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AML Compliance Findings & Observations

AML Compliance Findings & Observations. Wyn Clark U.S. Treasury. Summary. Suspicious and Unusual Findings Transaction Activity Business and Account Structures Client Vetting Results High Risk Clients AML Program Reporting and Recordkeeping Risk Assessments Risk Based Program

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AML Compliance Findings & Observations

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  1. AML ComplianceFindings & Observations Wyn Clark U.S. Treasury

  2. Summary • Suspicious and Unusual Findings • Transaction Activity • Business and Account Structures • Client Vetting Results • High Risk Clients • AML Program • Reporting and Recordkeeping • Risk Assessments • Risk Based Program • KYC Process • Staffing Levels and Experience • AML Compliance Integration into Business Units • Transaction Monitoring • Training • Testing and Audit

  3. Transaction Activity • Suspicious activity?: • Structuring to avoid reporting requirements or detection • Rapid movement of funds • Transactions out of context with client’s “expected” activity • Unexplained complexity • No clear economic purpose • Domestic clients performing international transactions • Transactions involving high risk countries

  4. Business and Account Structures • Business or Entity • Lack of transparency • Beneficial ownership • Overly complex or difficult to understand • Special purpose vehicles or entities • Foreign Business Entities • International Business Corporations • Private Investment Companies • Bearer shares • Shell company or bank • Nominees • Account • Unexplained accountholders and transactors

  5. Client Vetting Results • Items that may cause concern • Unverified or inconsistent ID data points • Incomplete bank data or files • Negative news search findings • Legal issues • Court filings, arrests, warrants, convictions • Established clients vs. walk-ins • High risk clients and geographies

  6. High Risk Clients • Who are the bank’s high risk clients ? • How are they flagged? (Manual vs. system) • New account approval • Risk Ratings • Impact on monitoring • Periodic reviews

  7. Reporting and Recordkeeping • Are the basics being done correctly? • CTRs • SARs • KYC Data • Stated vs. Actual Account Purpose and Use • Law Enforcement Inquiries and Subpoenas • Transactional History • Investigations

  8. Risk Assessment • Does the bank fully understand its business, clients, products, and the associated AML risks? • Assessment process: • Identify • Quantify • Mitigate • Residual • Risk assessment drives AML Program • Documented and supported • Independently reviewed and authenticated • Frequency appropriate

  9. Risk Based Program • Bank managing to its risks, not its resources • Internal Controls • AML staff • Training • Audit and testing • Transaction monitoring • KYC and on-boarding • Bank staying current on the ever-changing trends in money laundering • Bank’s AML risks changing, is the AML program keeping up? • Clients, products and services, geographies, transactions • BUDGET!!!!

  10. Internal Controls Risk Assessment • Develop Applicable: • Policies • Procedures • Systems • Controls • Identify & Measure Risk: • Products • Services • Customers • Geographic locations • Transactions Result Risk Based Program Risk Assessment Link to the BSA/AML Compliance Program – FFIEC Manual • Risk-Based BSA Compliance Program • Internal controls • Audit • BSA Compliance Officer • Training Repeat Process

  11. KYC Process • How far does the on-boarding process go beyond verifying basic information? • Source of funds • Source of wealth • Purpose of account • RISK RATINGS? • Expected transactions and account activity • Is there connectivity between KYC (operations) and AML Compliance

  12. Staffing Levels and Experience • Key areas to consider: • Seniority • Reporting lines • Experience and knowledge • Size of staff • Ongoing training • Roles and responsibilities

  13. AML Compliance Integration into Lines of Business • Is AML Compliance keeping pace with changes at bank? • New products and services • Trade Finance, correspondent banking, mortgage financing • Expansion into new markets – domestic vs. international • New client types • Acquisitions • Volumes and complexities • AML Compliance responsibilities throughout entire bank • utilizing eyes and ears of all employees • Employee referral process • AML related communication to firm • Reminders, new laws and regs, policy and procedural changes

  14. Transaction Monitoring • Transaction monitoring appropriate for transaction types or volume levels • Alert scenarios or report parameters consistent with actual transaction activity • Transactions compared to client or business type expected activity • All activity is being captured • Wires, checks, ATMs, journal entries • Monitoring Independently verified • Thresholds, scenarios

  15. Transaction Monitoring • Review of closed alerts or exception reports by independent party • Risk based • Transaction monitoring generating meaningful SARs • Changes to monitoring adequately documented and tested • Who approved, what was changed, when changed, why was change made • Verification/testing of accuracy of information used in monitoring • Aged client data, human input errors, computer coding errors • Utilizing off-the-shelf systems and scenarios that aren’t appropriate for the bank

  16. Training • Primary Considerations: • Content is risk based • Targeted to specific employees, functions • Frequency • Content refreshed or updated periodically • Receives independent review • Senior management and Board of Directors • Consequences for failure to take training

  17. Independent Testing & Audit • Key Considerations: • Level of Independence • Scope is risk based • Staff knowledge • Use of Sampling where necessary • Ongoing oversight of AML Compliance changes at bank • Follow-up on corrective measures • Documented audit plan and procedures

  18. Questions? • .

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