In the last decade, traditional financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers have faced increased scrutiny from federal regulators and prosecutors related to the adequacy of their anti-money laundering (AML) compliance programs. Until recently, however, the federal government’s enforcement efforts against cryptocurrency exchange platforms and other virtual currency firms subject to the Bank Secrecy Act … Continue Reading
On Feb. 10, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) published administrative ruling FIN-2020-R001, to clarify requirements of financial institutions reporting on currency transactions involving sole proprietorships and legal entities operating under a “doing business as” (DBA) name (“FinCEN Ruling”). The FinCEN Ruling, which becomes effective April 6, 2020 (Sept. … Continue Reading
On Oct. 22, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives, in a 249 to 173 vote, passed H.R. 2513, known as the “Corporate Transparency Act of 2019.” The Corporate Transparency Act, if enacted into law, would require each person who creates a corporation or limited liability company in the United States to report, on an ongoing basis, … Continue Reading
On Oct. 11, 2019, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), published a Joint Statement on Activities Involving Digital Assets. The purpose of the Joint Statement was “to remind persons engaged in activities involving digital assets of their anti-money laundering and … Continue Reading
On May 9, 2019, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (FinCEN) issued “interpretive guidance” addressing how FinCEN’s money services business (MSB) regulations apply to a variety of business models that use convertible virtual currency (CVC) (2019 FinCEN Guidance). This is the first significant guidance FinCEN has issued regarding the … Continue Reading
On August 2, 2017, United States Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) jointly introduced Senate Bill 1717, entitled the “Corporate Transparency Act of 2017” (the “Act”). The Act was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. The Act would amend Title 31 of the United States Code, to … Continue Reading
On Feb. 23, 2017, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (FinCEN) extended by an additional six months its existing Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) that require U.S. title insurance companies, their subsidiaries and agents (collectively, the Title Insurance Companies) to identify the natural persons behind shell companies used to pay … Continue Reading
When Jennifer Shasky-Calvery, at the time the director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), addressed attendees at G2E 2013, she brought a stern message to the industry. She called for a complete culture change in the industry with a dedication to rooting out financial crimes… or else. Since then, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and anti-money … Continue Reading
On July 27, 2016, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (FinCEN) issued a press release announcing new Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) applicable to certain U.S. title insurance companies and their subsidiaries and “agents” (collectively, the Targeted Title Insurance Companies). The new GTOs go well beyond those that were initially … Continue Reading
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) recently released new guidance on the process it uses when considering enforcement actions against banking institutions and individuals for potential non-compliance with Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) compliance program requirements and anti-money laundering (“AML”) rules. At the same time, the OCC also issued a revised policy for … Continue Reading
Greenberg Traurig is proud to sponsor the 16th Annual FIBA AML Compliance Conference that will be held in Miami, FL, from March 7-9, 2016. Carl Fornaris, Shareholder in the GT Miami office, will participate as a moderator in the breakout session titled “Section 311 and Unintended Consequences – the Curious Cases of Banca Privada d’Andorra … Continue Reading
Greenberg Traurig’s Carl Fornaris, Shareholder, and Shannon Bothwell, Of Counsel, participated in the FIBA and STEP presentation titled “The New FinCen Real Estate GTO: What You Need to Know” on Feb. 9 at Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office. The program addressed the geographic targeting orders (GTOs) issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. … Continue Reading
On July 23, 2015, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its review of a proposed regulation submitted to OMB by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury that, when finalized into a final regulation, would require investment advisers to adopt and implement anti-money laundering (AML) program and … Continue Reading
Today, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), working in conjunction with U.S. Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, issued a Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) for Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The GTO applies to check cashing business and requires check cashers to keep … Continue Reading
