49960 v4 Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism A Comprehensive Training Guide Workbook 1. Effect on Economic Development and International Standards 3 Workbook 2. Legal Requirements to Meet International Standards 71 Workbook 3a. Regulatory and Institutional Requirements for AML/CFT 151 Workbook 3b. Compliance Requirements for Financial Institutions 255 Workbook 4. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit 347 Workbook 5. Domestic (Inter-Agency) and International Cooperation 439 Workbook 6. Combating the Financing of Terrorism 503 Workbook 7. Investigating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing 605 Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism: A Comprehensive Training Guide 4 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit Workbook Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism: A Comprehensive Training Guide 4 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit Workbook © 2009 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org E-mail: feedback@worldbank.org All rights reserved 1 2 3 4 12 11 10 09 This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. 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All other queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to the Office of the Publisher, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2422; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. ISBN: 978-0-8213-7569-3 eISBN: 978-0-8213-7570-9 DOI: 10.1596/978-0-8213-7569-3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism : a comprehensive training guide. p. cm. "A World Bank and International Monetary Fund publication." Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-8213-7569-3 -- ISBN 978-0-8213-7570-9 (electronic) 1. Money laundering. 2. Terrorism--Finance. 3. Terrorism--Prevention. I. World Bank. II. International Monetary Fund. HV8079.M64C56 2009 332.1068'4--dc22 2009009952 About the Training Modules Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism: A Comprehensive Training Guide is one of the products of the Capacity Enhancement Program on Anti­Money Laundering and Combating the Funding of Terrorism (AML/CFT), which has been co-funded by the Governments of Sweden, Japan, Denmark, and Canada. The program offers countries the tools, skills, and knowledge to build and strengthen their institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks to successfully implement their national action plan on these efforts. This workbook is one of the following training course modules: MODULE 1: EFFECTS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS Module 1 introduces the fundamental concepts of money laundering and terrorist financing; their implications for development from economic, social, and governance perspectives; and existing international standards and key international players in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. MODULE 2: LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS Module 2 covers satisfying the international standards on AML/CFT and the legislative action that this usually requires. In exploring those implications and possible legislative needs, this workbook answers the following questions: · What are the international conventions and treaties that deal with AML/CFT? · What legal and institutional arrangements satisfy international standards? · What are the legal issues related to international cooperation? · Where can one find model laws? MODULE 3A: REGULATORY AND INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AML/CFT Module 3a introduces the regulatory and institutional requirements for AML/CFT and addresses the following issues: · Responsibility for effective supervision · Institutions subject to AML/CFT compliance · The principal regulatory and institutional requirements · Internal audit and compliance programs · Professional associations and their roles · Enforcement of AML/CFT requirements MODULE 3B: COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS Module 3b considers AML/CFT from the perspective of a bank or other financial institution and provides the necessary information for employees of such institutions who deal with a wide range of AML/CFT issues. It also provides additional inputs for compliance officers of financial institutions. A separate section of the workbook deals with some issues that are more pertinent to compliance officers. iii iv | Module 4 MODULE 4: BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT Module 4 examines the financial intelligence unit (FIU) and its role in the national AML/CFT regime and addresses the following issues: · Basic concepts of the FIU, suspicious transaction reports, and how they fit into AML/CFT regimes · Building FIU functionality · Coordination and cooperation at the policy and operational levels · Skills, integrity, and security of FIU personnel MODULE 5: DOMESTIC (INTERAGENCY) AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Module 5 introduces the importance of interagency and international cooperation in the fight against money- laundering activities. MODULE 6: COMBATING THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM Module 6 focuses on combating the financing of terrorism (CFT), a new area for many countries compared to the anti-money laundering (AML) effort. The workbook starts with a brief review of the CFT issues raised in the previous workbooks, addresses some general questions related to CFT, and then discusses the FATF Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing in combination with the international obligation of states. MODULE 7: INVESTIGATING MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCING Module 7 introduces the practice of investigating activities that involve laundering of the proceeds of crime and discusses investigations of terrorist financing activities. Acknowledgments The initial work for this training program was provided by Emiko Todoroki and Azuma Miura, the World Bank. Module 3a was further written and developed by Manuel Vasquez, International Monetary Fund. The draft was reviewed by John McDowell, the World Bank and Thomas Grahn, Financial Supervisory Authority of Sweden. Pedagogical guidance was provided by Sheila Jagannathan, and peer review was conducted by Emiko Todoroki, the World Bank. In 2007 and 2008, updates and review were provided by Klaudijo Stroligo, Cedric Mousset, Paul Allan Schott, and Emiko Todoroki, the World Bank. Key sources for this workbook include Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, "The Forty Recommendations" (2003) and "Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing" (2005); and Paul Allan Schott, Reference Guide to Anti­Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism, Second Edition, the World Bank, 2004. CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM ON ANTI­MONEY LAUNDERING AND COMBATING THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM Program Director: Latifah Merican Cheong Task Team Leader: Emiko Todoroki Instructional Design: Sheila Jagannathan Production: Miguel Nicolas De La Riva, Jr. Illustrations: James Quigley Design: Naylor Design, Washington, D.C. Composition: Precision Graphics, Champaign, Illinois Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit Module 4 will examine the financial intelligence unit (FIU) and its role in the national anti­money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime. This module addresses the following issues: 1. Basic Concepts of the FIU, suspicious transaction reports, and how they fit into AML/CFT regime 3 1.1 Where strategically does the FIU fit into AML/CFT regime? 4 1.2 Where legislatively does the FIU fit into AML/CFT regime? 6 1.3 So, what is an FIU? 7 1.4 Why a "national center"? 7 1.5 Information gathering--and more 9 1.6 What are the FIU's functions? 9 2. Building FIU functionality 11 2.1 Receipt 11 2.2 Analysis 24 2.3 Dissemination 32 2.4 Other FIU functions 33 3. Coordination and cooperation at the policy and operational levels 38 3.1 Domestic 38 3.2 International 40 3.3 Cooperation and access to financial intelligence 42 3.4 The Egmont Group 48 4. Skills, integrity, and security of FIU personnel 49 4.1 What skills do FIU personnel need? 49 4.2 Where will you find the initial personnel for your FIU? 49 4.3 What issues do "mixed" staff bring with them? 50 4.4 Integrity 50 4.5 Security 51 5. What type of FIU will you have? 53 6. Summary 55 2 | Module 4 This module covers issues in the following FATF Recommendations: Overall, the FATF Forty Recommendations on Money Laundering and Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing (FATF 40 + 9) should be considered relevant in this module. Principally, how- ever, we will look at Recommendation 26. But, we will also explore, in lesser detail, issues covered by the following recommendations as they affect either the FIU or the reporting of suspicious transactions: Recommendations 25, 30, 31, and 40 (Recommendations 13, 16, and 19, as well as Special Recommendations IV and IX are referenced in Knowledge Checks). At the end of the module you will be able to · discuss where the FIU fits into your country's AML/CFT strategy; · explain what an FIU is; · describe the functions of an FIU; · discuss the importance of interagency and international cooperation; · describe the Egmont Group; · understand how the FIU should be staffed; · describe which FIU model is most appropriate for your country; · assess whether your country's FIU is effective enough to meet its responsibilities; and · look at the challenges that FIUs face. 1 Basic Concepts of the FIU, suspicious transaction reports, and how they fit into an AML/CFT regime How much do you know? QUESTION 1. Every relevant governmental authority should have its own FIU in its organization to independently fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. a) True b) False QUESTION 2. Financial institutions should develop their own form of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) as part of their internal control and risk management. a) True b) False QUESTION 3. Core functions of an financial intelligence unit (FIU) are analysis, dissemination, and investigation. a) True b) False QUESTION 4. Suspicion transaction reports (STRs) are the only type of report an FIU could receive. a) True b) False QUESTION 5. An FIU should be placed in the Central Bank as a national center for financial intelligence. a) True b) False What systems and controls are necessary for an efficient AML/CFT regime? Guidance can be found in the FATF Forty Recommendations on Money Laun- dering, the FATF Nine Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing, and "Methodology for Assessing Compliance with the FATF Forty Recommenda- tions and the FATF Nine Special Recommendations," (a joint program of the FATF, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund [IMF]), as well as in the various United Nations Conventions and United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions dealing with money laundering and the financing 3 4 | Module 4 of terrorism. Another useful reference document is "Financial Intelligence Units: An Overview," from the World Bank and the IMF. Several other international and regional organizations/bodies, such us the Egmont Group and the Council of Europe, adopted conventions and other documents relevant for combating money laundering and terrorist financing. We will draw on these documents throughout this module. Reference to and familiarity with them is important in understanding how to build an effective FIU. For further information about the methodology for assessing compliance with the FATF 40 + 9, please refer to Module 1. 1.1 Where strategically does the FIU fit into an AML/CFT regime? Tracking money launderers, terrorist financiers, and their funds requires a range of knowledge and skills covering not only laws, regulations, investigations, and analysis, but also banking, finance, accounting, and related economic activities. The required knowledge and skills may not be found in a single agency in coun- tries developing AML/CFT regimes. It is likely, however, that some or all of the skills can be found in various official bodies. Knowledge check QUESTION 6. Give examples of official bodies in your country that have some or all of the skills mentioned above. Financial investigations, which are critical in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, require access to financial information. Access to such information usually comes in one of three ways: · In response to law enforcement/judicial investigations, in which specific material, such as financial information, is sought from individuals or legal entities. (These issues are covered by module 7.) · Through systems and controls applied to a country's financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs). Those systems require suspicious transaction reports (STRs) and other reports as designated by law to be generated and passed on to an official body (usually the FIU) for analysis and further action. In some countries, these reporting requirements go beyond specific transactions and involve suspicious activity reports (SARs). The terms are used interchangeably in these modules. For ease of reference, this module refers to such bodies as "reporting entities." Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 5 · From foreign authorities, such as FIUs and law enforcement agencies (LEAs), which, based on their own STRs or criminal investigations, may share their findings with domestic FIUs and LEAs. In some jurisdictions, this is the main source of information and their financial investigations are usu- ally triggered by foreign requests for cooperation or mutual legal assistance. Knowledge check QUESTION 7. Give some examples of types of reporting entities: a) Financial Institutions (FIs) b) Designated Non-financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) To be effective, a national AML/CFT regime must be described in a strategic plan that is the product of interdepartmental cooperation. It cannot be the work of a single ministry or agency. QUESTION 8. Which ministries/agencies would typically be involved in such a group? So far, we have mentioned the need for knowledge and skill in law, regulation, finance, and so on. We have mentioned LEAs, FIs, and DNFBPs. But we have not looked at the FIU. Why? Because it is important to realize the FIU does not stand alone; it must be seen as an integral part of an overall AML/CFT regime. 6 | Module 4 1.2 Where legislatively does the FIU fit into an AML/CFT regime? The FIU is often the link between a nation's criminal law enforcement authori- ties and its administrative regulatory bodies. The FIU may or may not have specific criminal or administrative functions assigned to it. Close integration of the criminal and administrative components tends to make AML/CFT regimes more efficient. While not explicit in the FATF 40 + 9 Recommendations (or in the Egmont definition of an FIU), it is widely interpreted that the FIU should stand on a firm legislative basis, provided either by stand-alone legislation or by other legislation such as the anti­money laundering and/or countering financing of terrorism law. The following sections outlines matters that should be taken into consideration by the legislative drafter. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 7 1.3 So, what is an FIU? We find part of the answer in FATF Recommendation 26, which says: "Countries should establish an FIU that serves as a national centre for the receiving (and, as permitted, requesting), analysis, and dissemination of STR and other informa- tion regarding potential money laundering or terrorist financing. The FIU should have access, directly or indirectly, on a timely basis to the financial, administrative and law enforcement information that it requires to properly undertake its functions, including the analysis of STR." The UN Convention against Organized Crime (the Palermo Convention) in article 7, the United Nations Convention against Corruption in article 14, and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units in its "Statement of Purpose" provide a similar definition. The Egmont Group will be discussed later in this module. For more information on FATF Recommendation 26, see Appendix B. 1.4 Why a "national center"? The answer to this is really a matter of prudent management of the national AML/ CFT regime. Since the late 1980s, AML has grown from the simple reporting of drug-related funds to a system now covering a wider range of criminality--includ- ing the financing of terrorism. The range of financial institutions and DNFBPs that are required to maintain AML/CFT systems and controls also has grown. 8 | Module 4 Knowledge check QUESTION 9. List some crimes that should be included as the predicate offenses for money laundering. Further details on predicate offenses are given in Appendix C, as well as in Module 2. We have seen that the FIU shares functions and processes--criminal and admin- istrative--with other bodies. But it also has certain functions that are unique to it alone. Let us now look at some other simple examples of why the FIU should be a national center. · Consider an individual who uses a bank that is close to his residence but happens to be in another administrative district. Imagine that the bank's head office is located in a third district. In the absence of a national center, in which district would a report be made? · Not all financial institutions and DNFBPs have their offices (or head offices) in the same towns/districts. Should each office report to a different branch of the FIU? If reports involve the same individuals but go to different cen- ters, how will they be tied together? · Should the different business areas of financial institutions and DNFBPs report to different centers? For example, if a financial institution undertakes several types of financial operations, should the banking division report to one office and the stockbroker another? · Criminals are generally not involved in single forms of criminality. A drug trafficker may also be involved in fraud. In such a case, should the report be made to a police drug squad or the police fraud squad? And if the fraud is funding terrorism, who gets the report? · The role of the FIUs in international cooperation shall also be taken into account--for example, to whom shall a foreign FIU send its request for the exchange of information if there are several branches of the FIU? The previous examples are meant to be illustrative of practical problems that might occur in the absence of a central, national FIU. As we work through the module, you will encounter other examples of the importance of the FIU's national scope. For the sake of the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regime, it is important that legally mandated reporting should be as simple and efficient as possible. Financial institutions and DNFBPs are required to identify STRs; they Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 9 should not have to worry about where to send the STR. The best solution is to designate a single national center to receive reports: the FIU. 1.5 Information gathering--and more To meet international requirements (and as a matter of efficient management of the AML/CFT process), the FIU must be a national center for collection of STRs and related information. But acting as a national collection point for STRs is not its only function! Knowledge check QUESTION 10. Drawing on the definition contained in FATF Recommendation 26 (see section 1.3), write the three core functions of an FIU in the sche- matic below. QUESTION 11. Without referring back in the module, list four of the bodies with which the FIU is most likely to interact. 1.6 What are the FIU's functions? To answer this question, we must look beyond FATF Recommendation 26. Because the FIU must interact across many parts of the AML/CFT regime, we must consult other Recommendations to determine the full scope of its responsibilities. "Methodology for Assessing Compliance with the FATF 40 Recommendations and the FATF 9 Special Recommendations (FATF)" is divided into 206 "essential 10 | Module 4 criteria" and 34 "additional elements" derived from the FATF 40 + 9 Recommen- dations. Those essential criteria and additional elements contain 37 explicit refer- ences to the FIU and STRs. And some criteria and elements that do not contain an explicit reference may nevertheless bear on the FIU or the STR process. The important thing to remember is that Recommendation 26 is not the only source of guidance concerning the FIU's functions or its scope of operations. Knowledge check QUESTION 12. Who should use "Methodology for Assessing Compliance with the FATF 40 Recommendations and the FATF 9 Special Recommendations (FATF)" in reviewing the effectiveness of an AML/CFT regime? Earlier we looked at the FIU as being, first, a national center for STRs and other information. We noted three functions associated with the STR process that are recognized as core functions of the FIU: receipt, analysis, and dissemination. We also mentioned that these three functions were not the totality of a FIU involve- ment in a country's AML/CFT regime. What else is the FIU expected to do? · Provide feedback on reported cases to financial institutions and DNFBPs. · Produce sanitized cases from STRs and other material. · Issue guidelines regarding the reporting requirements (FIU or another appropriate body). · Publish periodic reports. · Publish statistics. · Contribute to and publish typologies and trends in money laundering and terrorist financing. · Coordinate and cooperate, at the policy and operational levels, among: · policy makers; · law enforcement; · supervisors; and · other competent authorities. · Engage in international cooperation. · Provide training. While not explicitly mentioned in FATF or Egmont docu- mentation, it often falls to the FIU to train personnel from financial institu- tions, DNFBPs, and LEAs, (as well as its own staff). 2 Building FIU functionality In the previous sections, we have briefly observed how the FIU and STR process fit into the AML/CFT regime. For the rest of this module, you will assume the role of a project leader appointed by the National AML/CFT Committee to make recommendations concerning the establishment of the FIU and its day-to-day operations. Your twin goals are to serve your country and to meet internationally recognized standards. The National AML/CFT Committee is counting on you for recommendations on how to structure your country's new FIU. Start by looking at the FIU and how it will act as the national center for receipt of STRs and other reports, and for analysis and dissemination of information derived from those reports. Knowledge check QUESTION 13. Do you think each function--receipt, analysis, dissemination--can be "built" in isolation from the others? Select either yes or no, but give a brief explanation for your answer in the following space. a) Yes b) No 2.1 Receipt 2.1.1 FROM WHOM, OF WHAT, AND IN WHAT FORM? To deal with this, you first need to break the heading down into component parts. Let us do that by asking you a couple of questions. 11 12 | Module 4 Knowledge check QUESTION 14. Which individuals and bodies (reporting entities) should be required to file STRs? QUESTION 15. Are STRs the only type of report an FIU could receive? After providing your answer, give a brief explanation for your answer in the follow- ing space. a) Yes b) No Let us now discuss the issues. THE STR--WHAT'S IN A NAME? Taking into consideration the range of entities from which you will be receiving reports and the diverse nature of their business products, you need to consider whether STR is the best term to define the reporting process. Must a transaction occur before a report can be made? Aren't you looking for suspicious activity, whether or not a transaction occurs? You will find that the term "suspicious activity report" (SAR), now in common use, reflects the wider nature of report- ing. Terminology can be important, as there is a tendency in some institutions to make literal interpretations. THE CONTENT OF THE STR FORM Because the STR form will be a mainstay of your reporting process, give careful consideration to the design and content of the form. The data captured here will set parameters for the design of the FIU database. Remember, you cannot ana- lyze what you do not capture. If your analysis is weak, this will have an adverse effect on your judgments about dissemination and the quality of what you do disseminate. The design and content of the STR form should be discussed with other stakeholders. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 13 Exercise Let us start by creating the format for an STR/SAR. Please use the follow- ing "Generic Reporting Form." List fields that you consider as important to be included in the form. Details of Disclosing Organization (Reporting Entity) This category in the first sheet should provide information related to the report- ing entity. Write the types of information you think you need in the appropri- ate category provided on the following form. If more information should be requested, add column. Person Subject of Disclosure This category in the first sheet should provide information related to a person who is the subject of the disclosure. Write the types of information you think you need for identifying the person in the category on the form. If more infor- mation should be requested, add column. Company Subject of Disclosure If a legal person1 or a legal arrangement2 is the subject of the disclosure, report- ing entities may use this category, instead of "Person Subject of Disclosure" in the first sheet. Write the information you think you need for identifying the legal person in the category on the form. If more information should be requested, add column. Financial Summary Overview This category in the second sheet is customized specifically for reporting enti- ties' use and should provide information related to the reporting entity and the type of the report. Write the types of information you think you need in this category on the form. If more information should be requested, add column. Financial Summary Details This category in the second sheet should provide information related to finan- cial transactions. Write the types of information you think you need for analyz- ing transactions in this category on the form. If more information should be requested, add column. 1 "Legal persons" refers to bodies corporate, foundations, anstalt, partnerships, associations, or any similar bodies that can establish a permanent customer relationship with a financial institution or otherwise own property. Source: Glossary for the FATF 40 Recommendations. 2 "Legal arrangements" refers to express trusts or other similar legal arrangements. Source: Glossary for the FATF 40 Recommendations. 14 | Module 4 Associated Person This category in the third sheet is a repetition of the section "Person Subject of Disclosure." There are cases in which the information of a person associated with a person or company subject of disclosure would be useful for analyzing the case; in these, this form is used. Associated Company This category in the third sheet is also a repetition of the section "Company subject of Disclosure." There are cases in which the information of a company associated with a person or company that is the subject of the disclosure would be useful for analyzing the case. In such circumstances, this form would be used. Reason for Suspicion This category in the fourth sheet is for providing the reason why you raise suspicion. When you are in charge of analyzing the above reports, you may want to understand the significance of why this behavior was suspicious in the view point of the reporter. There is no specific or particular way of filling up this sheet.3 3 In some countries special lists of indicators for suspicious transactions have been adopted and reporting entities may just refer to the relevant indicator whether by number or describing it. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 15 Generic Reporting Form Reporting Form: Page 1 FIU GENERIC REPORTING FORM Details of Disclosing Organization: Name of Organization*: Branch or Outlet: Business area of Branch Outlet: Your Disclosure Ref: Date disclosure sent to FIU: Has the subject been disclosed on before; if so give previous FIU Ref: *If this is the first report you have made, complete a separate form to register your appointed compliance/money laundering officer. Person subject of disclosure: Family name: Title: Given Names(s): Gender: Date of Birth: ID Document details: Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Employer: Occupation: OR Company subject of disclosure: Company Name: Company No: Tax Number: Type of Business: Country of Reg: 1. Registered Office Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 2. Trading Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Other Information not in fields above: 16 | Module 4 Generic Reporting Form Reporting Form: Page 2 Financial Summary Overview: Institution Name: Outlet/Branch: Date Opened: Date if Closed: Customer's Turnover: Turnover time period: Customer A/C or Ref No: Balance held: Date of Balance: Financial Summary Details: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: If bank, bank code: USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS IF THERE ARE FURTHER DETAILS TO BE SHOWN. And complete the following: Financial Summary SHEET No: of . (Example: Sheet 2 of 2. This would include the first sheet plus one extra.) Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 17 Generic Reporting Form Reporting Form: Page 3 ASSOCIATED Person (with subject of disclosure): Family name: Title: Given Names(s): Gender: Date of Birth: ID Document details: Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Employer: Occupation: OR ASSOCIATED Company (with subject of disclosure): Company Name: Company No: Tax Number: Type of Business: Country of Reg: 1. Registered Office Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 2. Trading Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Other Information not in fields above: USE ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS SHEET IF THERE ARE OTHER ASSOCIATED PEOPLE OR COMPANIES Complete the following if additional associated person or company sheets are used: ASSOCIATE SHEET No: of . (Example: Sheet 2 of 2. This would include this sheet plus one extra.) 18 | Module 4 Generic Reporting Form Reporting Form: Page 4 Reason for suspicion Use additional sheets if there are further details to be shown. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 19 Analysis Some of the important fields have been identified in the following templates. Let us discuss some of the issues related to the important fields in a reporting form. 1 Generic Reporting Form FIU GENERIC REPORTING FORM Details of Disclosing Organization: Name of Organization*: Branch or Outlet: Business area of Branch Outlet: Your Disclosure Ref: Date disclosure sent to FIU: Has the subject been disclosed on before, if so give previous FIU Ref: *If this is the first report you have made complete a separate form to registering 2 your appointed compliance / money laundering officer. Person subject of disclosure: Family name: Title: Given Names(s): Gender: Date of Birth: ID Document details: Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Employer: 3 Occupation: OR Company subject of disclosure: Company Name: Company No: Tax Number: Type of Business: Country of Reg: 1. Registered Office Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 2. Trading Address No. & Street: City or Town: 4 Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Other Information not in fields above: Some of the issues that need to be considered on this sheet are: 1) Details of disclosing organization: · Information on the individual making the report may not be necessary and may infuse confidence in the financial sector because they will know that there will be no personal risk in making these reports. However, if the insti- tution is making the reporting for the first time, it may need to register itself with the FIU. · Business area (such as retail banking, private banking, and so on) may be important to identify trend analysis and typologies, indicating the areas that have significant risks in money laundering and financing of terrorism (ML/FT). 20 | Module 4 · Date of disclosure to the FIU may be compared with the transaction date, the date the report reached the FIU to determine the efficiency of compli- ance at the financial institution, and other reasons of delay/disparity. · Date of disclosure may be used by the FIU to monitor its own progress with the report. · It does not matter if the underlying information was false as long as the financial institution did its customer due diligence (CDD). The fact that the information is false may indicate initiation of action. 2) Person subject of disclosure: · Simple information such as name, title (which will indicate gender that may not be understood for foreign names), and date of birth can make the data unambiguous and be very helpful in the analysis of the reports. · Name of employer can be significant because certain employment fields may have higher risk of ML/FT than others. 3) Company subject of disclosure: · Once again, some business types may have a higher risk of ML/FT than others. 4) Other information: · A field that encourages reporting entities to provide additional informa- tion that may not be captured in other fields. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 21 5 Generic Reporting Form Financial Summary Overview: Institution Name: Outlet / Branch: Date Opened: Date if Closed : Customers Turnover: Turnover time period: Customer A/C or Ref No: Balance held: Date of Balance: Financial Summary Details: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: 6 Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: * Date: Credit or Debit: Value: Currency: 7 Cash: Yes or No: If no: type of financial instrument: Counterparty Name: Counterparty Institution: Date of Balance: USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS IF THERE ARE FURTHER DETAILS TO BE SHOWN. And complete the following: Financial Summary SHEET No: of . (Example: Sheet 2 of 2. This would include the first sheet plus one extra.) 5) Financial summary overview: · This is the snapshot of the account (account opening date, account clos- ing date, if relevant) or any other business relationship that may indicate the priority of the investigation. · The snapshot of the account turnover may indicate the importance of the report, too. 6) Financial summary details: · As indicated above, the date of transaction in relation to the date of report and in relation to the date of receipt within the FIU can provide important inputs to the FIU. · Counterparty information can help FIUs to make comparative analysis with similar counterparties. · Once again, reporting entities should be encouraged to provide more reports. 22 | Module 4 7) Additional sheet: · As indicated, information should not be omitted. If there is more infor- mation to be filled, use other sheets with appropriate numbering. Generic Reporting Form ASSOCIATED Person (with subject of disclosure): Family name: Title: 8 Given Names(s): Date of Birth: Gender: ID Document details: Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Employer: Occupation: OR ASSOCIATED Company (with subject of disclosure): Company Name: Company No: Tax Number: Type of Business: Country of Reg: 1. Registered Office Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 2. Trading Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 9 Other Information not in fields above: USE ADDITIONAL COPIES OF THIS SHEETS IF THERE ARE OTHER ASSOCIATED PEOPLE OR COMPANIES Complete the following if additional associated person or company sheets are used: ASSOCIATE SHEET No: of . (Example: Sheet 2 of 2. This would include this sheet plus one extra.) 8) Information on associated persons: · It is important to know the associated parties, such as the names of all the directors/signatories, and so on, to enable the FIUs to learn if the associated parties have been linked in other reports. 9) Reason for suspicion: · The narrative section will allow reporting institutions to explain why they thought it suspicious behavior. It also helps the FIU understand the details of the transaction that were given in the previous sheets. You have seen this form as the last "Generic Reporting Form" in the exercise. CONCLUSIONS STR is an important form that gives information on what has been asked. The design of this form has to do with your analysis and the design of your database. It is important to hold dialogue with relevant stakeholders on the contents of Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 23 the STR form because information you are trying to capture is relevant to you and to the other stakeholders. Here are some citations to examples of forms used in other countries: · Lebanon: http://www.sic.gov.lb/downloads/STRe.doc · South Africa: http://www.fic.gov.za/str_capture.asp · United Kingdom: http://www.ncis.gov.uk/disclosure.asp CONTENT OF OTHER TYPES OF REPORTS You may choose to collect other reports, in addition to the STR. Consider how those reports will be collected and analyzed. You may wish to consider adapt- ing the STR to achieve this. See Appendix D for a discussion on this issue. The form can be adapted, by changing field titles, to enable reporting across different financial institutions and DNFBPs. The more standardized the underlying data, the quicker and easier input, manipulation, and analysis of the data will be. A cosmetic change of field name does not affect the underlying data process. For example, "Credit" for a bank becomes "Drop" in a casino and "Deposit" in a prop- erty purchase. RECEIPT IN WHAT FORM? Having decided what type of reports your FIU will receive and the data to be collected in that report, you must now consider how you will receive the report. Knowledge check QUESTION 16. List different ways for receiving STRs and other information at the FIU. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each method of receipt. GUIDANCE FATF Recommendation 25 calls on the FIU or another competent authority to provide financial institutions and other reporting parties with guidance regard- ing the manner of reporting, including the specification of reporting forms, and the procedures to be followed when making a report. For more information on Recommendation 25, see Appendix E. 24 | Module 4 2.2 Analysis Analysis is one part of a process called the "intelligence cycle," which also encap- sulates the overall STR process. The stages in the intelligence cycle are: Direction: The AML/CFT reporting regime provides direction by specifying reporting requirements (STRs, currency reports, and so on). Collection: Methods of collection may vary for different types of institutions and different types of reports. Evaluation: Different types of information have different priorities. Accurate assignment of priority helps us make the most of information. Analysis: Analysis is done to produce results for dissemination. The product of analysis may be an internal report or a report to law enforcement authority or any other competent authority. Dissemination: When the customer (an LEA, for example) is satisfied, the intel- ligence cycle ends. Or it may begin anew--to collect missing data. The intelligence cycle is often employed without being recognized as a formal process. For successful treatment of STRs and other reports, however, the pro- cess must be formalized through the adoption of standard operating procedures. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 25 It is helpful to remember what we mean by analysis. A widely acknowledged definition is "the assembly of information from diverse sources to show pattern and meaning." A key part of the success of the FIU's analytical function, there- fore, must be identifying, accessing, and using diverse sources. Analysis takes two forms: tactical and strategic. 2.2.1 TACTICAL ANALYSIS Tactical analysis is generally associated with the collection of data--in this case STRs and other reports--and comparing those data with other data already held by the FIU and other information and intelligence available to the FIU from public or private sector sources or from their foreign counterparts. This form of analysis tends to be case specific (that is, pertaining to a particular subject or group) and seeks to prove or rule out its association with certain criminal behavior--money laundering, terrorist financing, or a predicate crime. The ana- lyst forms hypotheses and inferences based on the evaluation and analysis of the data to assist the FIU and/or LEA in identifying activity patterns, new targets, relationships among the suspect and accomplices, investigative leads, criminal profiles, and so on. 2.2.2 STRATEGIC ANALYSIS Strategic analysis is the process of developing knowledge ("strategic intel- ligence") to be used in shaping the work of the FlU in the future. The main characteristic of strategic intelligence is that it is not related to individual cases, but rather to new issues and trends. The scope of any strategic analysis may be narrow or wide, as required; it may consist of the identification of evolving criminal patterns in a particular group or the provision of broad insights into emerging patterns of criminality at the national level to support the develop- ment of a strategic plan for the FlU. Strategic intelligence is developed after all available information has been col- lected and analyzed. It requires a wider range of data and experience than tacti- cal analysis does. The data come from reports provided by the reporting entities, the FlU's own operational intelligence and tactical information, public sources, law enforcement, and other government agencies. The analyst may conclude from the data that, for example, an unusual pattern or volume of transactions is emerging in a certain reporting sector or region. Such findings may form the basis for further actions by the FIU, the law enforcement agencies, or regulatory/ supervisory bodies. At a broader level, strategic intelligence may suggest the need to impose reporting and other obligations on new entities. Depending on the circumstances, strategic intelligence may be shared with other law enforce- ment agencies, the government agencies charged with the development or coor- dination of AML/CFT policy, as well as with the regulatory/supervisory bodies. In the sections that follow, we will encounter various forms of tactical and stra- tegic analysis. 26 | Module 4 2.2.3 ANALYZING STRS AND OTHER INFORMATION Knowledge check QUESTION 17. Taking for granted that new reports will be compared against existing reports held in the FIU, list other public sector or government agencies whose data and information would be useful for analysis purposes. Where data from public/government sources are available in a format usable by the FIU, comparative analysis with STR information should be undertaken to enhance STRs. However, comparative analysis is not the only form of analysis. Other forms of information and intelligence should be sought to help structure the analytical process. Computers, while they speed processes considerably, should not be sole tool of analysis. Invest, too, in building staff members' capac- ity for analysis. Using experience gained in previous cases, FIU staff can perform initial or subse- quent screenings of reports against known domestic and/or international typolo- gies. (We will examine staffing and skills later.) Equally important are briefings from law enforcement and the security/intelligence services on their experience and current priorities. These additional processes can assist in identifying reports for dissemination at an early stage. Even if STR subjects are not already known to law enforcement, their patterns of behavior may resemble methods of opera- tion known to be used by criminal or terrorist groups. At the conclusion of the initial research process, all available data should be reassessed and a decision made whether the report, in its enhanced form, needs further research or is suitable for dissemination. Reassessment may involve further research within the FIU or the acquisition of further information from reporting entities or from other domestic and foreign agencies. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 27 See below a discussion on the "FIU Analytical Process." The first figure is the simple STR process that we already discussed. The second diagram explains the analytical screening/database analysis process built on the first simple model. 28 | Module 4 Analytical screening This is the first stage of analysis, which can be quite important before the data- base actually takes command of the data. One may consider manual interven- tion at this stage. But to undertake this successfully, the FIU needs to be conver- sant with what the priority projects are for the FIU and its customer--and the customer in this case is the law enforcement agencies. The customer may also be the police or the FIU itself; it may be the tax authority (customs or revenue); or it may be the security department in terrorism. For example, assume that an LEA is looking at a certain ethnic group, transmit- ting money in a certain way. Now, it may not be known whether there is a certain name involved and/or it may be known whether there is a specific geographi- cal location or an address. The database itself will not be able to do comparative analysis and extract useful information unless it is a very complex database. So one of the ways of dealing with this is to ensure your staff is properly informed as to what are of higher priority to enable him or her to do the analytical screening. Database analysis The FIU may do a comparative analysis of not only what is within the database of STRs but also compare it against external sources of information. Once again, the outcome of this needs to be prioritized--determine what and whose that priority is. The issue of prioritizing becomes more important as the system develops and grows, the FIU gets more and more reports, and the database results are higher. It is important for the FIU to populate its database with information that is more valuable. 2.2.4 FIU SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS The same analytical processes can be used by the FIU to support law enforce- ment operations. Where LEAs are investigating predicate crimes or money laundering itself (if the LEA is the competent body to investigate money laundering), the addition of STR information can be of tremendous assistance, whether or not an STR was the starting point for their investigation. Requests for assistance from an LEA must show that the agency has a bona fide and law- ful reason for requesting FIU support and must contain sufficient information to enable the FIU to search its database. (Access to STR information and confiden- tiality will be discussed later in the module.) The FIU will then follow the same analytical processes as if the request had originated as an STR. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 29 2.2.5 STATISTICAL INFORMATION AND ITS ANALYSIS Gathering and presenting statistics are important tasks of any FIU. Statistical information, properly analyzed, can be a valuable tool to the FIU, investigators, and policy makers alike. Let us discuss some of the issues related to statistical information and analysis by analyzing some charts and diagrams. Issues to consider · What caused the movement in the number of STRs? · Is the change because reporting entities have a better understanding of the reporting mechanisms, or is it because reporting entities want to report more in order to avoid regulatory scrutiny (a quality vs. quantity issue)? It is important to understand the reasons for the change to determine the actions that may be required. 30 | Module 4 What do these figures/changes mean? No. No. Inst No. No. Inst No. No. Inst Total No. Reports reporting Reports reporting Reports reporting Institutions in Sector 2001 in sector 2002 in sector 2003 in sector Sector 2001 ­3 Banks 3,401 17 2,997 12 3,790 13 50 Bureaux 98 3 527 12 699 7 17 Mutual Societies 425 19 442 20 430 19 23 Money Tran 98 1 201 4 372 5 8 Insurance 406 7 379 7 222 7 10 High value 12 4 99 7 119 9 102 Casinos 1 1 71 1 85 1 4 Lawyers 2 1 68 21 77 26 274 Mortgage Providers 58 5 142 10 64 6 14 Asset Mgmt 21 1 44 1 50 1 6 Accountant 7 2 78 5 40 4 359 Financial Advisors 17 1 21 2 29 2 421 Cheque Cashers 0 0 4 1 10 1 4 Regulator(s) 37 3 24 3 9 3 3 Motor Dealers 0 0 5 5 7 7 1,378 Credit Union 2 1 3 1 4 1 326 Equities Markets 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 Auction Houses 0 0 0 0 1 1 29 Other STR 122 x 145 x 117 x x STR Number by year 4,708 5,251 6,125 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 31 The above two graphs show the shift in terms of discrete business sectors. The issues to consider here are: · Why is the reporting in the banking sector going up although that in the insurance sector is static or in decline? · Is regulation of the sectors responsible for the reporting pattern? · Once again, the quality of reports will matter more than the actual number. This diagram shows the geographical spread of reporting. The issues to consider are: · This kind of analysis may allow the FIU to determine the spread between commercial centers and agriculture centers (all units will have comparable financial size). · Why is there a disparity between the centers? Is it because of lack of training or the location of compliance offices or corruption within the institutions? Once again, it is important for the FIU to understand these factors to determine the trends and patterns of suspicious activities. Understand how important the reporting format for making these analyses is. Unless data fields require the reporting entities to provide the information on business sectors, geographical location, and so on, such analyses cannot be done. The types of statistics that FIUs must gather and retain are examined in section 2.4.1. 32 | Module 4 2.2.6 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK Analysis of raw STRs should not be the end of the analytical process, particu- larly if one is looking for national or international trends and typologies. The FIU should provide feedback to LEAs, regulators, and security/intelligence services that contribute to FIU analyses to build a national perspective on money laundering and terrorist financing and on the strengths and weaknesses of the current AML/CFT regime. The result of the FIU's domestic trend analysis should be fed to your FATF (or FSRB) representative and to the international community for inclusion in their typologies. (Feedback will be examined later in this module.) FATF and FSRB typologies will not be covered in this module, but you can learn more from the FATF and Asia/Pacific Group on Money Launder- ing Web sites.4 2.3 Dissemination The third core function of an FlU is the dissemination of the information it has received and the sharing of the results of its analysis. The ability of an FlU to quickly share reliable financial intelligence and related information with domes- tic and foreign authorities is critical to the success of its mission. Because funds move quickly in and out of financial institutions and across national boundaries, an FIU must be able to provide, as rapidly as possible, its information to com- petent authorities for purposes of criminal law enforcement. An FIU's ability to share valid information quickly affects not only the effectiveness of a country's internal AML/CFT regime, but also its ability to cooperate internationally. Knowledge check QUESTION 18. Who are the consumers or users of the information your FIU dis- seminates? Please list. 4 FATF: http://www.fatf-gafi.org/dataoecd/29/33/34037958.pdf; APG: http://www.apgml.org/content/typologies_reports.jsp. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 33 QUESTION 19. Having identified the probable consumers of your disseminated products, you should now consider what each of those consumers may require. Does every consumer require the same type of product? Write a sentence or two justifying your choice. QUESTION 20. List one or two specific requirements of each of the consumers of the FIU information. 2.4 Other FIU functions Earlier we briefly looked at other functions an FIU might undertake. We will examine these in a little more depth. 2.4.1 STATISTICS One of the other functions of an FIU is the compilation and production of sta- tistical information. Statistical data can help you evaluate the overall efficiency of your AML/CFT regime. Knowledge check QUESTION 21. Having looked at various issues surrounding the FIU, what statisti- cal information do you believe would help the FIU and others to measure the effectiveness of the AML/CFT regime? 34 | Module 4 2.4.2 FEEDBACK A common problem in national AML/CFT regimes is poor feedback to interested parties. The FATF covers the need to provide feedback in Recommendation 25. Among the competent authorities obliged by the FATF to provide feedback, the FIU is the one with the most contact with reporting entities, where feedback is generally in high demand. The issues surrounding feedback resemble those surrounding receipt of information: feedback of what, from whom, and in what format? For more information on Recommendation 25, see Appendix E. Knowledge check QUESTION 22. An FIU should be able to provide several types of feedback. List some different forms. Compare them with the list in the answer. As you learned in section 2.1, the STR form and other reporting instruments are an important source of feedback data. But they are not the only source. How will you capture the feedback information described in the previous answer? It is very important that you consider these issues at this stage, as any recommendations you make regarding feedback and how to collect and dissemi- nate it will affect the design and use of the FIU database. Knowledge check QUESTION 23. Write down your ideas on how to capture the above information from other competent authorities. After doing this, compare your answer with the comment provided. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 35 QUESTION 24. Should feedback received by the FIU from other competent authorities be the same feedback you provide to reporting institutions? Write a sentence or two justifying your choice below before reviewing the answer. 2.4.3 TRAINING While training is not a core function of FIUs, it has, in one form or another, generally fallen to nearly every established FIU in the world. From your work in this module you will have gained an appreciation of the unique position the FIU has in the country's AML/CFT regime. AML and CFT are dynamic subjects, as is the development of a country's AML/CFT regime. One of the best tools avail- able to manage those dynamics is training. For discussion In what areas do you think the FIU may be well placed to provide training? Exclude, for the moment, training of its own staff. Note your response in the following space before reviewing the comments. 36 | Module 4 Areas in which the FIU may provide training As a repository of specialized, multidisciplinary expertise, the FIU may be well qualified to advise and train reporting entity and government agency personnel in many aspects of AML/CFT--including those listed below. Roles in the AML/CFT framework The FIU sits somewhere in the middle of the overall AML/CFT regime. Explaining its role and interaction with other agencies/departments, financial institutions, and DNFBPs can be of mutual benefit. The FIU will generally have experience in certain areas of analysis, financial systems, and specialist AML/CFT laws and regulations. Sharing this knowledge can improve other players' ability to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. The greater the understanding, the better the cooperation you are likely to obtain from other players. Reporting procedures The quality of data can be improved by training financial institutions and DNFBPs to complete STRs and other reporting instruments. Reporting entities can benefit from guidance on preparation of forms and on problems encountered by the FIU due to improperly completed forms. Be sure to include good examples as well as bad. Analysis and feedback The presentation of analysis, statistics, trends, and typologies benefits all parties in the AML/CFT regime, as does feedback. Remember that different audiences need different levels of detail. Tailor your presentation to your audience. Depending on the skill set and availability of FIU staff, the FIU may consider training other competent authorities in analytical techniques. Understanding financial information The FIU often develops institutional experience in the interpretation of a range of financial products. Sharing that experience with LEAs and prosecutors can improve their use of the information produced by the FIU. 2.4.4 REGULATION OF AML/CFT SYSTEMS AND CONTROLS Regulation of AML/CFT systems and controls is not a core function of an FIU, but it must be handled by a competent authority. The FATF expects the FIU (or another competent authority) to provide guidance on reporting requirements and to oversee and ensure compliance with required systems and controls in financial institutions and DNFBPs. Ask yourself whether your FIU is the institution best placed to assume this function in your country. Does your staff have the necessary skills? Do they have the time? What implications will it have on the core functions of the unit? Would this work duplicate or overlap that of other agencies or departments? You might also ask how skills of regulatory staff could be best used within the FIU. Such skills may be most effective if used to advise regulatory and supervisory bodies and act as liaison between the FIU and those bodies. Consult Modules 3a and 3b for a detailed treatment of regulatory and supervisory requirements. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 37 2.4.5 INVESTIGATIVE/JUDICIAL INQUIRIES Judicial investigations are not a core function of the FIU, as defined by the FATF or the Egmont Group. However, some FIUs do have this function. As with regulatory systems and controls, you must consider whether your FIU is the institution best placed to assume these additional functions, in addition to its core functions (receipt, analysis, and dissemination). What specialized skills are necessary to undertake investigative/judicial inquiries? What additional staff- ing and resources would the FIU need? Would the FIU carry out surveillance and other investigative actions? Would FIU personnel prosecute at trials? Again, should these skills and staff be part of the FIU as a core function? That is, should the FIU employ active investigators and prosecutors? Or would they be more effective if used to advise external investigative and judicial bodies in AML/CFT matters? 2.4.6 POSTPONING OF SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS In many countries the FIUs also have a power to postpone or suspend a transac- tion when there is a suspicion that a transaction is related to money laundering or terrorist financing. The objective of this unique measure is to give the FIU sufficient time to analyze the transaction, and if, after analysis, the conclusion is reached that the transaction is indeed related to ML/FT, the FIU shall transmit the file to the proper law enforcement or judicial authority that has the power to freeze the transaction for a longer period. The maximum duration of such measure is determined by national law, and, in most cases, it is 72 hours. However, in some countries, for example, Luxemburg, South Africa, Ukraine, and Thailand, the maximum postponing period can be extended to five or more days. The authority to postpone a suspicious transaction only makes sense when the disclosures of suspicious transactions are made before execution can occur. It is important that the entity reporting a suspicious transaction to the FIU indicates the time it needs to carry out the transaction. As regards the international standards, the postponement of suspicious trans- actions is only regulated as a special measure by the 2005 Council of Europe Convention on laundering, search, seizure, and confiscation of the proceeds from crime, and on the financing of terrorism (the Warsaw Convention). Article 14 of the convention requires countries to adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to postpone domestic suspicious transactions; Article 47 deals with the international cooperation among FIUs for postpone- ment of suspicious transactions. Although 28 countries have already signed and 4 countries have ratified the convention, this treaty is not yet in force because of the missing minimum number of 6 required ratifications. 3 Coordination and cooperation at the policy and operational levels This section will focus on coordination and cooperation between the FIU and other competent authorities. Module 5 will discuss interagency and interna- tional cooperation. 3.1 Domestic Money may change hands and move around the world at the speed of an elec- tronic wire transfer. For that reason, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors that investigate money laundering and financing of terrorism must be able to count on a virtually immediate exchange of information. The FIU, therefore, needs to be able to coordinate and cooperate with other domestic authorities. 38 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 39 FATF Recommendation 31 seeks to ensure that domestic cooperation and coordination occur at both policy and operational levels across all relevant agencies and departments involved in AML/CFT. For more information on FATF Recommendation 31, see Appendix F. At a policy level, the FIU either should be represented at, or be in a position to fully brief, the high-level national AML/CFT policy committee. It also should be in a position to inform relevant government departments about AML/CFT, and to assist in the formulation of government policies that overlap or interact with AML/CFT requirements. A similar policy dialogue should occur with law enforcement and regulatory agencies active in relevant areas. Mutual expecta- tions among the departments should be spelled out and formal protocols for cooperation, where necessary, adopted. The FIU is well placed to assist in matters of domestic coordination among com- petent authorities. It may even take the lead in the fight against money launder- ing and terrorist financing in the country. It is important to note that the type of role being considered here is that of coordination and not of one such as policy development, which should remain with the appropriate competent body. In our discussion of the analysis function, we noted the need for information and intelligence from other domestic agencies. We also considered the dissemi- nation of different information to different bodies at different times, noting that dissemination covers a wide range of information, from a single STR to support for major law enforcement operations, right through to policy issues. We also discussed the need for the FIU to receive feedback from various bodies. 40 | Module 4 Domestic cooperation can be best achieved where mutual sharing of information between agencies and departments is legally authorized, where such cooperation is explicitly endorsed by the intergovernmental group overseeing AML/CFT, and where the nature and extent of cooperation is reported to and reviewed by that group. For the AML/CFT regime to achieve its maximum potential, these domes- tic relationships need to be clearly understood by all players. Where necessary, formal arrangements for cooperation should be established. 3.2 International International cooperation is equally important to the FIU. Without interna- tional cooperation, an FIU is not able to fully exploit an STR that contains international counterparts, or to access information related to foreign nationals, addresses, and accounts mentioned in an STR or to which an STR might point. In addition to such operational imperatives, understanding and contributing to international trends and typologies depends on good international cooperation. Information should be shared with competent foreign authorities through the most efficient means available and, where possible, be done directly and by means of secure communications. As with domestic cooperation, appropriate legal gateways must allow for the sharing of FIU information and analysis with relevant international counter- Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 41 parts. While a free flow of information is to be encouraged, there must be an understanding of what is being exchanged, for what purpose, and how it will be protected from unauthorized use, as well as how it will be used by the recipient. The key to such an understanding is knowledge of the difference among infor- mation, intelligence, and evidence. FIUs are normally involved only in the sharing of information and intelligence ("information" might be an original STR report, while "intelligence" is the result of the analysis done on the report by the FIU). The sharing and subsequent use of information and intelligence are subject to less exacting conditions than are documents and other material that could be produced as evidence. FATF Recommendation 40 deals with international cooperation. See Appendix G for further details on Recommendation 40. A diagram to illustrate the concept is given below. 42 | Module 4 3.3 Cooperation and access to financial intelligence 3.3.1 DOMESTIC Coordination and cooperation, as we have just discussed, are essential to the prevention and detection of money laundering and terrorist financing. Yet there are limits to the sharing of information. Remember that an STR is a report of suspicious behavior and not, in itself, an allegation of criminal behavior. It should be treated accordingly. Proper safeguards should be built into the system to ensure that recipients of the information have the need to know (not just a desire to know) and are bound by appropriate standards of confidentiality. For discussion Read the examples of appropriate limits on access to financial intelligence. Comment on the examples provided. Limits on access to financial intelligence A public servant receives his monthly salary into his bank account each month and occasionally other very small payments; this has been the consistent pattern of his account and is considered normal by his bank. The public servant suddenly receives a substantial amount of funds into his account from a foreign jurisdiction--this amount is completely out of character, significantly large, and from a jurisdiction seemingly unconnected to the customer. When examined by the bank, the transaction is not consistent with the customer's occupation and not similar to any previous dealings/ transactions the bank has ever seen. The bank rightly makes a report to the FIU. Without looking in detail at the analysis process at the moment, who should be able to access this report and why? What if the genuine explanation was the following: Unbeknown to the bank, a close member of the customer's family, who has lived abroad for many years, had just died. The money earned by the close relative during her life was legitimate and all the taxes had been properly paid. After death, all the estate's affairs were fully in order (includ- ing tax) and the customer was to inherit a considerable portion of the funds. Does this alter your decision as to who should be able to have access to this report now? What if the genuine explanation was this: Law enforcement (together with the pub- lic prosecutor, depending on the jurisdiction) was conducting a corruption investigation into payments being made by a large construction firm for that firm to secure contracts (above other construction firms) from the government to undertake projects. Knowing this, who should have access to this information now? What if the analysis was inconclusive and a law enforcement officer called the FIU and said that he was conducting a corruption inquiry but in truth he was corrupt him- self? His intention was to gain information on behalf of the opposition political party to use to embarrass, where possible, current public officials, for which he would receive Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 43 payment. Should this officer have access to the information? How do you best protect against this? These examples are at different ends of the spectrum regarding access to informa- tion but illustrate the importance of setting up safeguards, as best you can, to ensure that the correct and adequate information is released to the right person at the right time. The adage must be do they "need to know" NOT just "want to know." You also need to consider if the regulators and others need to have access to undertake their roles effectively. Is it a copy of the STR itself or is it the statistical data from the STR? What if the STR highlights a potentially serious regulator issue in an institution; how would you use this information? How will you respond to inquires from various government departments? Do they need it to do their jobs? What if the parlia- ment seeks information? What should it be entitled to? It is important to find a balance. Overly restrictive access to financial intelligence, STRs, and other information makes the FIU solely a repository of information, which is not its purpose. However, complete open access is not the alternative as people who have not been involved in crime (including terrorism) have legitimate rights to privacy. Does the inquirer need to know so he/she may undertake his/her lawful function effectively? 3.3.2 INTERNATIONAL We have discussed domestic sharing and why some restrictions may have to be put in place to control the release of information. We also discussed the need for international sharing of information, focusing on cooperation between FIUs. Knowledge check QUESTION 25. When attempting to access information internationally, why use the FIU as the contact point? 44 | Module 4 One way to achieve international cooperation and to understand the circum- stances and requirements of other FIUs (under their domestic law) is to come to an agreement or understanding, ideally in writing. Many FIUs establish memoranda of understanding (MOU) with their international counterpart FIUs to outline the terms and conditions of information exchange, as well as controls and restrictions on exchanged information. The Egmont Group has provided guidelines5 for the exchange of information between FIUs. Many FIUs use these guidelines as the basis for creating their own MOU but incorporate requirements particular to their domestic legislation or priorities. Ultimately, the understandings between any FIUs depend upon the laws and requirements of their respective counterparts. 3.3.3 IS A FORMAL AGREEMENT OR UNDERSTANDING NECESSARY BETWEEN FIUS? The answer depends mainly on the law in each country. Legal conditions on inter- national exchanges of information vary widely throughout the world. Some FIUs are required by domestic legislation to establish MOU; whereas others are able to exchange information simultaneously or upon request. In some cases, FIUs lack the authority to establish understandings with their international counterparts. In establishing your FIU's policy on international information exchange, con- sider the following issues: · Imagine that you want to transmit an urgent STR inquiry to another country, but your legislation requires a prior agreement with that country. Will the transmission have to wait until an agreement is signed? Conversely, what if the counterpart FIU has an urgent request from you, but prior agreement is required? What happens to the case in the meantime? · What legal requirements are placed on your FIU? Many nations impose requirements on information security, use of exchanged information for intelligence only, reciprocity, establishment of agreements between nations, or prior authorization for exchanges by the head of the FIU, a minister, or another authority. Establishing international understandings needs to be in line with your domestic obligations. · Ideally, your domestic legislation will permit the exchange of intelligence quickly and efficiently. The more restrictive your law on sharing, the less effective your overall AML/CFT regime will be. · Confidentiality and sharing requirements should be drafted in a way that does not inhibit international cooperation among FIUs. The ideal case is where a FIU can undertake research for another FIU/counterpart body on a case-by-case basis without the need to revert to a formal agreement. 5 "Principles for Information Exchange Between Financial Intelligence Units for Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Cases," the Egmont Group, 2001; http://207.32.116.96/worldBank/AML/ module4/M4_pdf/M4_PrincForInfoExchange.pdf. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 45 · If your FIU is not required to establish an MOU, consider how you will communicate with FIUs that do require an MOU. Does your FIU have the authority to enter into an MOU? · Where exchanges are frequent between two FIUs that operate different systems, an agreement or understanding may well be a useful tool to moni- tor compliance and the effectiveness of the relationship. But, the agree- ment should be broad enough so as not to inhibit international cooperation between FIUs; and it should not be so restrictive that constant amendments are necessary as AML/CFT systems develop and change. · If your FIU has an investigative or prosecutorial function, you may find that other FIUs are limited in their ability to share with you. · Special conditions imposed by domestic law on the exchange of information should be acknowledged in any agreement or understanding. They should be drafted as broadly as possible, so as not to inhibit international coopera- tion among FIUs. Where an agreement is found to be necessary, consider the Egmont Group's guidelines for the exchange of information between FIUs. Some of the above issues have been discussed with the following illustrations on international cooperation and access. You will recognize the above schematic from an earlier section. It is an illustra- tion of the simple process dealing with receipt, analysis, and dissemination of information. Although we use those headings for simplicity, they have other implications, depending on how the FIU is designed to work and when and how the FIU interacts with law enforcement and the prosecutor. Information and intelligence is what the FIU's business is all about. 46 | Module 4 The FIU has undertaken the analysis work; it has produced some of the report that is generally characterized as "intelligence," to which law enforcement will react. Some FIUs have the authority to undertake the investigative part of the process. Other countries leave the investigative aspects to the LEAs. Based on this information, law enforcement obtains information and other material through mechanisms that are available to them in a form that can be used in and for judicial purposes. Intelligence generally is pointing out the direction law enforcement should take but not undertaking that function for them. But there is a clear division between intelligence and evidence gathering. The lines are dotted because they can move in different directions depending on the functionality given to the FIU and law enforcement. Simplistically, the division would sit here. You have decided what the FIU will do, what the law enforce- ment will do, and what function the prosecutor will take. It will often be prescribed to local law or to an administrative process. However, an FIU needs to cooperate and work with its counterparts to have maximum benefit in the international arena. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 47 Look at the next chart in relation to this, and you find the line has become very skewed. Where do you draw the line? In your jurisdiction, where is the line? You know well about your jurisdiction because you defined it in the law. This may not be the case when you deal with your counterparts. It may be that your counterpart FIU is a law enforcement FIU and it undertakes the evidence part of the work. It may be that their prosecutors are in the office and are directly involved in judicial process. It may be that they undertake a traditional FIU function, which is only the analysis and intelligence process. Issues that need to be considered: · How will information be handled and by whom? · Are you comfortable with it? · Is it conversant with the laws of your country? · Is it conversant with the general principles of human rights and freedom of information? · How do these reconcile? They can be reconciled. The important issue is to know what your counter- party does. You should not come into a situation where you cannot share with your counterparty. It is contrary to the good use of any STR process and to the international recommendations, but understanding how they are going to work with it can help you decide what and where and when to make this information available, or through what processes it should be made available. 48 | Module 4 3.4 The Egmont Group Background to the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units In June 1995, government agencies and international organizations gathered at the Egmont-Arenberg Palace in Brussels to discuss ways to confront the global problem of money laundering. Out of this first meeting was born the Egmont Group, an international body whose members share common goals. The Egmont Group provides a forum for FIUs to improve mutual cooperation to detect and combat money laundering and, more recently, terrorist financing. This includes expanding and systematizing the exchange of financial intelligence information, improving expertise and capabilities of the FIUs' personnel, and fostering better communication among FIUs through application of technology. Currently, the organizational structure of the Egmont Group is the follow- ing: the Secretariat with the headquarters in Toronto; the Egmont Committee, which serves as the consultation and coordination mechanism for the heads of FIUs; and five working groups--legal, training, information technology, outreach, and operational. The Egmont Group's primary focus is the FIU's role in fighting money launder- ing and terrorist financing, As a result of the new Egmont Group definition of an FIU (see below), many countries have amended or are in a process of amending their domestic legislation to include combating of terrorist financing among the core functions of their FIUs. The Egmont Group established the definition of an FIU in 1996, but amended the definition in 2004 to reflect the FIU's role in combating terrorist financing. The definition of an FIU is now the following: A central, national agency responsible for receiving (and, as permitted, requesting), ana- lyzing, and disseminating to the competent authorities disclosures of financial informa- tion: (i) concerning suspected proceeds of crime and potential financing of terrorism, or (ii) required by national legislation or regulation, in order to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. You may read the Egmont Statement of Purpose at http://www.egmontgroup.org/ statement_of_purpose.pdf. Information on joining the Egmont Group can be found at http://www.egmontgroup.org. 4 Skills, integrity, and security of FIU personnel 4.1 What skills do FIU personnel need? FATF Recommendation 30 addresses the importance of adequate financial, human, and technical resources provided to competent authority. Some of those skills and resources should have become apparent in this module. For further information on Recommendation 30, see Appendix H. Knowledge check QUESTION 26. What knowledge or skills do you see as necessary for FIU person- nel? (Exclude management skills for the time being.) After you provide your comments in the following space, review the answer provided. 4.2 Where will you find the initial personnel for your FIU? You have various options available: · Recruit permanent staff or secondments (temporary transfers) from other public sector agencies and departments. · Recruit directly from universities or parts of the private sector. · Recruit from reporting entities or other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). · Seek secondments from international organizations, FSRBs, and established FIUs in your region. The international consensus is that the FIU staff should reflect a mixture of skills necessary to undertake the three core functions of receipt, analysis, and dissemination. If your FIU will assume the functions of regulation, supervision, investigation, or prosecution, you will need skills that could be found in other agencies (regulators, supervisors, investigators, and prosecutors). Will your FIU be able to recruit those skills while maintaining the core functions? Does this affect your decision making about what functions to place within the FIU? 49 50 | Module 4 4.3 What issues do "mixed" staff bring with them? If the staff will be drawn from various agencies, will all become permanent employees of the FIU or will some staff be seconded by their employers? Some of the issues that need to be considered are: · Who will be in charge? Which agency will lead? (See section 5) · How will you integrate different rank and pay structures? · How do pay and ranking fit into the new FIU structure? · How do you prevent conflicts of interest with the parent organization? · Who is responsible for disciplining seconded staff for their work within the FIU? · What happens to the pensions of transferred staff? · What happens when a seconded staff returns to the parent organization? · How will seconded staff keep up with career prospects within their parent organization? · How will you build expertise among personnel? · How will training and knowledge transfer occur and be maintained, particu- larly where officers are seconded and return to their parent organization? Knowledge check QUESTION 27. Can you suggest ways to minimize the risks posed by the issues raised above? Write down your responses and then review the suggestions in the answer. 4.4 Integrity Whatever your personnel arrangements, the integrity of the FIU and its per- sonnel are paramount if the FIU is to work with, and be trusted by, reporting institutions and other government agencies. Consider adopting: · a confidentiality requirement governing the staff's work in the FIU. The provision should complement the information-sharing process discussed in section 3; · a disciplinary code that covers all personnel (including secondees) while they are with the FIU. The code should also oblige personnel who have left the FIU's employment to maintain the confidentiality of information to which they had access while at the FIU; Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 51 · integrity checks on all personnel, regardless of background. This should be done at the time of recruitment and regularly thereafter; · compulsory declarations of assets of staff members. Consideration should also be given to material changes in circumstances of those staff and their immediate family. This list is designed to focus your attention on the important issue of integrity. It is not exhaustive. Matters of integrity should be formally addressed in legislation and/or through a formal administrative process. Whichever route is taken, integrity issues must be clearly understood by prospective employees before commencing employment. That understanding should be refreshed during their employment, whether directly or through secondment, with the FIU. 4.5 Security So far we have discussed how powerful financial intelligence and STR informa- tion can be in fighting money laundering and terrorist financing. Unfortunately, it can be as equally powerful in the wrong hands or where it is subject to misuse by the FIU or other staff associated with the FIU process. For these reasons, as with integrity, there can be no compromise on physical security--that is, in access to buildings and to the records of the FIU, paper or electronic. Equally important is staff discretion in discussing STRs or associated files or processes of the FIU. Information security must be balanced with the efficiency of FIU systems and processes. Computer (or manual) systems should be subject to restricted access, but not so restrictive as to inhibit overall efficiency. The systems should be sub- ject to both periodic and random review by properly agreed, understood, and enforced management processes. Physical access should be restricted to staff. Other considerations include: · Should visitors be prohibited from certain parts of or all buildings? · Should visitors be escorted? · Should certain areas be off limits to (unescorted) visitors? · What information should visitors be allowed to see, copy, or remove? Employment agreements must give effect to the need for confidentiality, discre- tion, integrity, and physical security. Staff should understand that they (and their visitors) may be subject to random searches by security staff. 52 | Module 4 The FIU should be protected by a disaster-recovery plan supported by the necessary infrastructure. The plan should address the following issues, among others: · What happens when the electricity fails? What backup services (lights, secu- rity equipment, IT facilities) are necessary as a matter of safety and for mini- mum operations to continue? How quickly must the backup be operational? · How (and how often) will the FIU's data be backed up? Daily, weekly, monthly? Where will the backups be stored? How quickly can it be recov- ered if needed? Should the main server be mirrored as part of your backup plan? Where will the redundant server be located? · What if the building and infrastructure incur serious damage (flooding, fire, earthquake, terrorist activity) that renders them unusable for some time? Does the FIU have a backup location? How quickly must that location be operational? 5 What type of FIU will you have? People charged with setting up an FIU often assume that the FIU must con- form to another country's model or that a particular department or agency should "own" the FIU without taking into account the duties and functions of the new unit. Before deciding how the new FIU will fit into the current AML/CFT regime, study the full picture: core functions (and means of accomplishing them), addi- tional functions, required skills, staff strength, sources of recruits, and so on. The FATF, or any other international organization/body, does not dictate a particular type of FIU. But FATF Recommendations 26 and 30 do make some key points: · The FIU may be an independent governmental authority or depend upon one or more existing authorities. Whatever the choice it must have suffi- cient operational independence and autonomy to ensure that it is free from undue influence or interference. · The FIU must be a unified national unit that commands its own: · structure; · funding; · staffing; and · technical resources. For discussion Taking into account what you have learned in this module, where would your FIU be best placed? 53 54 | Module 4 Most FIUs fall into one of four categories: · Administrative agency model · Law enforcement model · Judicial/prosecutorial model · Hybrid model The four models mentioned above have their advantages and disadvantages: · The administrative agency model is a centralized, independent, administra- tive authority that receives and processes information from the financial sector and DNFBPs and transmits disclosures to judicial or law enforce- ment authorities for investigation and prosecution. It functions as a buffer between the financial sector and DNFBPs on one side and law enforcement on the other side. · The law enforcement model implements anti­money laundering measures along with other laws, supporting the efforts of multiple judicial or police authorities with concurrent or sometimes competing jurisdiction over money laundering and financing of terrorism. · The judicial/prosecutorial model is established within the judicial branch of government. When the country's investigative agencies receive reports of suspicious financial activity, the judicial powers can be brought into play--seizing funds, freezing accounts, conducting interrogations, detaining suspects, conducting searches, and so on. The hybrid model serves as a disclosure intermediary and a link to both judicial and law enforcement authorities. It combines elements of at least two of the FIU models. Many FIUs combine the administrative model with some law enforcement and prosecutorial functions. When choosing a model, it is important to consider the relationship between relevant authorities and reporting entities in the country, as well as other unique economic and cultural circumstances. None of the mod- els may work in "pure" form in a given country. Whatever type of FIU you establish, the answer is not to mirror another coun- try's FIU but to establish one that best reflects the culture, economy, and other distinctive features of your country. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 55 Knowledge check QUESTION 28. Taking into account all the issues discussed in this module, briefly explain where and which type of FIU you would recommend to your National AML/CFT Committee or to your country's policy makers. Summary · You considered where an FIU fits strategically into a country's AML/CFT program. · You examined its core functionality--receipt, analysis, and dissemination-- and discussed other functions it might undertake. · You went on to explore cooperation and coordination at the domestic and international levels. · You considered how to balance the right to privacy with legitimate access to sensitive financial information. · You explored integrity and staffing skills and structures. · You then looked at how other FIUs have been formed and some advantages and disadvantages of each approach. · Finally, you considered what might be right for your country. Check your understanding QUESTION 29. Reporting by financial institutions and DNFBPs should be made as simple and efficient as possible. a) True b) False QUESTION 30. There are four basic models of FIUs: administrative agency model, law enforcement model, financial supervisory model, and judicial/ prosecutorial model. a) True b) False QUESTION 31. If domestic legislation permits the exchange of information quickly and efficiently, the MOU is not necessary for the communication between FIUs. a) True b) False 56 | Module 4 QUESTION 32. Feedback to other competent authorities is very important to improve domestic cooperation, but feedback to financial institutions and DNFBPs is not. a) True b) False QUESTION 33. When a country sets up an FIU, the country should study and analyze the function of FIUs abroad and then imitate the selected country's model. a) True b) False Appendix A: References FATF Recommendations · The Forty Recommendations (FATF, June 2003) http://www.fatf-gafi.org/dataoecd/7/40/34849567.pdf · Special Recommendations on Terrorist Financing (FATF, October 2004) http://www.fatf-gafi.org/dataoecd/8/17/34849466.pdf Useful Web sites · Conventions Against Terrorism (UNODC) http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism_conventions.html · Crime Conventions and related Resolutions/Drug Control Treaties and related Resolutions/Resolutions and Decisions (UNODC) http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug_and_crime_conventions.html · Egmont Group http://www.egmontgroup.org/ · Overview-Conventions against Terrorism (UNODC) http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/terrorism_convention_overview.html Reference Documents · Methodology for Assessing Compliance with the FATF 40 Recommenda- tions and the FATF 9 Special Recommendations (FATF, February 2004) http://www.fatf-gafi.org/dataoecd/45/15/34864111.pdf · Typologies Report 2004-2005 (FATF) http://www.fatf-gafi.org/findDocument/0,2350,en_32250379_32237235_1 _32247552_1_1_1,00.html · Reference Guide to Anti­Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism, 2nd edition (World Bank, 2004) http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/html/amlcft/referenceguide.htm · Financial Intelligence Units: An Overview (IMF/World Bank, 2004) http://www.justice.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/57C31612-EFC6-4452-A345-3- C082F68D03D/4363/FIUHandbook_English2.pdf 57 Appendix B: FATF Recommendation 26 Countries should establish a FIU that serves as a national centre for the receiv- ing (and, as permitted, requesting), analysis and dissemination of STR and other information regarding potential money laundering or terrorist financing. The FIU should have access, directly or indirectly, on a timely basis to the financial, administrative and law enforcement information that it requires to properly undertake its functions, including the analysis of STR. Interpretative Note to Recommendation 26 Where a country has created a FIU, it should consider applying for member- ship in the Egmont Group. Countries should have regard to the Egmont Group Statement of Purpose, and its Principles for Information Exchange Between Financial Intelligence Units for Money Laundering Cases. These documents set out important guidance concerning the role and functions of FIUs, and the mechanisms for exchanging information between FIUs. 58 Appendix C: Scope of the criminal offense of money laundering FATF Recommendation 1 Countries should criminalise money laundering on the basis of United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988 (the Vienna Convention) and United Nations Convention against Transna- tional Organized Crime, 2000 (the Palermo Convention). Countries should apply the crime of money laundering to all serious offences, with a view to including the widest range of predicate offences. Predicate offences may be described by reference to all offences, or to a threshold linked either to a category of serious offences, or to the penalty of imprisonment applicable to the predicate offence (threshold approach), or to a list of predicate offences, or a combination of these approaches. Where countries apply a threshold approach, predicate offences should at a minimum comprise all offences that fall within the category of serious offenses under their national law or should include offences punishable by a maximum penalty of more than one year's imprisonment or for those countries that have a minimum threshold for offenses in their legal system, predicate offences should comprise all offences, which are punished by a minimum penalty of more than six months imprisonment. Whichever approach is adopted, each country should at a minimum include a range of offenses within each of the designated categories of offences. Predicate offences for money laundering should extend to conduct that occurred in another country, which constitutes an offence in that country, and which would have constituted a predicate offence had it occurred domestically. Countries may provide that the only prerequisite is that the conduct would have constituted a predicate offence had it occurred domestically. Countries may provide that the offence of money laundering does not apply to persons who committed the predicate offence, where this is required by funda- mental principles of their domestic law. For more on the predicate offenses of money laundering and terrorist financing, see Module 2, section 2.3. 59 Appendix D: Other types of transaction reports Generic Reporting Form FIU GENERIC REPORTING FORM Details of Disclosing Organisation: TYPE OF REPORT: STR X-Border Threshold Name of Organisation*: Branch or Outlet: Business area of Branch Outlet: Your Disclosure Ref: Date disclosure sent to FIU: Has the subject been disclosed on before, if so give previous FIU Ref: *If this is the first report you have made complete a separate form to registering your appointed compliance / money laundering officer. Person subject of disclosure: Family name: Title: Given Names(s): Gender: Date of Birth: ID Document details: Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Employer: Occupation: OR Company subject of disclosure: Company Name: Company No: Tax Number: Type of Business: Country of Reg: 1. Registered Office Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: 2. Trading Address No. & Street: City or Town: Region: Post or Zip Code: Country: Other Information not in fields above: In addition to STRs, there are several types of reports that may be submitted to the FIU relating to currency transaction, cross-border, cash movement, and monitor instrument movements, and so on. An FIU has to consider how it is going to capture this data and incorporate these in its database. 60 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 61 Different countries have approached this by different means. Some use entirely different forms to do it. It's more convenient at the customs port to have a dif- ferent form to complete, for example. Other may want to consider adapting the same form, which makes data capture and data manipulation within the FIU much easier to deal with. This may need to be discussed with the stakeholders to see what will be the most convenient way to capture the data and that is convenient not only to them but for the FIU as well to produce an end product that is valuable to others. Appendix E: Recommendation 25 The competent authorities should establish guidelines and provide feedback which will assist financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions in applying national measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and in particular, in detecting and reporting suspicious transactions. Interpretative Note to Recommendation 25 When considering the feedback that should be provided, countries should have regard to the FATF Best Practice Guidelines on Providing Feedback to Report- ing Financial Institutions and Other Persons. 62 Appendix F: Recommendation 31 Countries should ensure that policy makers, the FIU, law enforcement and supervisors have effective mechanisms in place which enable them to co-oper- ate, and where appropriate, co-ordinate domestically with each other concern- ing the development and implementation of policies and activities to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. 63 Appendix G: FATF Recommendation 40 Countries should ensure that their competent authorities provide the widest possible range of international co-operation to their foreign counterparts. There should be clear and effective gateways to facilitate the prompt and constructive exchange directly between counterparts, either spontaneously or upon request, of information relating to both money laundering and the underlying predicate offences. Exchanges should be permitted without unduly restrictive conditions. In particular: a) Competent authorities should not refuse a request for assistance on the sole ground that the request is also considered to involve fiscal matters. b) Countries should not invoke laws that require financial institutions to maintain secrecy or confidentiality as a ground for refusing to provide co- operation. c) Competent authorities should be able to conduct inquiries; and where pos- sible, investigations; on behalf of foreign counterparts. Where the ability to obtain information sought by a foreign competent authority is not within the mandate of its counterpart, countries are also encouraged to permit a prompt and constructive exchange of information with non-counterparts. Co-operation with foreign authorities other than counterparts could occur directly or indirectly. When uncertain about the appropriate avenue to follow, competent authorities should first contact their foreign counterparts for assistance. Countries should establish controls and safeguards to ensure that information exchanged by competent authorities is used only in an authorised manner, consistent with their obligations concerning privacy and data protection. Interpretative Note to Recommendation 40 1. For the purposes of this Recommendation: "Counterparts" refers to authorities that exercise similar responsibilities and functions. "Competent authority" refers to all administrative and law enforcement authorities concerned with combating money laundering and terrorist financing, including the FIU and supervisors. 64 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 65 2. Depending on the type of competent authority involved and the nature and purpose of the co-operation, different channels can be appropriate for the exchange of information. Examples of mechanisms or channels that are used to exchange information include bilateral or multilateral agreements or arrangements, memoranda of understanding, exchanges on the basis of reciprocity, or through appropriate international or regional organizations. However, this Recommendation is not intended to cover co-operation in relation to mutual legal assistance or extradition. 3. The reference to indirect exchange of information with foreign authorities other than counterparts covers the situation where the requested informa- tion passes from the foreign authority through one or more domestic or foreign authorities before being received by the requesting authority. The competent authority that requests the information should always make it clear for what purpose and on whose behalf the request is made. 4. FIUs should be able to make inquiries on behalf of foreign counterparts where this could be relevant to an analysis of financial transactions. At a minimum, inquiries should include: · Searching its own databases, which would include information related to suspicious transaction reports. · Searching other databases to which it may have direct or indirect access, including law enforcement databases, public databases, administrative databases and commercially available databases. Where permitted to do so, FIUs should also contact other competent authorities and financial institutions to obtain relevant information. Appendix H: FATF Recommendation 30 Countries should provide their competent authorities involved in combating money laundering and terrorist financing with adequate financial, human and technical resources. Countries should have in place processes to ensure that the staff of those authorities are of high integrity. 66 Appendix I: FATF Recommendation 13 If a financial institution suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that funds are the proceeds of a criminal activity, or are related to terrorist financing, it should be required, directly by law or regulation, to report promptly its suspi- cions to the financial intelligence unit (FIU). Interpretative Note to Recommendation 13 The reference to criminal activity in Recommendation 13 refers to: a) all criminal acts that would constitute a predicate offence for money laun- dering in the jurisdiction; or b) at a minimum those offences that would constitute a predicate offence as required by Recommendation 1. Countries are strongly encouraged to adopt alternative (a). All suspicious trans- actions, including attempted transactions, should be reported regardless of the amount of the transaction. In implementing Recommendation 13, suspicious transactions should be reported by financial institutions regardless of whether they are also thought to involve tax matters. Countries should take into account that, in order to deter financial institutions from reporting a suspicious transaction, money launderers may seek to state inter alia that their transactions relate to tax matters. 67 Appendix J: FATF Recommendation 16 The requirements set out in Recommendations 13 to 15, and 21 apply to all designated non-financial businesses and professions, subject to the following qualifications: a) Lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals, and accountants should be required to report suspicious transactions when, on behalf of or for a client, they engage in a financial transaction in relation to the activities described in Recommendation 12 (d). Countries are strongly encouraged to extend the reporting requirement to the rest of the professional activities of accountants, including auditing. b) Dealers in precious metals and dealers in precious stones should be required to report suspicious transactions when they engage in any cash transaction with a customer equal to or above the applicable designated threshold. c) Trust and company service providers should be required to report suspicious transactions for a client when, on behalf of or for a client, they engage in a transaction in relation to the activities referred to Recommendation 12 (e). d) Lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals, and accountants acting as independent legal professionals are not required to report their suspicions if the relevant information was obtained in circumstances where they are subject to professional secrecy or legal professional privilege. Interpretative Note to Recommendation 16 1. It is for each jurisdiction to determine the matters that would fall under legal professional privilege or professional secrecy. This would normally cover information lawyers, notaries or other independent legal profession- als receive from or obtain through one of their clients: (a) in the course of ascertaining the legal position of their client, or (b) in performing their task of defending or representing that client in, or concerning judicial, admin- istrative, arbitration, or mediation proceedings. Where accountants are subject to the same obligations of secrecy or privilege, then they are also not required to report suspicious transactions. 2. Countries may allow lawyers, notaries, other independent legal profession- als and accountants to send their STR to their appropriate self-regulatory organisations, provided that there are appropriate forms of co-operation between these organisations and the FIU. 68 Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 69 Interpretative Note to Recommendations 5, 12, and 16 The designated thresholds for transactions (under Recommendations 5 and 12) are as follows: · Financial institutions (for occasional customers under Recommendation 5) --USD/EUR 15,000. · Casinos, including internet casinos (under Recommendation 12)--USD/ EUR 3000. · For dealers in precious metals and dealers in precious stones when engaged in any cash transaction (under Recommendations 12 and 16)--USD/EUR 15,000. Financial transactions above a designated threshold include situations where the transaction is carried out in a single operation or in several operations that appear to be linked. Appendix K: FATF Recommendation 19 Countries should consider the feasibility and utility of a system where banks and other financial institutions and intermediaries would report all domestic and international currency transactions above a fixed amount, to a national central agency with a computerized data base, available to competent authorities for use in money laundering or terrorist financing cases, subject to strict safeguards to ensure proper use of the information. Interpretative Note to Recommendation 19 1) To facilitate detection and monitoring of cash transactions, without imped- ing in any way the freedom of capital movements, countries could consider the feasibility of subjecting all cross-border transfers, above a given thresh- old, to verification, administrative monitoring, declaration, or record-keep- ing requirements. 2) If a country discovers an unusual international shipment of currency, mon- etary instruments, precious metals, or gems, and so forth, it should consider notifying, as appropriate, the Customs Service or other competent authori- ties of the countries from which the shipment originated and/or to which it is destined, and should cooperate with a view toward establishing the source, destination, and purpose of such shipment and toward the taking of appropriate action. 70 Answers 72 | Module 4 Module 4 Answers Answer 1 False. The FIU should be a national central body for financial intelligence. It would be ineffective and confusing to have more than one FIU in a country. Reporting institutions should file STRs to one national center of financial intel- ligence, which is an FIU. Answer 2 False. There should be uniform STR form(s) used by all the reporting institu- tions. Otherwise, the FIU cannot process the STR quickly nor analyze the information effectively. Answer 3 False. Core functions of FIUs are receipt, analysis, and dissemination of information. Answer 4 False. Under FATF guidelines, reporting requirements may well extend beyond STRs. You will need to consider other forms. Recommendation 13 deals with STRs, which are the mainstay of an AML/CFT reporting regime. But you must also consider Recommendation 19 and the interpretative notes regarding cross- border transactions and currency transactions above defined thresholds, reports of which may produce valuable information. If you are not familiar with FATF Recommendations 13, 16, and 19, or with their Interpretative Notes and the glossary, as well as with FATF Special Recommendations IV and IX, review them before continuing. Answer 5 False. An FIU may be placed in government ministries/agencies other than just the Central Bank. Each country should decide where it should be best placed. Answer 6 Some of these agencies might include police, public prosecutors, state security agencies, financial sector supervisors/regulators, tax officials, customs officials, and intelligence services. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 73 Answer 7 Definition: from the glossary of the FATF Forty Recommendations "Financial institutions" means any person or entity who conducts as a business one or more of the following activities or operations for or on behalf of a customer: 1. Acceptance of deposits and other repayable funds from the public6 2. Lending7 3. Financial leasing8 4. The transfer of money or value9 5. Issuing and managing means of payment (e.g., credit and debit cards, checks, traveler's checks, money orders and bankers' drafts, electronic money) 6. Financial guarantees and commitments 7. Trading in: a. money market instruments (checks, bills, CDs, derivatives, and so on); b. foreign exchange; c. exchange, interest rate, and index instruments; d. transferable securities; e. commodity futures trading. 8. Participation in securities issues and the provision of financial services related to such issues 9. Individual and collective portfolio management 10. Safekeeping and administration of cash or liquid securities on behalf of other persons 11. Otherwise investing, administering, or managing funds or money on behalf of other persons 12. Underwriting and placement of life insurance and other investment related insurance. This applies both to insurance undertakings and to insurance intermediaries (agents and brokers) 13. Money and currency changing "Designated non-financial businesses and professions" means: a) Casinos (which also includes Internet casinos) b) Real estate agents c) Dealers in precious metals d) Dealers in precious stones e) Lawyers, notaries, other independent legal professionals, and accountants-- this refers to sole practitioners, partners, or employed professionals within 6 This also captures private banking. 7 This includes inter alia: consumer credit; mortgage credit; factoring, with or without recourse; and finance of commercial transactions (including forfeiting). 8 This does not extend to financial leasing arrangements in relation to consumer products. 9 This applies to financial activity in both the formal or informal sector, for example, alternative remittance activity. See the Interpretative Note to Special Recommendation 6. It does not apply to any natural or legal person that provides financial institutions solely with message or other support systems for transmitting funds. See the Interpretative Note to Special Recommendation 7. 74 | Module 4 professional firms. It is not meant to refer to "internal" professionals that are employees of other types of businesses, nor to professionals working for government agencies, who may already be subject to measures that would combat money laundering. f) "Trust and Company Service Providers" refers to all persons or businesses that are not covered elsewhere under these recommendations, and which as a business, provide any of the following services to third parties: · Acting as a formation agent of legal persons · Acting as (or arranging for another person to act as) a director or sec- retary of a company, a partner of a partnership, or a similar position in relation to other legal persons · Providing a registered office, business address or accommodation, cor- respondence, or administrative address for a company, a partnership, or any other legal person or arrangement · Acting as (or arranging for another person to act as) a trustee of an express trust · Acting as (or arranging for another person to act as) a nominee share- holder for another person (Reporting requirements for financial institutions and DNFBPs are also covered in modules 3a and 3b.) Answer 8 The participants in an interdepartmental AML/CFT planning group would typi- cally be drawn from the following agencies. Others may be included as appropriate. · Ministry of: · Justice · Finance · Interior/Home Affairs · Trade and Commerce (if this ministry has a licensing, registration, or supervisory function over financial institutions and DNFBPs) · Investigative/intelligence/prosecutorial agencies: · Police · General prosecutor's office · Customs · Other agencies or task forces (as they apply): drugs, anticorruption, tax, organized crime · Security services · Intelligence agencies · Financial intelligence unit (where formed or in formation) · Central bank · Supervisors/regulators of other financial institutions · Supervisory authorities of DNFBPs · Representatives of financial institutions and DNFBPs Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 75 Answer 9 Definition: from the glossary of the FATF 40 Recommendations Each country should at a minimum include a range of offenses within each of the designated categories of offenses: · Participation in an organized criminal group and racketeering · Terrorism, including terrorist financing · Trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling · Sexual exploitation, including sexual exploitation of children · Illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances · Illicit arms trafficking · Illicit trafficking in stolen and other goods · Corruption and bribery · Fraud · Counterfeiting currency · Counterfeiting and piracy of products · Environmental crime · Murder, grievous bodily injury · Kidnapping, illegal restraint, and hostage-taking · Robbery or theft · Smuggling · Extortion · Forgery · Piracy · Insider trading and market manipulation Answer 10 Answer 11 · The interdepartmental governmental group · Legislators and the legal system · Law enforcement agencies · Prosecutors, judiciary · Financial sector regulators and supervisors · Financial sector 76 | Module 4 Answer 12 The most important user of this document is you. The methodology sets out a framework for AML/CFT that allows you internally to build and test the effec- tiveness of your own regime. It will also be used by the following bodies to assess countries' AML/CFT regimes: World Bank, IMF, the FATF, and FATF-style regional bodies. Answer 13 No. The three functions interact, so it is misleading to look at them in isolation. What is done in one area may affect the others. Consider the process as a whole. Policies and practices for receipt of information will depend on how and what you want to analyze. If you do not capture it, how can you analyze it? Having analyzed it, you need to consider what, if any, output (dissemination) there will be. Will the output of your analysis be sufficient for other agencies to take action? What are those other agencies? Do their needs differ? Does the intended output have implications for the data you should be capturing? Answer 14 Answer: Financial institutions and DNFBPs. For further details, refer to FATF Recommendations 13 and 16, together with the associated Interpretative Notes and the glossary entries for financial institutions and DNFBPs. See Appendix I for Recommendation 13 and Appendix J for Recommendation 16. Answer 15 No. Under FATF guidelines, reporting requirements may well extend beyond STRs. You will need to consider other forms. Recommendation 13 and Special Recommendation 4 deal with STRs, which are the mainstay of an AML/CFT reporting regime. But you must also consider Recommendation 19 and the Interpretative Notes regarding currency transac- tion reports which may produce valuable information for the FIU. If you are not familiar with Recommendations 13, 16, and 19, or with their Interpreta- tive Notes and the glossary, as well as with Special Recommendations 4 and 9, review them before continuing. See Appendix K for Recommendation 19. Answer 16 · Personal visit to the FIU · By telephone to the FIU · Paper report, by post · Fax · E-mail · Internet (or other Web-based technology) · Dedicated link between a particular reporting entity and the FIU (for high- volume reporters) Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 77 Some advantages and disadvantages of various methods: · Personal visits to the FIU · Who will receive the reports? · Is it logistically feasible for a person to receive the reports? (The answer will depend upon the frequency of submission.) · What issues of security and access to information are posed? · By telephone to the FIU · Convenient but open to ambiguity and conflict, unless conversations are recorded · Paper report, by post · Slow to arrive and time-consuming to process · Post may be insecure · Fax · Quicker than post · Data must be rekeyed, raising issues of accuracy · E-mail/Internet (or other Web-based technology) · Preferred mode for low- and medium-frequency reporting · Unsuitable for high-frequency of reporting because information must be transcribed at FIU end · Dedicated link between a particular reporting entity and the FIU (for high- volume reporters) · Most efficient for high-frequency reporting · Overhead for institutions is lower over time · A dedicated link does not imply that the FIU can look into the database of the reporting entity, but that data captured by the reporting entity may automatically populate the designated fields of the report(s). Conclusion: You must consider the technology available to your FIU, the tech- nology available to reporting entities, and the capacity of individuals who will file reports. Several reporting methods are likely to be necessary. Answer 17 "The FIU should have access, directly or indirectly, on a timely basis to financial, administrative, and law enforcement information that it requires to properly undertake its functions, including the analysis of STR." --FATF Recommendation 26 This following list of data sources is not meant to be inclusive or prescrip- tive. Certain records may not exist or may be in a format not readily usable in 78 | Module 4 initial analyses. Legal gateways may need to be opened before certain sources can be tapped. · Criminal records · Criminal intelligence · Security service/intelligence agencies · National identity documents · Passport · Driving documents · Vehicle registration · Land/property registration · Company and other types of businesses registration · Tax information (revenue and customs) · Supervisory/regulatory bodies · FIUs or other competent authorities in other countries In addition to public sector and government databases, consider commercial and other open sources of data for comparison and enhancement of the STR. Possible sources include the Internet, news sources and updates, and commercial credit reference agencies. Answer 18 The main consumers are likely to be: · LEAs · Regulators/Supervisors · Other FIUs · Policy makers · Legislators · The National AML/CFT Committee and government departments · The FATF or your FSRB Answer 19 No. It is most unlikely that all consumers will have the same needs. Their roles and responsibilities differ; so will their needs. Targeting the correct information, to the correct agency, at the correct time, and in the correct format is vitally important for the credibility and sustainability of any FIU. Answer 20 LEAs will be primarily looking for (i) STR analysis to conduct operations, (ii) information in support of other operations that they may be conducting, and (iii) results of your trend work, strategic analysis, and typologies. In what format will your analyses be best presented to the LEAs, and should they see the origi- nal reports? Should you present a composite of the analyses? The answers will differ by jurisdiction and according to the needs of the LEA and its place in the Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 79 judicial process. The important thing is to discuss these issues with LEAs and prosecutors. There is little point in disseminating a product that cannot be used or is not helpful. Regulators/supervisors will want to know who is reporting, who is not, and how good the reports are. Quality generally will count for more than quantity, although a quantity of zero is generally an indicator of poor compliance, as is the case where a single institution makes frequent reports that are found to be of little use. Regulators/supervisors also will benefit from trend, strategic, and typology work. Other FIUs can help you in your analysis of STRs. You can alert them to poten- tial issues in their jurisdiction. Policy makers and legislators will benefit from general statistics, as well as trend, strategic, and typology work. They will use it to measure success and to target new or weak areas. The National AML/CFT Committee needs performance indicators, as well as trend, strategic, and typology work. The FATF and FSRBs need trend, strategic, and typology work. Answer 21 Most of the data described below are drawn from information already gathered by the FIU through its STR processes. Other data must be drawn from other agencies--such as LEAs, prosecutors, and courts. a) Numbers of STRs, CTRs, and other reports: · Received--from whom · Disseminated--to whom How long did it take to process and/or analyze the reports? b) Numbers of reports received from other bodies: · Law enforcement · Regulatory/Supervisory bodies · Foreign authorities · Through mutual legal assistance/extradition (including freezing, seizure, confiscation, and investigation of predicate offenses) c) Disseminations resulting in: · Investigation (crimes, terrorism) · Prosecution · Conviction · Property frozen (number of cases and value) · Property seized (number of cases and value) 80 | Module 4 d) Property confiscated (number of cases and value) · Number of foreign requests processed · Number sent--to whom--number resulting in intelligence received · Number received--from whom--number resulting in an intelligence response · Whether requests were proactive or reactive · How long it took to process and to analyze the requests e) Number of postponed/suspended transactions by the FIU: · Based on FIU's own initiative · Based on a request from a foreign FIU Answer 22 · The most readily available feedback should be taken from information that is readily available within the FIU: (i) the number of disclosures; (ii) appro- priate breakdowns by sector and institution; (iii) an analysis of whether the information was accurate, timely, and in sufficient detail; (iv) how the infor- mation was used--for example, disseminated to other competent authori- ties (and which ones), stored for future use, not suitable for further action) · The most common form of feedback sought relates to the actual use and relevance of STRs. That information is most commonly found in feedback obtained from other competent authorities to which the FIU forwarded its files for possible further action. Did forwarded information result in an arrest, investigation, prosecution, seizure, and confiscation? Did it initiate a case that would not have started without the STR information? Did it add value to an ongoing inquiry? If none of these, did it add value to informa- tion or intelligence already held on a subject but not actionable at present? If the information could not be used, what was the reason? How many cases are closed, completed, subject to ongoing inquiry? Some of this informa- tion may well be subject to domestic legal principles; however, these should not be so restrictive that they eliminate the ability to provide some form of meaningful feedback. · Feedback from regulatory/supervisory bodies. How often were supervisory measures taken on a basis of an FIU initiative? Were there any sanctions applied against the reporting entities? · Feedback that leads to publicizing of current money laundering or terrorist financing techniques, methods, and trends (typologies), often in the form of "sanitized" cases · Feedback to institutions in the form of acknowledgments of receipt of reports Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 81 Answer 23 Careful consideration must be given to the feedback process. LEAs and other competent authorities that make use of your STR information (in whatever format) are often busy with their own statutory functions and have little time to complete additional paperwork--such as lengthy feedback reports to FIUs. A balance must therefore be struck between the FIU's need for legitimate feedback and the need of other bodies not to be bogged down by additional paperwork. One compromise is to use a simple matrix that captures the above information and provides space in which the LEA or other body can write a few sentences about the prominent features of a case that it has completed before returning the form to the FIU. Such a process should capture statistical data on STRs (through the matrix) and provide a simple narrative that the FIU can use to identify cases for use in trend analysis or as sanitized case studies. Answer 24 No. It is important to differentiate among forms of feedback. · The FIU requires for its tactical and strategic analysis a greater level of detail than that needed by reporting institutions. · As noted earlier, legal constraints may prevent the FIU from relaying to reporting entities information received from competent authorities, at least in its original form. · Providing detailed information to reporting institutions may compromise the work of other authorities. This does not mean that no information should be provided; just that it must be in a generic format and provided in such a man- ner that does not compromise ongoing or future operational work. The above notes are not meant to be exhaustive or comprehensive, but merely to help you consider how to handle different forms of feedback. Answer 25 Chiefly because the counterpart FIU will understand the nature of your business! As a result of work done by the FATF, FRSBs, and the Egmont Group (which we will discuss in this module), your international counterparts are undertaking work similar to yours, and following similar principles. Like you, they are likely to share only appropriate information and to have proper regard for privacy rights. 82 | Module 4 Answer 26 As in previous examples, the following list is not all-inclusive. · Understanding the scope of predicate offenses for money laundering and terrorist financing · Understanding typologies and techniques necessary to analyze, investigate, and prosecute those offenses · Understanding techniques for tracing the proceeds of crime used to finance terrorism · Understanding when, where, and how property can be seized, frozen, and confiscated · Understanding principles of international cooperation · Familiarity with techniques used by supervisors to ensure that financial institutions are complying with their obligations (audit and compliance assessment skills) · Analytical skills · Computer literacy · Other information technology skills · Understanding of law enforcement capabilities (for staff not from a law enforcement background) · Understanding the instruments, products, and documents in use at financial institutions and DNFBPs · Special training or certification for financial investigators in investigations of money laundering and terrorist financing and their predicate offenses Except for the last point, these skills do not take into account functions gener- ally seen as outside the scope of the FIU, such as regulation, criminal investiga- tions, or prosecution. Answer 27 The issues raised in the previous answer are readily surmountable if thought through at the design stage. The costs of failing to plan ahead include discon- tent among staff and fragmentation of staff loyalties, with some staff acting as "agents" for their parent service and not contributing to the mission of the FIU. Therefore, before a staff is hired: · Set aims and objectives for the FIU. · Establish a formal staff structure to meet those aims, rather than designing positions to suit specific individuals. · Draft job descriptions for each post, specifying how the post fulfills the FIU's functions and where it fits in the hierarchy. · Make clear that posts will be filled based on ability, not rank in a prior or parent organization. Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit | 83 Answer 28 Again, there is no right or wrong answer, as long as your rationale is sound and touches on some or all of the following points: · FIU staff and skills · Funding and independence · Interaction with other agencies and access to their data · Products to be disseminated, to whom, and for what uses (intelligence vs. evidence) · Core and additional functions · Domestic and international cooperation and access to foreign intelligence. The foregoing list is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to highlight some basic points that may affect the type of FIU you recommend. Answer 29 True. For the overall effectiveness of the whole AML/CFT regime it is impor- tant that reporting by financial institutions and DNFBPs be made as simple and efficient as possible. Answer 30 False. The four basic models of FIUs are administrative, law enforcement, judicial/prosecutorial, and hybrid model. Answer 31 True. While some FIUs are required by domestic legislation to establish MOU, other FIUs are able to exchange information simply upon request or simultaneously. Answer 32 False. FATF Recommendation 25 suggests that the competent authorities provide guidelines and feedback to financial institutions and DNFBPs. Regular publication of industry-specific information, or "guidelines" regarding trends in suspicious activities for a country or region, is particularly beneficial. The FIU should educate supervisory agencies on these patterns and trends to prevent the overreporting of low-quality information. Feedback is an important mechanism to help supervisory agencies and supervised entities understand when reported data are useful, and when they are not. Answer 33 No. Whatever type of FIU the country establishes, the answer is not to mirror another country's FIU, but to establish one that best reflects the culture, econ- omy, and other prevailing conditions within the country. Money laundering and the financing of terrorism are global problems that not only threaten a country's security, but also compromise the stability, transparency, and efficien- cy of its financial system, consequently undermining its economic prosperity. The annual global estimate for money laundering is more than $1 trillion, valued in U.S. dollars. Efforts to counter these activities are known as anti­money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) programs. The Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism training program was developed by the World Bank's Financial Market Integrity Unit, with support from the governments of Sweden, Japan, Denmark, and Canada. The program will help coun- tries build and strengthen their AML/CFT efforts by training all relevant staff in both the public and private sectors, such as staff in financial intelligence units, financial supervisory authorities, law enforcement agencies, and financial institutions. The training guide's modules are: Module 1: Effects on Economic Development and International Standards Module 2: Legal Requirements to Meet International Standards Module 3a: Regulatory and Institutional Requirements for AML/CFT Module 3b: Compliance Requirements for Financial Institutions Module 4: Building an Effective Financial Intelligence Unit Module 5: Domestic (Inter-Agency) and International Cooperation Module 6: Combating the Financing of Terrorism Module 7: Investigating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing The modules cover all the Financial Action Task Force on Anti­Money Laundering's Forty Recommendations and Nine Special Recommendations, with the original texts. Each module is targeted at a specific group of professionals in a jurisdiction's AML/CFT regime, although they may also benefit from gaining wider knowledge through the other modules included in this program. Each module provides questions at the beginning and end to assess how much has been learned. The training guide contains numerous case studies, discussions and analyses of hypothetical and actual examples of money launder- ing schemes, and best practices in investigation and enforcement, which will help readers fully understand the implementation of successful AML/CFT programs.