New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) A new risk assessment committee created within the ED has led to the registration of close to 800 money laundering cases in about seven months against "emerging" threats like digital arrest, foreign interference and lobbying against national interest and intellectual property fraud among others.

The Risk Assessment Management Committee (RAMC) is chaired by a Special Director rank officer of the agency posted at its headquarters in Delhi.

Beginning in October 2025, the RAMC is mandated to vet all cases before they are taken up under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), according to the new guidelines accessed by PTI.

The committee was created to identify "emerging" threats such as cyber and crypto-related frauds, foreign funding and drug trafficking crimes.

"A total of 91 RAMC meetings were held since October 2025 in which a total of 794 cases have been recorded.

"New category of cases recorded after RAMC approval addresses new and emerging threats/risks to money laundering such as digital arrest, fake loan scams, foreign interference and lobbying against national interest, immigration scams, intellectual property fraud, human trafficking etc.," an ED report said.

The report stated that the current trend in PMLA cases has "moved" from cash-based corruption cases to complex, digital and globally inter-connected financial crimes requiring advanced forensic, digital and international cooperation capabilities.

The central agency registered an all-time high of 134 money laundering cases during the 2025-26 fiscal year, involving cyber and cryptocurrency fraud crimes.

The comparative figures for such cases were 31 (2024-25), 28 (2023-24), 23 (2022-23), 20 (2021-22) and the numbers tapered down further until 2017-18. PTI NES SKY SKY

Money laundering risk assessment now targets digital and cross-border frauds, cyber scams, and emerging PMLA threats. Risk assessment vetting within the Enforcement Directorate has been used to screen and record PMLA matters involving emerging money-laundering threats. The committee, chaired by a Special Director-rank officer, identifies new risk categories such as cyber and crypto-related fraud, digital arrest, fake loan scams, foreign interference, lobbying against national interest, immigration scams, intellectual property fraud, human trafficking and drug trafficking. The reported trend has shifted from cash-based corruption allegations to complex digital and globally connected financial crimes.