Alliance convenes multi-sector insights on financial crime linked to forestry crime

Strategies for disrupting financial crime related to forestry crime were explored during a session hosted by the Nature Crime Alliance at the Forest Governance and Policy Conference 2024 (FGP24).

The Alliance Secretariat brought together thought leaders from government, law enforcement, civil society and the private sector for the session, which convened during FGP24 in Washington DC, hosted by WRI.

Moderated by Lynn Schlingemann, Senior Associate, Financial Crime and Corruption, Nature Crime Alliance Secretariat, the audience heard from Rowena Watson, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Sanctions Coordination, US Department of State, who shared insights on the role of sanctions in tackling forestry crimes. This included a case study from the Central African Republic involving Wagner Group activity related to illegal timber.

Paul Hackett, AML Advisor, UNODC, presented on his work supporting law enforcement efforts in Peru, while Nick Schumann from HSBC spoke on the value of public-private partnerships in identifying and disrupting financial crime related to nature crime.

Julia Yansura, Program Director for Environmental Crime and Illicit Finance at the FACT Coalition, shared some takeaways from FACT’s recent report, Dirty Money and the Destruction of the Amazon, highlighting how proceeds of criminal activities in the Amazon are entering the US financial system. And legislation was also a focus, with Scott Greytak, Director of Advocacy, Transparency International US, sharing his thoughts on the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act and its implications for forestry crime.

Watch the session in full