Politically Exposed Person (PEP) Weekly Digest – Volume 75

75th PEP Weekly Digest:

Introducing the 75th edition of The PEP Weekly Digest, where we present to you the most recent updates and news on the global political stage.

Recent and upcoming elections influence the worldwide political landscape in eight nations, slated between Oct 31, 2024 and Dec 29, 2024. These elections hold significant importance, as they will determine the direction and governance of each respective country’s future.

Czech Republic: Martin Kukla Elected Governor of Vysočina

One noteworthy event has occurred in Czech Republic (Czechia), the deputies elected deputy Martin Kukla from ANO, which won the elections in the region, as the governor of Vysočina. The leadership was agreed with Socde and the SPD, Tricolor and PRO coalition. Kukla replaced the current governor Vítězslav Schrek (Together with Mayors for Citizens), who also applied for the post, but did not get enough votes. The ANO movement in Vysočina won the regional elections, just like four years ago, but it has a governor for the first time in this region.

Israel: Defense Minister Yoav Gallant Steps Down

Shifting our focus to Israel, Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant officially stepped down in a ceremony that replaced him with Israel Katz, the former foreign minister, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Gallant. Israel has been rocked by Gallant’s dismissal, with the news setting off mass protests across the country.

Many in Israel view Gallant as the sole moderate voice in a far-right government, and see his removal as a sign that the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu has lost interest in returning hostages still held in Gaza. Israel Katz, his replacement, currently serves as foreign minister and is a longtime Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister.

Russia: Rostov and Tambov Governors Resign

In Russia, the governors of Rostov and Tambov regions announced their resignations kicking off what political analysts refer to as “gubernatorpad,” or President Vladimir Putin’s annual shakeup of regional heads. “The country’s leadership is setting other tasks for me at the federal level that will need to be carried out,” Tambov region Governor Maksim Egorov said in a video message posted on Telegram.

United States: Darknet Operator Sentenced for Bitcoin Money Laundering

In the realm of regulatory affairs, in United States, a dual Russian-Swedish national was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for his operation of the longest-running bitcoin money laundering service on the darknet. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2011 through 2021, Roman Sterlingov, 36, was involved in operating Bitcoin Fog, the darknet’s longest-running cryptocurrency “mixer.”

Over the course of its decade-long operation, Bitcoin Fog gained notoriety as a go-to money laundering service for criminals seeking to hide their illicit proceeds from law enforcement and processed transactions involving over 1.2 million bitcoin, valued at approximately $400 million at the time the transactions occurred. The bulk of this cryptocurrency came from darknet marketplaces and was tied to illegal narcotics, computer crimes, identity theft, and child sexual abuse material.

Sri Lanka: Court Upholds Bribery Sentence for Former Deputy Minister

Shifting our attention to Sri Lanka, the Court of Appeal upheld the four-year rigorous imprisonment sentence imposed by the Colombo High Court on former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne for soliciting and accepting a bribe in 2007.

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