FinCEN reiterates criminality of unauthorized SAR disclosures

Financial Crimes FinCEN Of Interest to Non-US Persons SARs

On September 1, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released a statement reiterating that “the unauthorized disclosure of [suspicious activity reports] (SARs) is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States, compromise law enforcement investigations, and threaten the safety and security of the institutions and individuals who file such reports.” FinCEN stated it is aware that a series of articles will be published by various media outlets based on unlawfully disclosed SARs and other sensitive government documents and has referred the matter to the DOJ and the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General.