Money Laundering Watch

Insights and news on the world of financial corruption

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By: Ballard Spahr LLP

Blog Authors

Anthony C. Kaye
David L. Axelrod
Dennis K. Burke
William J. Burton
Juliana B. Carter
Andrew N. D'Aversa
Brad Gershel
Terence M. Grugan
Gretchen L. Gurstelle
Peter D. Hardy
Henry E. Hockeimer, Jr.
John D. Socknat
Jeremy C. Sairsingh
Brian N. Kearney
Kevin D. Leitão
Alexander Kommatas
Evan W. Krick
Joanna H. Kunz
Edward J. McAndrew
Beth Moskow-Schnoll
Brian D. Pedrow
Marjorie J. Peerce
Kristen Poetzel Ricci
Richard J. Andreano, Jr.
Priya Roy
Stefanie Jackman
R. Stephen Stigall
Mary K. Treanor
Stacey L. Valerio
Jessica C. Watt
Alicia M. Went

Latest from Money Laundering Watch

As we have blogged, there is perplexing, significant and ongoing uncertainty regarding just how federal criminal and Bank Secrecy Act laws will be – or will not be – enforced against financial institutions providing banking services to marijuana-related businesses (“MRBs”). As our blog has discussed, recent bipartisan efforts in the 116th Congress to provide a level of federal protection to financial institutions providing MRBs access to the banking system have been potentially promising and…
Second Post in a Two-Part Series Some Answers — Producing Even More Questions On May 9, 2019, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) published a comprehensive “interpretive guidance” (the “Guidance”) to “remind” businesses and individuals operating in a subset of the cryptocurrency markets involving “convertible virtual currencies” (“CVCs”) of the potential applicability of the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) to their operations. At the outset, FinCEN explains that “[t]his guidance does not establish any new regulatory expectations or…
Testimony Supports Bill Requiring States to Collect Beneficial Ownership Information at Entity Formation As we have blogged, the proposed Corporate Transparency Act of 2019 (the “Act”) seeks to ensure that persons who form legal entities in the U.S. disclose the beneficial owners of those entities. Specifically, the Act would amend the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) to compel the Secretary of Treasury to set minimum standards for state incorporation practices. Thus, applicants forming a corporation…
Director Blanco Stresses Importance of BSA Filings to Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions As we have blogged, Kenneth Blanco, the Director of Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), has publically and repeatedly stressed the value of Suspicious Activity Reports (“SARs”) and other Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) filings in the context of discussing anti-money laundering (“AML”) enforcement — arguably, partly in order to provide a counter-narrative to a reform movement which questions the investigatory utility to governments and …
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) has, once again, extended its Geographic Targeting Order (“GTO”) requiring U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind legal entities used in purchases of residential real estate performed without a bank loan or similar form of external financing.  Again, the monetary threshold remains at $300,000, and purchases involving virtual currency are within the reach of the GTO, as well as purchases involving “fiat” currency, wires, personal or business checks, cashier’s…
We are pleased to offer the latest episode in Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Financial Monitor Podcast series — a weekly podcast focusing on the consumer finance issues that matter most, from new product development and emerging technologies to regulatory compliance and enforcement and the ramifications of private litigation. In this podcast, we review the many recent developments dealing with the provision of financial services to the cannabis industry, including state approaches to banking services, the status of…
The state-legal marijuana industry in the United States continues to grow – as does support for it. Ten states and Washington, D.C. have legalized recreational adult use and 23 other states allow some form of medical cannabis. According to recent polling, 65% of Americans favor legalization of marijuana. Although interest and investment in state-legal cannabis show no sign of slowing, marijuana still remains classified as a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substance…
First Post in a Two-Part Series Recent actions in the crypto realm demonstrate that authorities and regulators have not slackened their commitment to applying and enforcing Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) laws and regulations in the crypto industry.  These actions serve as reminders that not only is the government keeping a close eye on cryptocurrency, but its oversight and enforcement can and will come from many angles. What’s more, the government’s recent various proactive and reactive compliance efforts…
Authorities Begin to Focus on Individual Responsibility This week, Danish prosecutors charged Thomas Borgen, the former chief executive officer of Danske Bank, for his involvement in the money laundering scandal arising out of Danske Bank’s Estonian branch, involving an astonishing 200 billion euros ($224 billion) in alleged suspicious transactions. Borgen, whose home prosecutors reportedly raided on March 12, oversaw Danske Bank’s international operations, including Estonia, between 2009 and 2012. Borgen stepped down as CEO of…
I am really honored to be moderating the Practising Law Institute’s 2019 Anti-Money Laundering Conference in New York City on May 14, 2019, starting at 9 a.m.  My co-chairs are Nicole S. Healy of Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley PC, and Jamie Boucher of Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.  PLI’s AML conference in San Fransisco will be held on June 10, 2019, and both conferences will be available throughout the country via webcasts and…