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FinCEN Fines MSB and Its Owner for Alleged BSA Violations
Today, FinCEN announced the assessment of a civil money penalty against a Los Angeles-based Money Services Business (MSB) and its owner for alleged violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). During a 2011 examination of the MSB, FinCEN determined that, from October 1, 2010 through the present, the MSB knowingly violated the BSA by failing to (i) establish and ensure ongoing compliance with an adequate AML program; (ii) provide adequate training; and (iii) conduct independent testing of its compliance program. In addition, the MSB violated the BSA’s reporting requirements by failing to “file required currency transaction reports (“CTRs”) on all of its reportable transactions during the examination scope period,” and continued to file untimely CTRs even after the examination scope period ended on March 31, 2011. Finally, FinCEN expressed concern over the MSB owner’s failure to disclose that the MSB “frequently exchanged check for cash with another MSB, an arrangement known as ‘wholesaling’ or ‘bulk check cashing.’” According to the assessment document, the MSB’s owner, who was also the designated AML compliance officer, participated in the BSA violations by failing to accept his responsibility to “ensure that [an] AML program was in place, was effective, and was followed.” To resolve FinCEN’s allegations, the MSB and its owner admitted to violating the BSA program and its reporting requirements and will pay a civil money penalty of $60,000.
FinCEN's Associate Director for Enforcement Delivers Remarks at BSA Conference
On June 18, FinCEN’s Associate Director for Enforcement, Stephanie Brooker, delivered remarks at the Bank Secrecy Act Conference, focusing on three main areas: (i) BSA filing trends, the value of BSA data, and compliance development in the casino industry over the past year; (ii) FinCEN’s enforcement approach and recent enforcement developments; and (iii) the significance of establishing and maintaining a culture of compliance throughout the business and compliance sides of casinos and card clubs. In addition, Brooker noted certain principles at the core of FinCEN’s enforcement program: (i) transparency in the agency’s rationale behind its enforcement actions; (ii) accountability, ensuring that financial institutions, and any individual related to the financial institution, take responsibility for violations of the BSA; and (iii) giving credit where credit is due by considering an institution’s “documented improvements in AML compliance over time.” Finally, Brooker stressed that in order for a financial institution to successfully maintain a culture of compliance, its business side and business leaders must take AML controls and BSA compliance seriously, meaning that “every casino employee, from the top down, views AML compliance as part of his or her responsibility.”
FinCEN Resolves First Enforcement Action Against Virtual Currency Exchange
On May 5, a virtual currency company and its subsidiary agreed to pay a $700,000 civil money penalty for violating multiple provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), in which both companies acted as a money service business and seller of virtual currency without properly registering with FinCEN, as well as, failed to implement and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering (AML) program. Furthermore, according to a Statement of Facts and Violations, FinCEN also charged the subsidiary for not filing or untimely filing suspicious activity reports related to several financial transactions. In addition to the civil money penalty, terms of the agreement require both companies to, among other things, (i) engage in remedial steps to ensure future compliance with AML statutory obligations; and (ii) enhance their current internal measures for compliance with the BSA. In a separate DOJ announcement, both companies entered into a settlement agreement to resolve potential criminal charges with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California. Under terms of the DOJ settlement, both companies agreed to forfeit a total of $450,000, which will be credited to satisfy FinCEN’s $700,000 penalty, in exchange for the government not criminally prosecuting the companies for the aforementioned conduct.
FinCEN Assesses $75,000 Penalty Against Check Casher Business for Violating Anti-Money Laundering Laws
On March 18, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) assessed a $75,000 civil money penalty against a Colorado check casher and its general manager and ordered it to cease all business activities for “willfully violating” registration, reporting, and anti-money laundering provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). The Colorado-based check casher had been the subject of three BSA compliance examinations by the Internal Revenue Service, “all of which found significant and repeated violations.” Under the BSA, money services business are required to implement anti-money laundering controls, conduct internal compliance reviews, and provide compliance training for all staff in an effort to prevent the facilitation of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities. The Colorado check casher failed to employ such programs, which resulted in a significant amount of untimely and inaccurate currency transaction reports.
FinCEN Fines Former CCO For Maintaining Ineffective AML Program
Recently, FinCEN announced a $1 million civil money penalty against the former Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) of a large financial services company for allegedly violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and its implementing regulations. In its complaint, FinCEN alleges that the CCO, from 2003 through 2008, failed to implement and maintain an effective AML program and file timely Suspicious Activity Reports as required by the BSA. As a result, the company’s money transfer system was used to carry out fraudulent activities causing customers to incur substantial losses. In addition to the penalty, FinCEN is seeking to prohibit the former CCO from participating, directly or indirectly, in the affairs of any financial institution.
FinCEN Fines Small Credit Union for BSA Violations
On November 25, FinCEN fined a small Florida-based credit union $300,000 in civil monetary penalties for violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). From 2009 through 2014, FinCEN charged that, among other deficiencies within its anti-money laundering program, the credit union lacked proper internal controls and failed to designate a BSA compliance officer to monitor suspicious transactions. The credit union admitted that it violated Section 314(a) of the USA PATRIOT ACT, which requires financial institutions to search their records of accounts and transactions of individuals who may be involved in money laundering or terrorist financing activities. The credit union, with assets of $4 million and five employees, contracted with a third party vendor to provide services and subaccounts to 56 money services businesses located in Central America, Middle East, and Mexico. FinCEN stated that 90% of the credit union’s annual revenue was generated from these accounts.
FinCEN Issues Statement On Providing Banking Services to Money Services Businesses
On November 10, FinCEN released a statement to reiterate that banking organizations can serve Money Services Businesses (MSB) while meeting obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act. FinCEN noted that there is concern that banks may be terminating the accounts of MSBs on a wholesale basis because of potential regulatory scrutiny and that as a result MSBs are losing access to banking services. FinCEN stated that they do “not support the wholesale termination of MSB accounts without regard to the risks presented or the bank’s ability to manage the risk.” Rather, the risks presented by a given MSB can vary and, therefore, financial institutions should assess the risks on a case-by-case basis. FinCEN expects that banking organizations will manage the risks associated with MSB accounts and are committed to addressing the “wholesale de-banking of an important part of the financial system.”
Special Alert: FinCEN Publishes Long-Awaited Proposed Customer Due Diligence Requirements
On August 4, 2014, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPRM") that would amend existing Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) regulations intended to clarify and strengthen customer due diligence (“CDD”) obligations for banks, securities broker-dealers, mutual funds, and futures commission merchants and introducing brokers in commodities (collectively, “covered financial institutions”).
In drafting the modifications, FinCEN clearly took into consideration comments responding to its February 2012 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ANPRM”), as the current proposal appears narrower and somewhat less burdensome on financial institutions. Comments on the proposed rulemaking are due October 3, 2014.
Overview: Under the NPRM, covered financial institutions would be obligated to collect information on the natural persons behind legal entity customers (beneficial owners) and the proposed rule would make CDD an explicit requirement. If adopted the NPRM would amend FinCEN’s AML program rule (the four pillars) by making CDD a fifth pillar.
Click here to view the special alert.
FinCEN Rules Regulations on Money Services Businesses Do Not Apply to ISOs and Exempt Payment Processors
On August 27, FinCEN issued FIN-2014-R009, an administrative ruling clarifying that Independent Sales Organizations (“ISOs”) and exempt payment processors are not money transmitters subject to Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) regulations applicable to Money Services Businesses (“MSBs”). Under BSA MSB regulations, the term “money transmitter” applies to any person that provides money transmission services or otherwise engages in the transfer of funds. The term “money transmission services” includes the acceptance of currency, funds, or other value that substitutes for currency from one person and the transmission of currency, funds, or other value that substitutes for currency to another location or person by any means. Applying these standards, FinCEN determined that BSA MSB regulations do not apply to an ISO, so long as it: (i) merely solicits merchants to offer them the credit and debit card processing services of two counterparties; and (ii) does not take possession or control of merchant funds at any point. However, FinCEN concluded that BSA MSB regulations will apply to a payment processor unless the payment processor qualifies for the payment processor exemption established by 31 CFR § 1010.100(ff)(5)(ii)(B) and clarified by FIN-2013-R002. Under this exemption, BSA MSB regulations do not apply to a payment processor, so long as it: (i) facilitates the purchase of goods or services, or the payment of bills for goods or services (other than money transmission itself); (ii) operates through clearance and settlement systems that admit only BSA-regulated financial institutions; (iii) provides its services pursuant to a formal agreement; and (iv) the agreement itself is at a minimum with the seller or creditor that provides the goods or services and receives the funds. For a copy of the ruling, please see: Application of Money Services Business Regulations to a Company Acting as an Independent Sales Organization and Payment Processor.
FinCEN Permanently Bars Casino Official Over BSA Violations
On August 20, FinCEN announced an action against a casino employee who admitted to violating the Bank Secrecy Act by willfully causing the casino to fail to file certain reports. FinCEN asserted based in part on information obtained from an undercover investigation that the employee helped high-end gamblers avoid detection of large cash transactions by agreeing not to file either Currency Transaction Reports or Suspicious Activity Reports as required under the BSA. FinCEN ordered the employee to pay a $5,000 civil money penalty, and immediately and permanently barred him from participating in the conduct of the affairs of any financial institution located in the U.S. or that does business within the U.S.