Ayyan Ali, Pakistan's top supermodel and a high-net-worth individual in her own right, has been charged with money-laundering offences in Rawalpindi after being caught with $500,000 in her carry-on bag at the airport.

The model is suspected of laundering money for Pakistan's power elite. After her arrest, she asked for 15 unexplained journeys to Dubia between 2011 and 2015 to be taken into consideration.

Ken Rijock, the ex-money-launderer who runs a compliance consultancy, commented: "This reminds us that celebrities are routinely allowed unhindered passage strictly because of their status. Remember that the person that you least expect to be engaged in money laundering, due to his or her legitimate occupation or profession, could be a part-time money launderer. When such individuals are caught in the act, some law enforcement agencies flip them, permitting them to continue without arrest, as confidential informants. They then continue to move money, under the watchful eye of their handlers, and your bank staff may be so mesmerized by their status and prestige that they make mistakes in judgment."