A client opens a bank account for a multi-level marketing company. The debits and credits of the account are numerous and very involved. Further, there are a lot of international transactions. Also, funds are being tunneled from the company to the client's personal account in another jurisdiction. Which two steps should law enforcement take in investigating this matter? (Choose two.)
Correct Answer: A,C
The correct answer is A and C. Law enforcement should determine who are the signatories on the account and examine the flow of money from the company to the individual in an effort to determine if it is legitimate. These steps would help to identify the source and destination of the funds, the purpose and nature of the transactions, and the possible involvement of money laundering or other financial crimes. Asking the bank for the history of the multi-level marketing company (B) may not be relevant or useful, as the company may have a legitimate business model or a false front. Examining possible Suspicious Activity Report information received from the local Financial Intelligence Units (D) may be helpful, but it is not a necessary step, as the bank may not have filed any reports or the reports may not contain sufficient information. References: ACAMS CAMS Certification Video Training Course1, Module 4: Conducting or Supporting the Investigation Process, Lesson 1: Investigating Techniques for Law Enforcement ACAMS CAMS Certification Study Guide2, Chapter 4: Conducting or Supporting the Investigation Process, Section 4.1: Investigating Techniques for Law Enforcement, pp. 125-126
Question 52
The compliance officer for a private bank has been tasked with writing a policy on how the bank will deal with intermediaries. Which two aspects should be included in the policy in respect of intermediaries to align it with the Wolfsberg Anti-Money Laundering Principles for Private Banking? (Choose two.)
Correct Answer: B,C
According to the Wolfsberg Anti-Money Laundering Principles for Private Banking (2012), the bank should have a clear policy on how to deal with intermediaries, such as lawyers, accountants, trust and company service providers, or other financial institutions, that introduce or manage clients on behalf of the bank. The policy should reflect the following aspects1: The bank should perform due diligence on the intermediary itself, including its ownership, reputation, regulatory status, and AML policies and procedures. The bank should obtain the identity and beneficial ownership information of the clients introduced or managed by the intermediary, and verify them using reliable and independent sources, unless there are legal or regulatory impediments to do so. The bank should assess the level of due diligence performed by the intermediary on its clients, and determine whether it is equivalent or comparable to the bank's own standards. If not, the bank should perform additional due diligence on the intermediary's clients, or decline to accept them. The bank should monitor the transactions and activities of the clients introduced or managed by the intermediary, and report any suspicious or unusual activity to the relevant authorities. Option B is consistent with these aspects, as it states that the bank must obtain the same type of information with respect to an introduced client that would otherwise be obtained by the bank, absent the involvement of the intermediary. This ensures that the bank has a sufficient understanding of the client's identity, source of wealth, and risk profile, and can apply appropriate AML measures. Option C is also consistent with these aspects, as it states that where an intermediary manages assets on behalf of a number of clients and is the account holder with the bank, but that intermediary does not conduct the same level of due diligence as the bank, it is necessary for the bank to undertake due diligence on the intermediary's clients. This ensures that the bank does not rely solely on the intermediary's due diligence, and can identify and mitigate any potential money laundering risks associated with the clients. Option A is not consistent with these aspects, as it states that when an intermediary introduces clients to the bank, it is not necessary for the bank to perform due diligence on the intermediary's clients. This contradicts the principle that the bank should obtain and verify the identity and beneficial ownership information of the clients introduced by the intermediary, unless there are legal or regulatory impediments to do so. Option D is also not consistent with these aspects, as it states that where an intermediary manages assets on behalf of a number of clients and arranges for the opening of accounts for its clients with the bank, and that intermediary is a financial institution subject to similar regulations, it is necessary for the bank to perform due diligence on the intermediary's clients. This contradicts the principle that the bank may rely on the due diligence performed by the intermediary on its clients, if the intermediary is a regulated financial institution that applies equivalent or comparable AML standards to the bank, and if the bank has access to the relevant information and documentation. References: 1: Wolfsberg Anti-Money Laundering Principles for Private Banking (2012), Section 3: Intermediaries
Question 53
In May 2002, the Wolfsberg Principles on Private Banking were revised and included a section that prohibits the use of internal non-client accounts in a manner that would prevent officials from appropriate monitoring movements of funds or keep clients from being linked to the movement of funds on their behalf. What is another name for these internal, non-client accounts?
Correct Answer: C
Concentration accounts are internal accounts used by financial institutions to aggregate funds from or for various clients or other accounts. They are also known as omnibus accounts or suspense accounts. The use of concentration accounts may obscure the audit trail and the identity of the clients involved in the transactions. Therefore, the Wolfsberg Principles on Private Banking, which are a set of voluntary guidelines for preventing money laundering and terrorist financing in the private banking sector, prohibit the use of concentration accounts in a way that would prevent appropriate monitoring or identification of the clients or their funds12. References: 1: Wolfsberg Anti-Money Laundering Principles for Private Banking (2012), Section 4.3 2: The Wolfsberg Principles - an analysis, Journal of Money Laundering Control, Vol. 7 No. 3, 2004, pp. 237-240 Reference: http://www.wolfsberg-principles.com/privat-banking.html (1.2.2, 5th bullet)
Question 54
In accordance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards, when the minimum AML requirements of the host country where a financial institution (Fl) operates are less strict than those of the Fl's home country, the Fl:
Correct Answer: B
In accordance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards [1][2], when the minimum AML requirements of the host country where a financial institution (Fl) operates are less strict than those of the Fl's home country, the Fl is required to ensure that their branches and majority-owned subsidiaries in host countries implement the requirements of the home country, to the extent that host country laws and regulations permit. This means that the Fl should not impose more strict requirements on host country branches, disregarding if host country laws and regulation permit such action, and should not close down its operations in the host countries where minimum AML requirements are less strict than those of the home country. However, the Fl should always apply additional measures on their branches and majority-owned subsidiaries in host countries to manage the money laundering and terrorist financing risk overseas.
Question 55
When should the anti-money laundering risk assessment be updated?
