All anti-money laundering articles – Page 7
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Article
As SEC targets EB-5 fraud, the visa program could raise money laundering risks
Image: A government program that grants visas to overseas investors is more popular than ever. The problem: Critics say it is rife with the potential for fraud and money laundering risks. “You can see which way the winds are blowing,” says Eric Berg, special counsel for Foley & Lardner. “The ...
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BlogCiti receives subpoena in FIFA probe
A Citigroup securities filing says the company is under investigation in connection with the bribery, corruption, and money laundering scandal that toppled leadership of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the international governing body of professional soccer. As Compliance Week previously reported, financial institutions can expect to be in the ...
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Blog
FinCEN withdraws three findings and proposed rulemakings under PATRIOT Act
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network this week said it is withdrawing three findings and related proposed rulemakings under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, after having determined that the subjects of the rulemakings no longer pose a money laundering threat to the U.S. financial system.
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Article
Data collection could be key to battling trade-based money laundering
Trade-based money laundering is a common technique for funding terrorist activities through seemingly innocuous trade activity that essentially hides criminal transactions in plain sight. And it will take the combined efforts of U.S. Customs, FinCEN, the Department of Commerce, and port authorities (and their counterparts in other countries) to compile ...
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Blog
U.S. and China to Expand AML Collaboration
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the China Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Center last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a framework to facilitate expanded U.S.- China cooperation between both nations’ financial intelligence units. According to the Treasury Department, the arrangement provides a mechanism ...
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Blog
NY’s New AML Rules Seek Enhanced Monitoring, Attestations
Image: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed a slate of new anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism regulations for financial institutions that fall under that state’s supervision. They include a requirement that senior financial executives certify their institutions have sufficient systems in place to detect, weed out, and prevent illicit transactions, ...
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Blog
Nordea Bank Tackles AML Compliance Amid Hefty Fine
Nordea Bank AB, a major financial institution for the Nordic region, is re-establishing its anti-money laundering program to correct flaws in its processes that resulted in the company paying up to $5.9 million in fines. This is not the first time Nordea has been put in the spotlight for poor ...
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Blog
Canada AML Study Finds Compliance Gaps
A first-of-its-kind survey on Canadian compliance professionals conducted by Grant Thornton finds significant weaknesses in the AML compliance practices of Canadian companies. Among the findings: many compliance staff are not consistently visiting their overseas locations and rarely tailor their AML training programs to the specific needs of different groups, particularly ...
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Blog
IMF: U.S. Must Tackle Shell Companies, Beneficial Ownership
A new report from the IMF faults the United States for turning a blind eye to shell companies and unclear beneficial ownership—that is, the parties that really control a company or its related bank accounts, even if they do so behind the scenes. That loose approach, the report says, “creates ...
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Article
EU AML Directive Fires Starting Pistol on Beneficial Owners Reform
European financial firms are preparing to implement new anti-money laundering rules that will require reporting about the real owners of the businesses they work with. The rules, intended to help EU governments pursue tax crimes and terrorist financing, “will increase the level of transparency across all transactions,” says Ambrose Loughlin ...
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Blog
FinCEN Fines Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino $75 Mill on AML
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network this week fined Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, $75 million for “willful and egregious” violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. According to FinCEN, Tinian Dynasty failed to develop and implement policies and procedures designed to ensure anti-money laundering compliance, or to detect suspicious transactions. Details ...
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Article
Doing God’s Work: Compliance Reform at the Vatican Bank
Image: The Istituto per le Opere di Religione, commonly known as the Vatican Bank, suffered for decades from poor internal controls and conduct. How has the Holy See tried to recover? Slowly, surely, and with a risk-based approach following international standards. “The expectations are huge in building trust and confidence, ...
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Blog
FCA: Banks Should Rethink Derisking Strategies
The Financial Conduct Authority warns that banks should rethink their anti-money laundering strategies in light of reports that financial institutions have nixed services to customers that may pose potential money-laundering risks. The agency says, “These policies and procedures must be comprehensive and proportionate to the nature, scale, and complexity of ...
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Blog
Belgium's Robust AML Regime
While Belgium has made significant progress in tracking down anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financial (AML/CFT) activities, a lot more work needs to be done, says a recent report by the Financial Action Task Force. In April, the European Union approved new draft rules that reflect the need of its member ...
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Blog
Citigroup Probe Over AML Violations Widens
Citigroup is under investigation by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the California Department of Business Oversight for potential Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering violations at its Banamex USA unit. The disclosure comes one year after Citigroup received a subpoena from the U.S. attorney of Massachusetts for similar issues. ...
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Blog
South Africa Fines Deutsche Bank $857,000 for Lax AML Controls
South Africa’s banking regulator last week fined Deutsche Bank $857,000 for failing to implement appropriate anti-money laundering controls. Deutsche Bank said in a statement that it acknowledged the inconsistencies and had “cooperated fully in remediating the identified shortcomings within agreed timeframes.” Details inside.
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Blog
Podcast: Casinos Double Down on Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Casinos have traditionally had a less-than-stellar track record when it comes to their anti-money laundering efforts. But now, amid increased scrutiny on AML compliance by regulators, the American Gaming Association has released its first-ever AML best practices guidebook. In our latest podcast, we talk to Fred Curry, a principal in ...
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Article
Regulators Publish Latest Thinking on AML Compliance
Image: Financial regulators have just updated their examination manual for anti-money laundering compliance, giving financial firms plenty of holiday reading on how they should structure their AML programs. “The big changes are in areas where things have moved forward: virtual currency, prepaid cards, changes in the SAR rules, aggregation for ...
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Blog
Petrobras Creates Risk and Compliance Executive Director Role Amid Bribery Probe
Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras has created a new position of executive director of governance, risk, and compliance. The move comes as the company faces several investigations for its involvement in a widespread money-laundering scandal.
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Blog
Brazil’s Anti-Corruption Head Resigns
Brazil’s anti-corruption obstacles continue to escalate, following the resignation this week of the federal government’s head of anti-corruption, amid a corruption probe unfolding against Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras. Hage’s resignation comes as eight engineering and construction companies that held contracts with Petrobras face allegations that they took part in ...