.

Call for Information:

If you have any information about money laundering activities, please share it with us via our secure whistleblower system, Whistle42.