(Archived Content)
Action Builds on Treasury’s Targeted Campaign Against
the Camorra, the Yakuza, the Brothers’ Circle, and MS-13
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today took additional action against four transnational criminal organizations (TCOs): the Camorra, the Yakuza, the Brothers’ Circle, and Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). Today’s designations include seven members of the Camorra, one of Europe's largest criminal organizations; the Kudo-kai, a violent syndicate within the Japanese Yakuza criminal network along with two of its leaders; an individual known to act on behalf of the Brothers’ Circle, a large multi-ethnic Eurasian criminal network; and one member of MS-13, a criminal street gang that operates internationally. These designations were imposed under Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, “Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations,” which targets significant TCOs and individuals or entities determined to have provided material support to, or to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, such organizations.
President Obama identified the Camorra, the Yakuza, and the Brothers’ Circle, along with the Zetas, as significant TCOs in the Annex to E.O. 13581 on July 24, 2011. Pursuant to this E.O., the Treasury Department has imposed additional sanctions against their members and supporters to undermine and interdict their global criminal operations. The Treasury Department subsequently designated MS-13 as a significant TCO pursuant to E.O. 13581 on October 11, 2012.
Today’s action freezes any assets the designated persons may have within the jurisdiction of the United States and generally prohibits any transactions with them by U.S. persons.
“Those sanctioned today support some of the most violent and destructive criminal organizations in the world. From trafficking in illegal drugs, weapons, and human beings, to laundering the proceeds of their illegal acts, these organizations endanger innocent lives and compromise legitimate businesses,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. “Treasury will continue to protect the U.S. and international financial system by exposing and disrupting these groups and those who support them, wherever they may be.”
The Camorra
The Italian Camorra operates internationally and is involved in serious criminal activity such as money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion, alien smuggling, robbery, blackmail, kidnapping, political corruption, and counterfeiting. Although the group is based in Naples, Italy, the negative effects from the organization’s illicit activities have been recognized throughout Italy. Italian law enforcement continues to combat, disrupt, and dismantle this criminal organization, and has conducted multiple operations within the past year to seize Camorra assets, including a single-day seizure of assets worth 450 million Euro from the Camorra’s Casalesi clan in June 2013. Including today’s action, the Treasury Department has designated fourteen individuals affiliated with the Camorra under E.O. 13581.
The individuals designated today for acting for or on behalf of the Camorra were defendants in the famous Spartacus trial held in Italy against the powerful Casalesi clan from Casal di Principe, a town outside of Naples, Italy. They include Francesco Bidognetti and Francesco “Sandokan” Schiavone, two bosses of the Casalesi clan, who received life sentences following their conviction for crimes including murder, assault, and extortion. Two other bosses of the Casalesi clan involved in the Spartacus trial, Antonio Iovine and Michele Zagaria, were designated under E.O. 13581 on August 1, 2012. The other five individuals designated today for acting for or on behalf of the Camorra, Francesco Barbato, Nicola Panaro, Sebastiano Panaro, Nicola Schiavone, and Vincenzo Schiavone, are all high-level members of the Casalesi clan. Francesco Barbato and Nicola Panaro were convicted of extortion; Sebastiano Panaro was convicted of extortion, mafia association, and murder; Vincenzo Schiavone was convicted of mafia association and extortion; and Nicola Schiavone was convicted of triple homicide.
The Yakuza
The Yakuza, reputedly the world’s largest criminal organization with close to 60,000 members, is involved in serious criminal activities, including weapons trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking, drug trafficking, fraud, and money laundering. Including today’s action, the Treasury Department has designated twelve individuals affiliated with the Yakuza and four Yakuza syndicates: the Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai, Inagawa-kai, and the Kudo-kai.
The Kudo-kai, which the Treasury Department is designating today for acting for or on behalf of the Yakuza, is reportedly the most violent Yakuza syndicate. The Kudo-kai is headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan and has approximately 950 members, including associate members.
Today, the Treasury Department is also designating Satoru Nomura, the President of the Kudo-kai, as well as the Kudo-kai Chief, Fumio Tanoue, for acting for or on behalf of the Kudo-kai. As Kudo-kai leaders, Nomura and Tanoue are responsible for the group’s operations, including relaying and enforce orders, conducting personnel changes, and promoting Kudo-kai members to lead their own subsidiary groups.
The Brothers’ Circle
The Brothers’ Circle is a multi-ethnic criminal group made up of leaders and senior members of several Eurasian criminal groups largely based in countries of the former Soviet Union but also operating in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The Brothers’ Circle serves as a coordinating body for several criminal networks, mediating disputes between the individual criminal networks and directing member criminal activity globally. Including today’s action, the Treasury Department has designated 23 individuals and six entities affiliated with the Brothers’ Circle.
Today, the Treasury Department is designating Adam Sultanovich Delimkhanov, a member of the Russian Duma, pursuant to E.O. 13581 for acting for or on behalf of Gafur Rakhimov, a key member of the Brothers’ Circle designated by the Treasury Department in February 2012.
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
In October 2012, MS-13 became the first transnational criminal street gang to be designated by Treasury as a significant TCO. MS-13 has been involved in serious criminal activity in the United States and around the world, including human smuggling, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, assassinations, racketeering, blackmail, extortion, and immigration offenses. Including today’s action, Treasury has designated seven individuals affiliated with MS-13.
Today, the Treasury Department is designating Jenny Judith Corado Portillo pursuant to E.O. 13581 for acting for or on behalf of MS-13, and Borromeo Enrique Henriquez Solorzano, an MS-13 leader designated by the Treasury Department on June 5, 2013. This action was supported extensively by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations directorate. Jenny Judith Corado Portillo is a member of the Big Gangster Locos Salvatruchas MS-13 clique in El Salvador and the common-law wife of incarcerated MS-13 spokesperson Borromeo Enrique Henriquez Solorzano. Jenny Judith Corado Portillo was arrested in May 2013 on charges of extortion. It is believed she acts as an intermediary for her incarcerated husband Borromeo Enrique Henriquez Solorzano.
Identifying Information:
Name: SCHIAVONE, Francesco
AKA: SANDOKAN
DOB: 03 March 1954
POB: Casal di Principe, Italy
Name: BIDOGNETTI, Francesco
AKA: CICCIOTTO E MEZZANOTTE
DOB: 29 January 1951
POB: Casal di Principe, Italy
Name: BARBATO, Francesco
DOB: 21 November 1979
POB: San Cipriano d’Aversa, Italy
Name: PANARO, Nicola
AKA: NICOLINO
DOB: 12 September 1968
POB: Casal di Principe, Italy
Name: PANARO, Sebastiano
DOB: 10 August 1969
POB: Casal di Principe, Italy
Name: SCHIAVONE, Nicola
DOB: 11 April 1979
POB: Loreto, Italy
Name: SCHIAVONE, Vincenzo
DOB: 19 March 1978
POB: Casal di Principe, Italy
Entity: KUDO-KAI
AKA: KUDOKAI
AKA: FIFTH KUDO-KAI
AKA: GODAIME KUDO-KAI
Address: 1-1-12 Kantake, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka, Japan
Name: NOMURA, Satoru
DOB: 1946 (Between Sept. 26 and Dec. 7)
Address: 4-chome, 19-15 Kumagai, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka, Japan
Name: TANOUE, Fumio
DOB: 01 January 1955 to 31 December 1956
Name: DELIMKHANOV, Adam Sultanovich
DOB: 25 September 1969
POB: Nozhai-Yurtsky District, Chechen Republic, Russia
Name: CORADO PORTILLO, Jenny Judith
AKA: CORADO PORTILLO, Jeny Judith
AKA: CORADO ORTILLO, Jenny Judith
AKA: CORADO PORTILLO, Jeni Judith
AKA: CORADO PORTILLO, Jenny Uvique
AKA: CORADO PORTILLO, Jenny Yudith
AKA: CORADO PORTILLO, Jenny Yulith
AKA: CORADO, Jenny Judith
AKA: CORANADO PORTILLO, Jenny Judith
AKA: CORODO CORTILLO, Jenny Judith
DOB: 07 December 1980
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