On 14 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report on countering ransomware financing. The report analyses the methods that criminals use to carry out their ransomware attacks and how payments are made and laundered. The report highlights that criminals are almost exclusively using crypto, or virtual assets and have easy access … Continue Reading
On 10 March 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published updated guidance that focuses primarily on Recommendation 24 (beneficial ownership transparency of legal persons). In March 2022, the FATF agreed on tougher global beneficial ownership standards in its Recommendation 24 by requiring countries to ensure that competent authorities have access to adequate, accurate and … Continue Reading
On 26 October 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) launched a public consultation on its guidance on beneficial ownership. At the March 2022 Plenary, the FATF adopted amendments to Recommendation 24, and agreed to immediately start the work to update guidance on beneficial ownership with a view to help support the implementation of the … Continue Reading
On 26 October 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) launched a public consultation on Recommendation 25 and its interpretive note (R.25/INR.25) on the transparency and beneficial ownership of legal arrangements. The FATF is also considering amending the definition of beneficial ownership in the glossary to provide more clarity regarding legal arrangements. The FATF’s objective … Continue Reading
On 23 August 2022, the Wolfsberg Group published best practice guidance on requests for information (RFIs) initiated as a result of transaction monitoring. An RFI is used when a correspondent (or any other provider of payment services) is seeking to understand the background of a transaction that has been processed through an account or relationship … Continue Reading
On 20 July 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a report intended to help jurisdictions enhance, design and implement information collaboration initiatives among private sector entities in accordance with data protection and privacy (DPP) rules so that the risks associated with increased sharing of personal data are appropriately taken into account. The report … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a targeted update concerning the implementation of its Standards on virtual assets (VAs) and virtual asset service providers (VASPs), with a focus on FATF’s Travel Rule. The FATF has found that many countries need to strengthen understanding of money laundering / terrorist financing risks … Continue Reading
In the latest instalment of our Regulation Around the World series, financial services partners in 13 jurisdictions provide an update on anti-money laundering developments. Our global updater is accompanied by further analysis and insights in our Regulation Around the World podcast which is available now to stream and download. The podcast features speakers from the … Continue Reading
On 17 June 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published the outcomes of its plenary on 14 to 17 June 2022. Delegates from over 200 jurisdictions participated in the plenary and the FATF expressed its deepest sympathies for the people of Ukraine, and as a result of Russia’s invasion, the FATF agreed to severely … Continue Reading
On May 13, 2022, the US Department of the Treasury published the 2022 National Strategy for Combating Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing. Read our full update here.… Continue Reading
On 11 May 2022, the Wolfsberg Group published FAQs on how undertaking screening for negative news and other forms of adverse information can enhance a financial institution’s awareness of potential financial-crime risk posed by both existing and prospective customers. The Wolfsberg Group recognises that there is no universally agreed and accepted definition of negative news. … Continue Reading
On 19 April 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published a report providing an overview of the state of global efforts to tackle money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing. The report finds that in terms of laws and regulations, 76% of countries have now satisfactorily implemented the FATF’s 40 Recommendations. This is a significant … Continue Reading
On 7 March 2022, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issued a public statement regarding amendments it had adopted to Recommendation 24 and its Interpretative Notes on 4 March 2022. The Recommendation requires countries to prevent the misuse of legal persons for money laundering or terrorist financing and to ensure that there is adequate, accurate … Continue Reading
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis have recently published the results of research showing that there has been a huge increase in the use of decentralised finance (DeFi) protocols to launder money over the last year. DeFi is an emerging financial technology based on secure distributed ledgers similar to those used by cryptocurrencies. In 2021, there was … Continue Reading
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, there has been a rise in fraudulent behaviour as fraudsters look to take advantage of members of the public and financial institutions (FIs). Phishing, text scams and small-scale fraudulent activity targeting the British public were up 285% in the first half of 2021; HM Revenue and Customs estimates … Continue Reading
As 2021 draws to a close, we look ahead to the trends and new requirements that we may see over the next twelve months for financial institutions (FIs) in the white collar crime sphere as regulators, legislators and individuals continue to adapt to the pandemic and prevailing public opinion. 1. An increase in fraud-related investigations … Continue Reading
On 13 December 2021, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank published a report setting out a draft framework and methodology for risk assessment in remittance corridors having the potential of being identified as “safe remittance corridors”. At its October 2020 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting, the G20 endorsed the Roadmap … Continue Reading
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has made it clear: fighting corporate crime is one of the administration’s top priorities. This week, as part of DOJ’s coordinated roll-out of a suite of new corporate-related policies, deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco issued a memorandum that significantly revises DOJ corporate criminal enforcement policies and practices. In … Continue Reading
On 28 October 2021, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published updated guidance for a risk-based approach for virtual assets (VA) and virtual asset service providers (VASP). This guidance mentions how the FATF plans to closely monitor the VA and VASP sector for any material changes that necessitate further clarification of the FATF standards. This … Continue Reading
On 1 July 2021, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published: A stocktake report that examines commercially available or emerging technologies that facilitate advanced anti-money laundering / countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) analytics within regulated entities or collaborative analytics between financial institutions, while respecting data privacy and protection. A report that highlights the necessary … Continue Reading
On 30 June 2021, there was published: Report from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on ethnically or racially motivated terrorism financing. The report, which is based on inputs from around 30 jurisdictions, focuses on the funding behind ethnically or racially motivated terrorism, also referred to as extreme right-wing terrorism. The report highlights the challenges … Continue Reading
On 29 June 2021, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published guidance on proliferation financing risk assessment and mitigation. The guidance seeks to develop a common understanding about the impact of the changes that FATF made in October last year to Recommendation 1 and its Interpretative Note to require countries and private sector entities to … Continue Reading
On 28 June 2021, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) published: A press release concerning the outcomes of the FATF Plenary held on 20-25 June 2021. The press release for the plenary reports that delegates finalised work in a number of important areas. These include a report that details the financial flows linked to environmental … Continue Reading
The Coalition for Integrity has published a report summarising how machine learning (or AI) can be used in anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) compliance programmes (the Report). The Report provides companies with key points to consider in determining whether (and if so how) they should consider developing or using machine learning solutions for their ABC programmes. … Continue Reading
