Ex-undercover agent Robert Mazur to share first-person AML lessons at CW event
Robert Mazur, the famous undercover agent portrayed in the 2016 film “The Infiltrator,” will be the keynote speaker on Day 2 of Compliance Week’s upcoming financial crimes event, to be held virtually March 30-31.
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.
Samsung Heavy Industries settles Brazil bribery probe for $150M
Samsung Heavy Industries will pay 812 million reais (U.S. $149.9 million) in a leniency deal with Brazilian enforcement authorities for acts of corruption and money laundering related to “Operation Car Wash.”
OSHA will handle antitrust, AML retaliation claims from whistleblowers
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will oversee worker retaliation claims for two new categories of whistleblowers—antitrust and anti-money laundering.
ACAMS survey: FinCEN Files leak a positive for financial industry?
Many compliance professionals in the financial industry believe last year’s leak of 2,100 suspicious activity reports from FinCEN had an overall positive impact on global efforts to fight financial crime, according to an ACAMS survey.
FINRA report: Top risk areas for AML, cyber-security
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has published a new report designed to help inform member firms’ compliance programs by providing annual insights from its examinations and risk monitoring programs.
FDIC fines Apple Bank $12.5M for AML compliance failures
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has fined Apple Bank for Savings $12.5 million for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act related to anti-money laundering controls.
White paper: BSA/AML Compliance: A Growing Consensus for Change
Serving a vital purpose for the U.S. financial system, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) protects its individual members from being used to finance illegal activity. But at 50 years old, its ability to achieve that purpose has not kept pace with an ever-evolving world, as the law remains largely unchanged ...
Treasury under Yellen to prioritize climate change, sanctions, AML reform
Janet Yellen takes over as leader of a Treasury Department with a lot on its plate, including studying the effects of climate change on the economy, unwinding Trump administration sanctions, revamping the Bank Secrecy Act, and more.
FinCEN again extends comment period for controversial crypto AML rules
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for a second time has extended the comment period for portions of its proposed AML rules aimed at peeling back the anonymity of certain kinds of cryptocurrency transactions.
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.
Analysis: Improving SARs effectiveness takes more than act of Congress
In the wake of 2020’s FinCEN Files leaks, the U.S. Treasury this year will undertake a thorough reevaluation of the country’s AML program under the Bank Secrecy Act.
Capital One fined $390M for ‘egregious’ AML compliance failures
Capital One will pay a $390 million civil penalty for compliance failures regarding banking services offered to its check cashing group, which—according to FinCEN—had a reputation for money-laundering risks.
e-Book: AML: New U.S. regulation to start the year off
Congress has passed a defense bill that contains amendments with big ramifications for AML, including new requirements around beneficial ownership and a new Bank Secrecy Act whistleblower program at the Treasury.
U.K. tax authority fines MT Global record $32.4M for AML failures
MT Global Limited, a U.K.-based money transfer company, was hit with a record £23.8 million (U.S. $32.4 million) fine by the U.K.’s tax authority for violations of anti-money laundering regulations.
Assessing 2020: Lessons learned for the financial crime landscape
This year has been one most of us would like to forget. As we look toward 2021, nevertheless, it is worth considering lessons learned over the last 12 months and (where possible) drawing on any positives that have come to light regarding the financial crime landscape.
Report: Fines against financial institutions hit $10.4B in 2020
Financial institutions have been hit with $10.4 billion in global fines and penalties related to AML, KYC, data privacy, and MiFID regulations in 2020, according to a recent Fenergo report.
We’ve been failing at AML efforts, but new U.S. rules offer hope
If we fail to improve our collective AML efforts, specialized law firms will offer an inviting incentive to those who blow the whistle on our continued failings, writes Martin Woods.
FinCEN proposes BSA reporting rule for cryptocurrency transactions
FinCEN has proposed a new rule looking to subject cryptocurrency transactions to similar AML reporting requirements placed on other financial institutions by the Bank Secrecy Act.
OFAC closes investigation into Danske Estonia case
Danske Bank received a no-action letter from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control regarding an investigation at the bank’s infamous Estonian branch.
Confidence is the ultimate tool in fighting fraudsters
Con men will try to bully weak investigators and sell them their version of “the truth,” writes Martin Woods. The ultimate deterrent is to challenge their “facts” and act with the same confidence they display.
The growing demand for investigation skills in compliance
As the compliance world evolves, the skill sets needed by practitioners are changing. The ability to run investigations effectively is now highly prized, and key skills, such as understanding the use of technology, will be among the most fundamental in the years ahead.
U.S. beneficial ownership efforts a welcome sight for global AML community
U.S. Congress’ defense spending bill requiring corporations to identify who owns and controls them is a significant milestone in the global effort to put an end to anonymous shell companies, writes Martin Woods.
Congress passes defense bill with big ramifications for AML, whistleblowers
Congress’ defense spending bill approved Friday includes amendments that could dramatically alter the fight against money laundering, in addition to a new BSA whistleblower program with some kinks to be worked out.
New FinCEN guidance encourages information sharing among banks
FinCEN Director Kenneth Blanco announced updated guidance to encourage more financial institutions to share information among their peers regarding suspicious transactions.
UBS chief facing investigation in ING money laundering case
A Dutch court has ordered a criminal investigation into UBS CEO Ralph Hamers for his role in the ING money laundering scandal that occurred during his tenure as the latter financial institution’s leader.
Five challenges for European CCOs heading into 2021
Many of the problems European compliance officers faced in 2020 will remain in place going into the new year, but new risks and new regulations will also present new challenges.
Video: Compliance pros, cons included in Congress defense spending bill
Beneficial ownership provisions contained in Congress’ defense spending bill should go a long way in the fight against money laundering, but holes in the bill’s proposed whistleblower program are open for criticism, says Aaron Nicodemus.
Norway’s DNB facing potential $45M AML fine
DNB ASA, Norway’s largest financial services group, is facing a potential fine of NOK 400 million (U.S. $45.4 million) for inadequate compliance with the Norwegian Anti-Money Laundering Act.
CPE Webcast: Unveiling 2020 online research trends
Join Authentic8’s Jeff Phillips and Nick Finnberg, OSINT training lead and former financial crime analyst, as they discuss key takeaways from a financial crime survey of investigators from more than 150 organizations worldwide.
e-Book: Using immersive scenarios in your financial crime training
This free e-Book considers five questions that can help when designing immersive financial crime training scenarios for learners.
Cryptocurrency’s future: What compliance needs to know
Cryptocurrency is complicated, but it’s not going away anytime soon. David Povey of the ICA takes a look at what regulators are trying to do and offers tips on where compliance officers can go to study this complex topic further.
ICA partnership offers AML education in Lithuania
The International Compliance Association announced a partnership with Kazimieras Simonavičius University in Lithuania to offer the ICA’s full suite of professional qualifications.
Survey: Machine learning will (eventually) help win the war against financial crime
While the war against financial crime wages on, machine learning and artificial intelligence may give financial institutions the upper hand, according to a recent survey.
More data, more problems with FinCEN international transfer proposal?
A recent international wire transfer rule change proposed by U.S. regulators could go a long way toward combatting terrorist financing, but the increased transaction reporting may overwhelm an already taxed system, writes Martin Woods.
Julius Baer reserves $80M for FIFA corruption settlement
Julius Baer has set aside nearly $80 million in a proposed settlement with the Department of Justice regarding the agency’s corruption investigation linked to world soccer federation FIFA.
Working together to stop money laundering: A conversation with Marcus Pleyer
Dr. Marcus Pleyer, president of the Financial Action Task Force, emphasized his commitment to stopping money laundering in a wide-ranging and forward-looking discussion at the ICA’s BIG Compliance Festival.
CCO Philippe Vollot has a plan for Danske’s compliance reboot
Danske Bank CCO Philippe Vollot knows his journey to build a robust compliance program and culture at the troubled lender is far from over.
BSA update proposal seeks more data on international transactions
FinCEN and the Federal Reserve Board have proposed lowering the threshold at which financial institutions must collect, retain, and transmit information on overseas transfers under the Bank Secrecy Act.
‘FinCEN Files’ reaction poll: Corporate culture blocks AML compliance
In the aftermath of the “FinCEN Files” leak, financial industry practitioners polled by Fenergo say changing the system needs to start within their own institutions.
Study: Financial crime compliance costs top $42B in U.S./Canada
A new study of financial crime compliance costs found spending by American and Canadian financial institutions is up sharply in 2020, driven in part by the coronavirus pandemic.
Is human trafficking financial services’ blind spot?
A new report from BAE Systems demonstrates just how far we have to go in the fight against money laundering, particularly when it comes to human trafficking.
Bitcoin platform operator fined $60M for AML violations
Larry Dean Harmon, the operator of virtual currency platforms Helix and Coin Ninja, was assessed a $60 million civil penalty by FinCEN for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and its implementing of AML regulations.
Embattled BitMEX hires chief compliance officer
On the heels of a CFTC enforcement action, cryptocurrency exchange platform BitMEX announced the appointment of Malcolm Wright as chief compliance officer of its operating company 100x Group.
Deutsche Bank fined $15.9M for lag in reporting suspicious transactions
A German public prosecutor levied a €13.5 million (U.S. $15.9 million) fine against Deutsche Bank for failing to report over 600 suspicious transactions in a timely manner but dropped a wider investigation related to the Danske Bank money laundering scandal.
How Danske is cleaning up after a €200B money laundering scandal
It is not clear what action Danske Bank will take on the back of its investigation into Europe’s biggest-ever money laundering scandal, but it is a safe bet to think further improving compliance will be on the list.
Back to the drawing board on transaction monitoring
In the wake of the “FinCEN Files” leaks, Martin Woods examines whether monitoring text rather than numbers in transactions could serve as a solution to our greater anti-money laundering woes.
FINMA orders Banca Credinvest to improve AML measures
The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority found Banca Credinvest “seriously breached” anti-money laundering regulations with regard to dealings with PDVSA in Venezuela.
Progress on beneficial ownership key to AML fight
With the British Virgin Islands vowing its commitment to a beneficial ownership public register, financial crime expert Martin Woods turns his attention toward how the U.K. and U.S. are progressing in the space.
Three tips on how to design financial crime training with impact
Simone Jones of the International Compliance Association offers three ways to get employees to both embrace financial crime training and use the knowledge learned in their daily roles.