Matt Stankiewicz, Partner at The Volkov Law Group, finishes his series on Binance by providing key takeaways for AML compliance programs. Matt can be reached at [email protected]. Binance’s $4.3 billion fine is one of the largest penalties the DOJ has ever obtained from a corporate defendant. Furthermore, its founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao (“CZ”) was also personally subject to a fine, amounting to $150 million. ...
In a bipartisan success story, the House recently passed The Enablers Act, which is a far-reaching reform bill aimed at reducing AML and corrupt financial activity in the United States. Scott Greytak, Advocacy Director at Transparency International USA, and Erica Hanichak, Director of Government Affairs at the FACT Coalition, join Michael Volkov for a discussion of this legislative accomplishment and the implications for the battle...
Federal prosecutors enjoy flipping through the United States Criminal Code, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1 et seq., to pick out tools to charge defendants. Over the last ten years, DOJ’s reliance on criminal charges in FCPA cases has evolved. The FCPA only punishes the bribe-givers and not the bribe-takers. The Biden Administration is proposing to amend the FCPA to fill in this gap. To fill in...
Alex Cotoia, Regulatory Manager and Compliance Consultant at the Volkov Law Group, re-joins us for a posting on whistleblower protections. Alex can be reached at [email protected]. When Congress overrode former President Donald J. Trump’s veto of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) in January of this year, it simultaneously enacted the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (“AMLA”) into law. AMLA significantly expands upon the...
Webinar: The Anti-Money Laundering Act — Enforcement and Compliance Implications March 4, 2021, 12 Noon EST Sign Up Here The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (AMLA) was enacted on Jan. 2, 2020, when Congress overrode President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act. The AMLA is the most significant revision of U.S. anti-money laws since the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001. The AMLA:...
Elizabeth Slim, Senior Consultant at The Volkov Law Group, joins us for a posting on AML and BSA compliance during the current pandemic crisis. Elizabeth can be reached at [email protected]. The COVID-19 outbreak has affected all of us and we now face the new normal of self-quarantine and social distancing. As Anti-Money Laundering (AML) professionals, we are still required to ensure that financial institutions maintain...
Noah Smith, Associate at The Volkov Law Group, rejoins us for an interesting blog posting on the compliance challenges for financial institutions and other businesses involved in legal marijuana transactions. Noah can be reached at [email protected]. The quasi-legal status of marijuana in today’s United States is raising serious questions about federalism and enforcement for U.S. financial institutions. It is well known that marijuana is still...
Global prosecutors and regulators continued to increase anti-money laundering enforcement and regulatory actions. Global and US regulators have increasingly focused on beneficial ownership and transparency requirements. In 2018, FinCEN’s Customer Due Diligence rule went into effect. US prosecutors also brought several significant AML criminal prosecutions against large banks; the SEC has increased AML enforcement as part of reviews of internal controls. Regulators brought enforcement actions...
In a stark message, Justice Department prosecutors have brought the first criminal case for anti-money laundering violations against a broker-dealer. Central States Capital Markets, LLC (Central States) agreed to pay a $400,000 penalty and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for violating the bank Secrecy Act. As set forth in the court...
In the early part of 2018, the Justice Department brought two significant AML criminal enforcement actions against US Bancorp and Rabobank, respectively. These two cases, coupled with the new beneficial ownership regulations effective May 11, 2018, raise significant changes in the AML compliance and enforcement landscape. In addition, the SEC and FINRA brought AML enforcement actions against Aegis Corporation and three individuals, two of whom were...
