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.
FINRA encourages proactive compliance with FinCEN AML/CFT priorities
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is encouraging member firms to start proactively incorporating new AML/CFT priorities mandated by Congress into their risk-based compliance programs.
Pandora Papers exposed gaps in AML compliance. Is beneficial ownership registry the answer?
FinCEN’s upcoming ultimate beneficial ownership registry could help to combat some of the anti-money laundering deficiencies put on display by the Pandora Papers, but not until Congress gets serious about funding the initiative.
NatWest pleads guilty in landmark U.K. money laundering case
National Westminster Bank pleaded guilty to landmark criminal charges brought by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority for violations of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007.
WaFd Bank to pay $2.5M for AML/BSA deficiencies
Washington Federal Bank has agreed to pay $2.5 million in accordance with a consent order reached with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in February 2018.
LPL Financial to pay $4.8M to settle claims of poor KYC procedures
The nation’s presumed top independent broker-dealer will pay more than $4.8 million to settle AML charges stemming from its alleged failure to reconcile inconsistencies of a new customer who would scam a Puerto Rican city out of millions of dollars.
Germany’s N26 fined $5M for AML lapses
Mobile bank N26 revealed it paid a €4.25 million (U.S. $5 million) fine ordered by Germany’s market regulator regarding deficiencies in its reporting of suspicious activities “in the area of anti-money laundering.”
Swedbank CCO lauded for role in AML rebound to retire
Ingrid Harbo, Swedbank’s chief compliance officer during its ongoing recovery from a massive AML scandal, announced she will retire in March 2022.
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.
FATF urges Japan to enhance AML/CFT measures
Japanese authorities have a good understanding of money laundering and terrorism financing risks, but certain areas of their AML/CFT framework could be further improved, according to a Financial Action Task Force evaluation report.
Weathering the storm: Why FinTech compliance failures persist
Experts weigh in with their thoughts on why FinTechs and cryptocurrency firms continue to have a bad reputation in terms of compliance.
Pandemic not slowing rising AML fine totals, report says
Kroll’s latest annual enforcement review identified $2.2 billion in AML fines in 2020 compared to $444 million in 2019. The first six months of 2021 indicate a similar pace to last year.
Challenge to SEC’s Bank Secrecy Act authority backed by ex-FinCEN leadership
A brokerage firm petitioning the Supreme Court to review the power of the SEC to enforce the Bank Secrecy Act has received support from two former officials of the primary agency tasked with overseeing the AML law.
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.
White paper: AML Compliance Guide
Read this AML Compliance Guide to learn the five ways you can modernize your AML program to meet regulatory requirements and protect your institution and its customers from financial crime.
Westpac warned over continued AML failings
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand issued a formal warning to Westpac’s New Zealand branch for failing to report certain transactions as required under local anti-money laundering regulations.
Crypto platform BitMEX to pay $100M for registration, AML violations
Cryptocurrency platform BitMEX has agreed to pay $100 million as part of a settlement with the CFTC and FinCEN for multiple violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and other anti-money laundering laws.
EU guidance seeks to clarify role of AML/CFT compliance officers
The European Banking Authority is seeking comment on new draft guidelines that set clear expectations regarding the appointment, role, tasks, and responsibilities of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism compliance officers.
Ex-Glencore oil trader pleads guilty for role in bribery scheme
A former oil trader for a subsidiary of Glencore entered a guilty plea for his role in bribing government officials in Nigeria in exchange for the award of oil cargoes and more favorable delivery terms.
New agency Europe’s latest hope to curb AML struggles
The European Commission unveiled new plans to set up an agency specifically aimed at tackling the region’s spiraling problems with money laundering.
Robinhood Crypto anticipates $10M penalty for cyber, AML failures
Robinhood Markets said its cryptocurrency platform might face a penalty of “at least” $10 million from the New York State Department of Financial Services for anti-money laundering and cyber-security failures.
FinCEN puts financial institutions on notice with first AML/CFT priorities
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network tipped its hand at changes ahead for the Bank Secrecy Act in announcing the first government-wide list of priorities for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
FATF adds four jurisdictions to AML/CFT watchlist
The Financial Action Task Force added Haiti, Malta, the Philippines, and South Sudan to its “grey list” focused on areas subject to increased monitoring for deficiencies in fighting financial crime.
U.K. AML expert convicted of aiding money launderers
A U.K. money laundering prevention expert was found guilty of allowing criminals to use his company to launder the proceeds of an £850,000 (U.S. $1.2 million) investment fraud that resulted in dozens of victims being ripped off.
AML compliance proving tall hurdle for U.K. crypto firms
The U.K.’s financial regulator has been forced to extend a registration deadline for cryptocurrency firms by nearly nine months because so few have been able to meet even basic anti-money laundering requirements.
Embattled Deutsche Bank to overhaul anti-financial crime controls
Deutsche Bank is planning to shake up its internal structure around anti-financial crime efforts in the wake of criticism from multiple regulators.
Study: Financial crime compliance costs climb 18 percent in 2020
Projected costs for financial crime compliance among financial services companies worldwide reached nearly $214 billion last year, according to the latest survey from LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
Australia’s NAB cited for ‘serious and ongoing non-compliance’ with AML laws
Australia’s financial regulator has identified “serious concerns” with National Australia Bank’s compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules but indicated it won’t fine the bank—for now.
‘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.
Julius Baer pays $80M in FIFA corruption settlement
Swiss bank Julius Baer entered a deferred prosecution agreement and will pay $80 million for its role in a money laundering conspiracy linked to world soccer federation FIFA, the Department of Justice announced.
Austrian banker arrested for role in Odebrecht-related scheme
The former CEO of an Austrian bank was arrested in the United Kingdom on criminal charges for his alleged role in a massive money laundering scheme involving Brazil-based global construction conglomerate Odebrecht.
e-Book: New thinking, new strategies needed for AML
Bank culture continues to be a problem, and strategies formed following the financial crisis to prevent money laundering haven’t fared much better. Perhaps it’s time for a new approach.
AML culture is in need of a revamp
Bank culture continues to be a problem following the 2008 financial crisis, and strategies formed to prevent money laundering haven’t fared much better. It’s time for a new approach, writes Martin Woods.
Deutsche Bank names new group AML officer amid enhanced scrutiny
Deutsche Bank named Joe Salama global head of anti-financial crime and group anti-money laundering officer less than a month after its AML controls were criticized by German financial regulator BaFin.
SFO probing Sanjeev Gupta business ties to Greensill Capital
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office has launched an investigation into suspected fraud and money laundering in financing arrangements between steel and mining magnate Sanjeev Gupta and recently collapsed Greensill Capital.
Deutsche Bank’s continued AML struggles worth questioning
How is it Deutsche Bank can spend more than $1 billion on compliance enhancements but still be ordered to do more to improve its AML controls? Is the bank to blame or are regulators missing the big picture?
German finance regulator orders N26 to improve AML controls
BaFin, Germany’s market regulator, has ordered mobile bank N26 to improve its anti-money laundering controls, taking the unusual move to appoint a “special commissioner” to monitor its progress.
Combating terrorist financing: Coordination and the ‘human element’
Fundamental differences in ideology and motivation differentiate a terrorist from organized criminal groups. However, a debate rages over the connection between transnational organized crime and terrorist financing.
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.
Elevating compliance key for financial services, says former HSBC head
John Flint, former group chief executive at HSBC, considered the progress compliance has made over the last 20 years and the strides the profession must continue to make as part of a keynote at the ICA’s 2021 BIG Compliance Festival.
Monitor certifies MoneyGram’s AML program after lengthy DPA
MoneyGram International stated in a regulatory filing it has fulfilled its obligations under a DPA it entered with the Department of Justice eight years ago, and its AML program was given a thumbs-up by its compliance monitor.
Norway’s DNB fined $48.1M for AML violations
DNB ASA, Norway’s largest financial services group, will pay a fine of NOK 400 million ($48.1 million) for failing to adhere to Norwegian Anti-Money Laundering Act standards.
Deutsche Bank ordered to further improve AML controls
BaFin, Germany’s market regulator, signaled Deutsche Bank still has more to do concerning previously ordered improvements to its AML compliance controls.
Danske Bank compliance costs down after completing internal Estonia probe
New Danske Bank CEO Carsten Egeriis told investors compliance costs at the bank have stabilized now that a forensic audit into a money laundering scandal involving its Estonia branch is complete.
White paper: Concentrate on effective compliance
The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (AMLA) is intended to improve transparency between financial institutions and regulators in an effort to streamline financial crime compliance.
Video: ABN AMRO refreshingly accountable; pharmacists lose in COVID-19 vaccine push
Kyle Brasseur seeks silver linings from ABN AMRO’s €480 million settlement for AML failures, while Aly McDevitt calls out the retail pharmacies overextending their employees for the sake of distributing more COVID-19 vaccines.
Regulators want answers from financial services on AI/ML tools
The financial services industry is at the cutting edge of the utilization of artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. Regulators have recently requested to understand how these technologies are being used—or misused.
ABN AMRO fine response suggests moral compass of banking is shifting
ABN AMRO CEO Robert Swaak acknowledging his bank’s “moral duty” to prevent money laundering should be welcomed by all in the global AML community as progress, writes Martin Woods.
ABN AMRO to pay $575M in money laundering settlement with Dutch authorities
Dutch bank ABN AMRO reached a €480 million (U.S. $575 million) settlement with the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service to resolve money laundering charges.
Danske Bank CEO, board member resign amid ABN AMRO probe
Danske Bank CEO Chris Vogelzang and board member Gerrit Zalm each resigned after being identified as suspects in ABN AMRO’s money laundering scandal. Chief Risk Officer Carsten Egeriis will take over as Danske’s CEO.