Anti-money laundering – the need for intelligence

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard John Lowe
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
National Level ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the need for predictive intelligence to support anti-money laundering programs in the financial sector. Design/methodology/approach The methodology adopted herein consists of a literature review on the use of intelligence in anti-money laundering, the sources of intelligence and information used in the financial sector, supported by experience gained from investigating and prosecuting money laundering cases, and the assistance provided to financial services companies. Findings Banks and other regulated services are required to meet international standards to deny services to criminals and terrorists, identify suspicious activity and report to the authorities. Regulated businesses have large operations which check customers against sources that confirm their identity or against lists of proscribed or suspected offenders at an individual or national level. Their controls tend to look backwards when other organisations that rely on intelligence, such as the military, value predictive, forward-looking intelligence. The penalties that banks and others face for failure in their controls are increasingly severe, as looking backwards and not forwards reduces the extent to which the controls meet their purpose of reducing the impact of organized crime and terrorism. Originality/value This paper serves as a useful guide to alert and educate anti-money laundering professionals, law enforcement and policy makers of the importance of predictive intelligence in countering organized crime and terrorism. It also considers whether lessons in intelligence handling from other areas can inform a debate on how intelligence can be developed to counter money laundering.

FIFA – highlighting the links between global banking and international money laundering

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 498-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ahmad Naheem
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Financial Services Sector ◽  
Global Banking ◽  
Beneficial Ownership ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper uses the recent (August 2015) FIFA arrests to provide an example of how illicit financial flows are occurring through the formal banking and financial services sector. The purpose of this paper is to explore which elements of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance need to be addressed to strengthen the banking response and reduce the impact of IFFs within the banking sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on the indictment document currently prepared for the FIFA arrests and the District Court case of Chuck Blazer the FIFA Whistleblower. It uses the banking examples identified in the indictment as typologies of money laundering and wire fraud. Corresponding industry reports on AML compliance are included to determine where the major weaknesses and gaps are across the financial service.FindingsThe main findings from the analysis are that banks still have weak areas within AML compliance. Even recognised red flag areas such as off shore havens, large wire transfers and front companies are still being used. The largest gaps still appear to be due diligence and beneficial ownership information.Research limitations/implicationsThe research topic is very new and emerging topic; therefore, analysis papers and other academic writing on this topic are limited.Practical implicationsThe research paper has identified a number of implications for the banking sector, addressing AML deficiencies, especially the need to consider the source of funds and the need for further enhanced due diligence systems for politically exposed and influential people and the importance of beneficial ownership information.Social implicationsThis paper has implications for the international development and the global banking sector. It will also influence approaches to AML regulation, risk assessment and audit within the broader financial services sector.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper is the link between the emerging issues associated with allegations of bribery and corruption within FIFA and the illicit financial flow implications across the banking sector.

National risk assessment – the Croatian features

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Cindori
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Beneficial Ownership ◽  
Inductive Methods ◽  
The Right

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the risk of the non-financial sector in Croatia concerning the threats of money laundering through the prism of national and supranational risk assessment. In addition to a brief overview of the financial sector, the specifics of the non-financial sector have been highlighted. This paper aims to emphasize the peculiarities of the non-financial sector, focusing on the consequences of arbitrary application on the right to professional secrecy and independence. Design/methodology/approach Specifics of the national risk assessment in Croatia have been analyzed using deductive and inductive methods. To provide an overview of the non-financial sector, the risk assessment at the supranational level has been discussed and compared with the national one. Particular attention has been paid to the areas of increased risk. Findings The effectiveness of risk assessment depends on several factors such as the characteristic of the sector being observed, the specifics of each profession or business, changes at the level of awareness-raising and efficient and coherent supervision. Most deficiencies were observed in the area of beneficial ownership identification, conducting due diligence, awareness of the risk exposure and permanent education. Originality/value By recognizing the risk profile faced by the non-financial sector, this paper seeks to point out their role as “Gatekeepers” that is far from being negligible. By analyzing the risk of money laundering in Croatia, the tendencies of harmonization with international standards are pointed out along with the occurrences indicated by the practice.

A sample survey analysis of the effectiveness of training and development initiatives in Bahrain’s financial sector on employability of Bahraini nationals in 2015

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subhadra Ganguli ◽  
Reem Hameed Matar
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Financial Services Sector ◽  
Development Initiatives ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Bahrain has been the center for financial services industry in the Middle East since 1970s as a result of the national strategy of diversification of its economy from oil-based resources to financial services. Since then Bahrain has also become the center for training and development for the Bahraini nationals with the aim of recruiting Bahrainis as employees of choice by the sector. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of training and development initiatives on the employability of Bahrainis in the financial services sector in 2015. To this end, pioneering initiatives were undertaken by the government in creating institutions for training and continuous education in Bahrain. The Economic Vision 2030 of Bahrain lays emphasis on a vibrant private sector with Bahrainis being the employees of choice. Design/methodology/approach The study is a mixed approach using quantitative and qualitative methods through the use of a survey questionnaire and secondary data to analyze the impact of training and development on the employability of Bahraini nationals in the financial sector as of 2015. Findings The findings show that training and development lead to career progression which impact employability rates of Bahrainis in the financial services sector for the selected sample of financial sector employees. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by only a cross-section of data collected via questionnaire and does not consider the historical development and analysis of employability rates in Bahrain over the years. The questionnaire has some limitations and there are expected possible biases in the responses. Originality/value Given the sensitivity of the topic of research, the analysis has policy implications for the labor market of Bahrain due to the Bahrain 2030 Vision of privatization and diversification and is the first study of its kind for the financial sector of Bahrain.

Illicit financial flows: HSBC case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ahmad Naheem
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Financial Flows ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Financial Services Sector ◽  
Beneficial Ownership ◽  
Illicit Financial Flows ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper provides examples of how illicit financial flows (IFFs) are occurring through the formal banking and financial services sector. The purpose of this paper is to explore which elements of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance need to be addressed to strengthen the banking response and reduce the impact of IFFs within the banking sector. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a number of sources of secondary data including the Swiss leaks data for HSBC and also the Permanent Sub Committee Report on HBUS in the USA, the OECD report on money laundering compliance and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines on beneficial ownership. It links this information to the relevant IFF reports produced through Global Financial Integrity to highlight the connection between banking AML compliance and IFF transfers through the banking sector. Findings The main findings from the analysis are that banks have a greater legal responsibility towards detecting and reporting suspicious transactions than they would have previously considered. This includes identifying the source and purpose of fund transfers and establishing the beneficial ownership of recipients. Research limitations/implications The research topic is new; therefore, analysis papers and other academic writing on this topic are limited. Practical implications The research paper has identified a number of implications to the banking sector on addressing AML deficiencies, especially the need to improve standards of beneficial ownership verification and customer due diligence (CDD) checks for politically exposed persons. Social implications This paper has implications for the international development and the global banking sector. It will also influence approaches to AML regulation, risk assessment and audit within the broader financial services sector. Originality/value The originality of this paper is the link between the HSBC cases and IFFs and the implications this will have for future AML compliance processes across the banking sector.

The impact of reporting suspicious transactions regime on banks: Malaysian experience

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aspalella A. Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Implementation ◽  
Terrorism Financing ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeReporting suspicious transactions under anti‐money laundering (AML) laws creates a major dilemma for banks. On the one hand, failure to report suspicious transactions is an offence under the laws. On the other hand, if they report the transaction, they may breach their duty of confidentiality to their customer or could be liable for tipping off the suspected customer. More importantly, it can also undermine customers' trust. The purpose of this paper is to look into these issues and analyse them against the background of the Malaysian AML laws.Design/methodology/approachThis paper mainly relies on statutes as its primary sources of information. As such, the relevant Malaysian AML that affect the reporting obligations will be identified and analyzed. It will be necessary to examine not just the provisions of the Malaysian Anti‐Money Laundering and Anti‐Terrorism Financing Act, but also its regulations and guidelines which affect banks in detail, as this is the most important legislation for the purpose of this paper.FindingsIt is apparent that the reporting suspicious transactions regime has had a significant impact on the operations of banks in Malaysia. While the regime is based on sound principles, the effectiveness of the regime is still unknown. As such, only time will tell whether the banks will be able to cope sufficiently with the increased AML obligations. Obviously, it is critical at this stage, to establish effective coordination between legislators, regulators and the banking industry, in order to minimize problems faced by the banks and thereby to ensure effective implementation of the regime.Originality/valueThis paper provides an examination of the impact of the reporting suspicious transactions regime on Malaysian banks. It is hoped that the study would provide some insight into this particular area for academics, banks, their legal advisers, practitioners and policy makers, not only in Malaysia but also elsewhere. In view of the international nature of money laundering and banking, there will be significant interest in how the AML laws affect banks operating in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Investigating the Differences in Opinions on the Impact of a Health-run on Remittances and Financial Inclusion

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Maurice Ayuketang Nso ◽  
◽  
Sunday Agbor Mbu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Response Recovery ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact

The study aims to investigate the differences in the opinions of financial sector employees and users of financial services on the impact of a health run on financial remittances and inclusion. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered on a sample of 60 respondents made up of financial services employees and users of financial services irrespective of their age and years of business experience. The study used a stratified sampling technique to get the respondents into two distinguee classes, followed by a purposive sampling to eliminate those without knowledge on the subject matter under examination and finally a random sampling was applied to ensure accuracy and fairness in the opinions of the final respondents. The study objective was attained by empirically testing the hypotheses using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results show that, there is differences between respondent’s opinions from the financial sector employees and users of financial services on the impact of a health crisis on the level of remittances and financial inclusion. The findings suggest that not all parties, sectors or economic groups and units are equally impacted during a health crisis. Thus policy makers can focus their attention in designing a direct response recovery strategy to reduce the effect of a health crisis on the most affected economic units and entities.

Analysis of Bahrain’s anti-money laundering (AML) and combatting of terrorist financing (CTF) practices

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Ahmad Naheem
Keyword(s):  
Money Laundering ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Terrorist Financing ◽  
East Region ◽  
Compliance Level ◽  
Terrorism Financing ◽  
Enforcement Mechanisms

Purpose This paper aims to examine the level of anti-money laundering (AML) and combatting terrorist financing (CTF) practices incorporated within the legal framework of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The paper also studies the application of AML/CTF legislation in regulatory practice and implementation. Bahrain is an important state within the Middle-East region and is an integral part to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The paper analyzes Bahrain’s compliance to international AML/CTF standards and presents recommendations on remaining deficiencies. Design/methodology/approach The paper studies the level of AML/CTF legislation enacted by the Kingdom of Bahrain by first examining the regulatory application, and then, the level of implementation. To understand the level of AML/CTF implementation, the paper uses literature on increased prosecution, penalties and reports for AML/CTF crimes in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In addition, the paper analyzes Bahrain’s compliance level to international standards of AML/CTF legislation and regulation. Findings The paper finds evidence of significant progress in the application of best practices of AML/CTF within the Kingdom of Bahrain. The paper also finds an increase in levels of implementation – i.e. suspicious transaction reports, investigations and prosecutions – with respect to AML/CTF violations. Additionally, the paper finds a limited number of deficiencies in Bahrain’s effort to establish strong reporting and enforcement mechanisms. Practical implications Bahrain is an important member of the international trade network and one of the fastest growing non-oil economies in the region. The country sought to diversify the economy, with more industry- and service-intensive sectors. The level of AML/CTF implementation represents an important risk-averse approach to financial services in the country. Evidence of the country’s strengthening approach is an important factor in determining foreign investment confidence and the country’s policy on combatting terrorism financing. Originality/value Commentators have previously recognized key deficiencies in Bahrain’s enactment and application of AML/CTF legislation. However, the analysis does not incorporate externalities arising from regulatory delay in domestic AML/CTF policy. The following paper studies the progress made by Bahrain since 2000-2001 and subsequent attempts at improving enforcement to maintain international compliance.

The Impact of ‘Branchless Banking’ on Building Society Branch Networks

2001 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1371-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Willis ◽  
J Neill Marshall ◽  
Ranald Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Financial Services ◽  
Financial Sector ◽  
Telephone Call ◽  
Current Phase ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Building Society ◽  
Call Centres ◽  
Complex Picture ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
The Impact

The authors examine the impact of the remote delivery of financial services on the branch network of British building societies. The current phase of branch-network rationalisation in the financial sector in Europe and North America is argued in the academic literature to be the inevitable consequence of the growth of electronic and telemediated forms of delivery of financial services. In the British building society sector, despite some evidence of branch closure as the use of the Internet and telephone call centres in the delivery of financial services has grown, the picture that emerges is of a dynamic branch network that is responding to changing customer demands and new technological possibilities. Face-to-face advice and discussions between customers and trained ‘experts’ remain an important part of the mortgage transaction. In the savings market, where products have become more commodified, telephone call centres and, more recently, the Internet have become more prominent, but institutions still rely heavily on the branch network to deliver services. The authors suggest that, although there have been changes in the relative importance of different distribution channels as sources of business in the financial sector, it is wrong to view these changes in terms of a simple branch-versus-direct dichotomy. A more complex picture is presented, with most institutions adopting a multichannel approach to the delivery of financial services, and electronic forms of delivery of financial services being developed as an additional delivery channel alongside the branch.

Social capital and national innovation system: a cross-country analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepehr Ghazinoory ◽  
Ali Bitaab ◽  
Ardeshir Lohrasbi
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
National Level ◽  
Innovation System ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose – In the last two decades, researchers have paid much attention to the role of cultural values on economic and social development. In particular, the crucial role of different aspects of culture on the development of innovation has been stressed in the literature. Consequently, it is vital to understand how social capital, as a core cultural value, affects the innovation process and the innovative performance at the national level. However, to date, the impact of different dimensions of social capital and innovation has not been properly portrayed or explained. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of four different dimensions of social capital (institutional and interpersonal, associational life and norms) on two of the main functions of national innovation system (NIS) (entrepreneurship and knowledge creation) based on over 50,000 observations in 34 countries. Design/methodology/approach – In this regard, national-level data from the World Values Survey database was employed to quantify social capital. Entrepreneurship is, in turn, assumed to consist of three sub-indexes and 14 indicators based on the Global Entrepreneurship Index. Knowledge creation is also measured through US Patent Office applications. Also, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling approach were used to build the measurement model and investigate the impact that each factor of social capital had on entrepreneurship and knowledge application, respectively. Measurement and structural models were built and their reliability and validity were tested using various fit indices. Research findings suggest the strong positive effect of institutional trust and networking on entrepreneurship. Also, interpersonal trust and networks were shown to have high influence on knowledge development at the national level. Norms appear to have naïve to medium negative effects on both functions. Findings – Research findings suggest the strong positive effect of institutional trust and networking on entrepreneurship. Also, interpersonal trust and networks were shown to have high influence on knowledge development at the national level. Norms appear to have naïve to medium negative effects on both functions. Originality/value – However, to date, the impact of different dimensions of social capital and innovation has not been properly portrayed or explained.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of libraries – the role of ISO 16439

2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Creaser
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Standard ◽  
The World ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Library Impact ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Library impact and how to evaluate it has been debated for a number of years. While the activity – the busy-ness – of the library is now routinely measured and described, the difference the library makes is less tangible and harder to measure. Libraries in all sectors and worldwide are grappling with this issue, and the purpose of this paper is to summarise international standards available to support them. Design/methodology/approach The first international standard concerning library impact, ISO 16439 Information and documentation – methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries, was published in 2014 after several years in development. Findings The standard describes a range of methods for assessing library impact which have been used across the world in a variety of libraries in all sectors. Originality/value This paper summarises the key methods described in the standard, and gives references for further reading.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document