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Democratic Senators Commission GAO to Study Fintech Industry
On April 18, Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting that it complete a study on the fintech industry. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the GAO is required to examine the regulatory structure of person-to-person (P2P) lending. While the letter recognizes that the GAO issued a report on P2P lending in 2011, the senators urged the GAO to recognize that the lending platforms of financial technology firms (often called fintech) “has changed dramatically and evolved beyond consumer lending,” and that “P2P lending, now generally called marketplace lending, is not the only form of fintech that has developed over the last several years.” The letter further cautions that, “gaps in understanding and regulation of emerging financial products may result in predatory lending, consumer abuse, or systemic issues.” Finally, Senators Brown, Merkley, and Shaheen urged the GAO to provide responses to questions relating to, among other things, (i) the size and structure of the loan portfolios maintained by privately owned fintech lenders; (ii) how fintech lenders’ relationships with financial institutions impact both the financial system at large and regulatory framework; (ii) whether the risks that may arise from the investor base shifting from individual investor to institutional investor have grown since this issue was first noted in the GAO’s 2011 report; and (iii) the anti-money laundering, data security, and privacy requirements fintech companies are subject to.
OFAC Issues Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations
On April 15, OFAC issued new regulations to implement the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015. The regulations authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining correspondent or payable through accounts, or to impose strict conditions on the opening or maintenance of such accounts, for foreign financial institutions determined to knowingly: (i) facilitate significant transactions for or on behalf of Hizballah or any person whose property or interests in property are blocked due to a connection with Hizballah; (ii) engage in money laundering to carry out such transactions; or (iii) facilitate or provide significant financial services in relation to transactions described in (i) and (ii). OFAC will publish the names of foreign financial institutions sanctioned under the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations in the Federal Register, and include them in the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations List, a new list maintained on OFAC’s website. The regulations took effect immediately upon issuance.
OCC Names Deputy Comptroller for Compliance Risk
On April 13, the OCC named Donna Murphy Deputy Comptroller for Compliance Risk. Effective May 1, Murphy will be responsible for supervising the development of policy and examination procedures relating to consumer, BSA/AML, and Community Reinvestment Act issues. Prior to joining the OCC in 2013, Murphy supervised the DOJ’s fair lending enforcement program.
FDIC Provides Commentary on Responsibilities and Duties of Banks' Boards of Directors
On April 5, the FDIC issued a special Corporate Governance Edition of its Supervisory Insights publication titled, “21st Century Reflections on the FDIC Pocket Guide for Directors.” The new edition provides guidance to community bank boards of directors as well as an expanded, community bank-focused commentary on the FDIC Pocket Guide for Directors, which was issued in 1988. It covers a range of topics, such as the proper roles of directors and officers, as well as objectives for the development of policies and procedures for risk management and strategic planning. While the existing version of the Pocket Guide remains unchanged, this edition of Supervisory Insights incorporates more recent guidance and resources that the FDIC has provided since 1988. For example, the FDIC emphasizes that, “[i]n addition to covering areas outlined in the Pocket Guide and Safety and Soundness Standards, community bank directors should ensure that senior management has established appropriate risk management policies and procedures in Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)/Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance, information technology and cyber risk, and compliance with Community Reinvestment Act and consumer protection laws and regulations.”
FinCEN Assesses Civil Money Penalty Against Nevada-Based Casino for BSA/AML Violations
On April 5, FinCEN assessed a civil money penalty against a Nevada-based casino for willfully violating the anti-money laundering provisions of the BSA. From 2010 through November 2013, the casino allegedly failed to (i) establish and implement an effective, written anti-money laundering program; (ii) establish and maintain appropriate internal controls in compliance with the BSA’s reporting requirements; (iii) conduct independent testing of its AML program; (iv) implement automated data processing systems that ensured compliance with the BSA and the casino’s AML program; (v) report suspicious activity; and (vi) secure and retain certain required records. According to FinCEN, the casino generally “lacked a culture of compliance” and had a “blatant disregard for AML compliance permeat[ing] at all levels.” The casino agreed to a $1 million civil money penalty and admitted to willfully violating the BSA’s program, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements.
FinCEN Prohibits U.S. Financial Institutions from Holding Correspondent Accounts for FBME Bank Ltd.
On March 31, FinCEN published a final rule imposing the fifth special measure against FBME Bank Ltd. (FBME). Pursuant Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the fifth special measure prohibits U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, FBME. As previously covered in InfoBytes, on July 29, 2015, FinCEN published a similar final rule, which did not take effect as, one day before its effective date, a U.S. district court granted FBME’s motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the rule from taking effect. In November 2015, FinCEN subsequently re-opened its comment period for the final rule, soliciting additional comments “particularly with respect to the unclassified, non-protected documents that support the rulemaking and whether any alternatives to the prohibition of the opening or maintaining of correspondent accounts with FBME would effectively mitigate the risk to domestic financial institutions.” According to FinCEN, its recently issued final rule will “guard against the international money laundering and terrorist financing risks that FBME poses to the U.S. financial system.” The Final Rule is effective July 29, 2016.
FinCEN Proposes Imposing BSA Requirements on Crowdfunding Portals
On April 4, FinCEN issued a proposed rule to amend the definitions of “broker or dealer in securities” and “broker-dealer” under the regulations implementing the BSA. Specifically, FinCEN proposed that the definitions be amended to “explicitly include funding portals that are involved in the offering or selling of crowdfunding securities pursuant to section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933.” Intended to help prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes, the amendments would require funding portals to implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with the BSA requirements currently applicable to brokers or dealers in securities. Comments on the proposal are due by June 3, 2016.
Pakistani Bank Reaches Agreement with NYDFS to Enhance AML Compliance Controls
Recently, the Federal Reserve and NYDFS announced that a New York branch of a Pakistani bank agreed to strengthen its compliance with BSA/AML requirements and OFAC regulations. The NYDFS’s and the NY Federal Reserve Bank’s recent examination into the bank’s branch found deficiencies related to its risk management and compliance with BSA/AML and OFAC regulations. Pursuant the agreement, the bank must submit written plans to the NYDFS and the NY Federal Reserve Bank on its strategy to improve its BSA/AML/OFAC compliance and its suspicious activity reporting. In addition, the bank must submit quarterly progress reports to the aforementioned regulators.
The recently issued agreement comes after a similar agreement earlier this month in which a New York branch of a Korean bank agreed to enhance its BSA/AML/OFAC compliance.
FinCEN Imposes Civil Money Penalty Against Owner of Kentucky-Based Money Services Business
On March 24, FinCEN assessed a civil money penalty against a Kentucky-based MSB and its owner for violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). As the designated AML compliance officer of the MSB, the owner willfully violated the BSA’s AML program and reporting requirements by failing to ensure that the MSB complied with obligations under the BSA and its implementing regulations. In 2009, after an IRS Small Business/Self-Employed Division (IRS SB/SE) examination of the MSB’s activities, FinCEN issued a warning letter advising the company to take corrective actions. A subsequent 2013 IRS SB/SE examination found continued violations. Specifically, the MSB failed to (i) establish and implement an effective AML program by “failing to implement policies, procedures, and internal controls reasonably designed to assure ongoing compliance, failing to designate an adequate compliance officer, failing to provide adequate training, and failing to conduct independent testing of its compliance program”; and (ii) file accurate and timely currency transaction reports. The MSB’s owner admitted to violating the BSA’s AML program and reporting requirements and agreed to a $10,000 civil money penalty.
FATF Updates List of Jurisdictions with AML Deficiencies, FinCEN Issues Related Advisory
On March 21, FinCEN issued advisory bulletin FIN-2016-A002 notifying financial institutions of updates to the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) list of jurisdictions containing AML/CFT deficiencies. The FATF updated two documents categorizing certain jurisdictions: (i) the FATF Public Statement, identifying jurisdictions that are subject to the FATF’s call for countermeasures or are subject to Enhanced Due Diligence due to AML/CFT deficiencies; and (ii) the Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process, identifying jurisdictions which have developed an action plan with the FATF to address strategic AML/CML deficiencies. Revisions to the FATF Public Statement include the removal of Myanmar (Burma); in turn, Myanmar was added to the Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process list. Iran and North Korea remain listed as subject to countermeasures on the FATF Public Statement. Additional jurisdictions currently on the Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process list include Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guyana, Iraq, Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea, Syria, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Yemen. Algeria, Angola, and Panama were removed from the list. FinCEN reminded U.S. financial institutions that they are subject to a broad range of restrictions on dealing with Iran and North Korea. FinCEN also advised U.S. financial institutions to consider the risks associated with countries on the Improving Global AML/CFT Compliance: on-going process list, and reminded them of their general due diligence obligations, including for foreign correspondent accounts.