All SARs articles
-
News BriefFinCEN annual report: How DOJ, IRS use SARs to aid probes
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s year in review for fiscal year 2022 provides details on how other U.S. agencies use information derived from the millions of suspicious activity reports filed each year to support their enforcement efforts.
-
News Brief
SEC fines broker-dealer $100K over SARs reporting failures
Cambria Capital agreed to pay $100,000, hire an independent anti-money laundering consultant, and be censured for failing to file suspicious activity reports on certain transactions over a two-year period, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
-
News Brief
FINRA focuses on financial crime in annual exam report
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s annual report on examinations and risk monitoring indicated a new emphasis for the regulator on combating financial crime, particularly cybercrime.
-
Article
FinCEN report identifies financial trends of Russian oligarchs
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network published an analysis of financial trends involving Russian oligarchs and how U.S. financial institutions have aided in the identification of more than $30 billion worth of sanctioned Russians’ assets.
-
Article
SEC accuses J.H. Darbie of violating AML rules
New York-based brokerage firm J.H. Darbie & Co. was charged with violations of anti-money laundering provisions of federal securities laws by the Securities and Exchange Commission for failing to report suspicious activity regarding penny stock transactions.
-
Article
Bittrex to pay $29M for BSA violations in landmark FinCEN, OFAC case
Virtual currency trading platform Bittrex agreed to pay more than $29 million for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and other foreign asset restrictions by regularly allowing transactions with customers in Iran, Syria, and other U.S.-sanctioned nations.
-
Article
FCA cracking down on challenger banks after review
Challenger banks must improve how they assess financial crime risk following a review by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority that found some fail to carry out even basic customer checks.
-
Article
USAA fined $140M for AML compliance failures
USAA Federal Savings Bank must pay $140 million as part of consent orders reached with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for its failures maintaining its Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering compliance program.
-
Article
Lawsuit by BitMEX co-founder could test GDPR’s reach over SARs
Ben Delo, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, filed a complaint against Wise Payments after the company allegedly refused his requests under the General Data Protection Regulation to provide him with personal information it submitted via suspicious activity reports.
-
Article
FinCEN seeking input on SARs-sharing program with foreign branches
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is requesting comment on a pilot program that would allow financial institutions to share suspicious activity reports with foreign branches, subsidiaries, and affiliates.
-
Article
Should lawyers, accountants be filing more SARs?
A study of suspicious activity reporting data in the United Kingdom suggests accountants, lawyers, estate agents, and other service-facing professionals could be doing more to contribute to the fight against financial crime.
-
Article
FinCEN report highlights uptick in wildlife trafficking SARs
Suspicious activity reports flagging potential financial crime risks posed by wildlife trafficking are on the rise, according to a report published by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
-
Article
Wedbush Securities to pay $1.2M for role in microcap fraud scheme
California-based broker-dealer Wedbush Securities agreed to pay $1.2 million as part of a settlement with the SEC for the unregistered sale of microcap securities and its failure to file suspicious activity reports associated with those transactions.
-
Article
FinCEN report: Ransomware SARs surge past 2020 totals
A Financial Crimes Enforcement Network report on financial trends in Bank Secrecy Act data found a greater number of SARs related to ransomware filed between January and June 2021 than during all of 2020.
-
Article
German AML deficiencies in spotlight ahead of election
A recent raid by German prosecutors of the country’s finance and justice ministries has once again put a spotlight on Germany’s apparent failings in tackling financial crime.
-
Article
ICA roundtable: Five tips for filing more effective SARs
A recent roundtable explored the anxieties compliance officers face in filing suspicious activity reports and offered advice for overcoming such difficulties.
-
Article
‘FinCEN Files’ source sentenced to 6 months in prison for disclosing SARs
Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, a former senior advisor at FinCEN who provided 2,100 SARs to BuzzFeed News that would form the basis of 2020’s “FinCEN Files” investigation, was sentenced to six months in prison.
-
Article
SEC fines broker-dealer $1.5M for SARs filing failures
GWFS Equities will pay $1.5 million as part of a settlement with the SEC for lapses in the filing of suspicious activity reports related to the threat of cyber-breaches.
-
Article
Banks filing more SARs amid pandemic; is this the right approach?
An increase in the submission of suspicious activity reports for cash values that fall under the mandatory $10,000 transaction reporting threshold last year is a proactive step by banks, but more can always be done, writes Martin Woods.
-
Video
Video: Did Capital One get off easy with $390M AML fine?
Kyle Brasseur explains how Capital One’s $390 million civil penalty for anti-money laundering failures could have been much steeper had it not been for the bank’s significant remediation efforts.
