Whether it’s for standard due diligence or to comply with your anti-money laundering obligations, it is an essential business practice to risk assess new clients. It is during the onboarding of new clients that a company needs to learn as much as it can about the customer. This includes identifying and validating the reasons a […]
Businesses and sole traders with obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations (MLR) are required to be regulated by a supervisory authority. These include bodies such as the FCA, HMRC, The Gambling Commission and certain professional bodies. Businesses operating as an accountancy service provider are overseen by the HMRC and in additon to the MLR obligations, have specific requirements they must comply with.
Where a business has obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations (MLR), they must use a risk-based approach to identify, assess and prevent money laundering. Carrying out an AML Risk Assessment involves several steps, which can include (but are not limited to): –
– Identifying the money laundering risks relevant to your business.
– Completing a company-wide risk assessment which includes areas such as delivery channels, transactions, products/services, customer behaviour etc.
– Assessing the risks associated with your customers.
Why would you need an Anti-Money Laundering Policy Toolkit? For many UK organisations, registering with an anti-money laundering scheme is mandatory. Those with oversight for money laundering prevention are referred to as a Supervisory Authority. Examples of such authorities include the FCA, HMRC and the Gambling Commission. It is mandatory for those with AML obligations […]
The FATF encourage the full use of a risk-based approach to customer due diligence which is essential in knowing who businesses are working with and on behalf of. Extensive and robust due diligence controls are one of the key measures in identifying money laundering risks and should form a large part of any AML […]
Most businesses are required to carry out some form of due diligence in meeting their regulatory, contractual or legal obligations and to mitigate the risks associated with standard business relationships such as working with suppliers, customers, employees and other third parties. Carrying out effective and adequate due diligence also helps to protect an organisations’ customers […]
Last month, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) handed out a £37,805,400 fine to the London branch of Commerzbank AG for significant failings related to anti-money laundering controls and measures. This costly fine included a 30% discount, as the firm offered to settle at an early stage of the investigation. The full fine without an early […]