ACAMS Updated CAMS Exam Questions and Answers by ruth

OFAC-issued regulations apply to all U.S. persons, including U.S. banks, bank holding companies, and non-bank subsidiaries, regardless of where they are located. This means that foreign subsidiaries of U.S. banks and U.S. branches of a foreign bank are also subject to OFAC compliance. However, intermediaries transacting with U.S. banks, foreign banks with U.S. customers, and foreign import-export companies are not necessarily subject to OFAC regulations, unless they are involved in transactions that involve U.S. jurisdiction or U.S. persons.

Basic Information on OFAC and Sanctions

OFAC Consolidated Frequently Asked Questions

Office of Foreign Assets Control — Overview

Reviewing parameter settings based on the latest risk assessment should be included in the evaluation of system settings for anti-money laundering alert surveillance. This is because parameter settings determine the thresholds and criteria for generating alerts based on the risk profile of the customers, products, services, channels, and jurisdictions involved in the transactions. A risk assessment is a periodic and comprehensiveanalysis of the potential money laundering and terrorist financing risks faced by an organization, and it should inform the design and implementation of an effective anti-money laundering program, including the alert surveillance system. By aligning the parameter settings with the risk assessment, an organization can ensure that the system is capturing the most relevant and high-risk transactions, and reducing the number of false positives or irrelevant alerts.

CAMS Study Guide 6th Edition, page 37-38.

Implementing AML Transaction Monitoring Systems: Critical Considerations, page 2-3.

3 techniques to improve AML transaction monitoring strategies, page 2.

purchasing a low volume of chips with cash and turning them in for a casino check is a common technique of money laundering in casinos. This method allows the launderer to convert “dirty” money into physical casino chips, which are then played with for a short while, and then cashed out as “clean” money in the form of a check. This way, the launderer can avoid the reporting requirements and the traceability of cash transactions.

ACAMS CAMS Certification Video Training Course - Exam-Labs1

Understanding Money Laundering in Casinos | ComplyAdvantage2

Casino Money Laundering: Red Flag Indicators - Alessa3

The USA PATRIOT Act, enacted in 2001, is a comprehensive legislation that aims to enhance the US government’s ability to combat terrorism, money laundering, and other criminal activities. One of the aspects of the Act that has extraterritorial reach is the requirement for US financial institutions (FIs) to apply certain due diligence and reporting obligations to their correspondent accounts and private banking accounts for foreign FIs and non-US persons, respectively12. These obligations are intended to prevent foreign FIs and individuals from using the US financial system to facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing, or other illicit activities. The Act also authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to impose special measures, such as recordkeeping, reporting, or prohibitions, on certain foreign jurisdictions, FIs, or transactions that are found to be of primary money laundering concern34. These special measures can have significant impact on the access and operations of foreign FIs and persons in the US financial market.

1: USA PATRIOT Act, Title III, Subtitle A, Section 3121

2: 31 CFR 1010.610 - Due diligence programs for correspondent accounts for foreign financial institutions2

3: USA PATRIOT Act, Title III, Subtitle A, Section 3113

4: 31 CFR 1010.651 - Imposition of special measure against foreign jurisdictions, foreign financial institutions, classes of international transactions, or types of accounts of primary money laundering concern4