Advisory Information
FIN-2010-A009
Issued Date
Subject
Guidance to Financial Institutions Based on the Financial Action Task Force Publication on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Risks posed by Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Azerbaijan; Bolivia; Ecuador; Ethiopia; Greece; Indonesia, Kenya;

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)1 is issuing this advisory to inform banks and other financial institutions operating in the United States of the risks associated with jurisdictions identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on June 25, 2010, as having deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) regimes. 2

The FATF publication comes in response to the G-20 leaders' call for the FATF to reinvigorate its process for assessing countries' compliance with international AML/CFT standards and to publicly identify high risk jurisdictions.3 Also, in June 2010, the G-20 leaders called for FATF to issue regular updates on jurisdictions with strategic deficiencies.4 The text highlights jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies for which each jurisdiction has provided a high-level political commitment to address the specific AML/CFT deficiencies. FATF explains its specific concerns regarding each of the jurisdictions and notes it will continue to monitor the implementation of each jurisdiction's action plan for addressing the deficiencies. On an ongoing basis, FATF will continue to update information on these and other jurisdictions that pose a risk to the international financial system.

Please note that the countries on this advisory have changed since our last pass through advisory. In particular, Angola, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan have been added to this document after providing a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF to address strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. Also note that FinCEN is issuing today a complementary advisory, FIN-2010-A0105, which addresses a separate but related FATF document regarding a different group of jurisdictions.

FinCEN Guidance

U.S. financial institutions should consider the risks associated with the AML/CFT deficiencies of jurisdictions in the FATF publication entitled, "Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: Ongoing Process: Angola; Antigua and Barbuda; Azerbaijan; Bolivia; Ecuador; Ethiopia; Greece; Indonesia; Kenya; Morocco; Burma (Myanmar); Nepal; Nigeria; Pakistan; Paraguay; Qatar; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Syria; Thailand; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; and Yemen. With respect to these jurisdictions, U.S. financial institutions are reminded of their obligations to comply with the general due diligence obligations under 31 CFR § 103.176(a).

As required under 31 CFR § 103.176(a), covered financial institutions should ensure that their due diligence programs, which address correspondent accounts maintained for foreign financial institutions, include appropriate, specific, risk-based, and, where necessary, enhanced policies, procedures, and controls that are reasonably designed to detect and report known or suspected money laundering activity conducted through or involving any correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed in the United States. Additionally, as required under 31 CFR §§ 103.15 - 103.21, if a financial institution knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that a transaction involves funds derived from illegal activity or that a customer has otherwise engaged in activities indicative of money laundering, terrorist financing, or other violation of federal law or regulation, the financial institution shall then file a Suspicious Activity Report.