Book Description

Money laundering is one of the main 'engines of crime' sustaining global criminal enterprises and is worth billions of dollars. The increasingly global and virtual nature of financial services and the emergence of technology-enabled products, such as crypto currencies and anonymization tools, have made the task of combating it more difficult.To complicate things, controlling much of this mega-illicit activity are global money laundering syndicates, who offer their services to criminal networks, and are highly adept at exploiting gaps in the financial systems. Another complication to the compliance function is the complex legal requirements set by each country to limit the international flows of illicit funds. These are the challenging conditions within which anti-money laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) measures currently operate.Money laundering takes place in all forms and shapes. There are no social, economic, geographic, or professional boundaries immune from abuse which can facilitate money laundering. Artwork, antiquities, antiques, precious stones, and exotic cars are among a few of the items frequently used. This book will explore elements of money laundering that touch all these areas.To understand money laundering, one must understand the history of money laundering and the evolution of the inclusion of priceless items as a means of laundering illegitimate and elicit funds. This guide is an essential tool to learn, understand, expand, and maintain a proper understanding of money laundering flows and how to prepare the financial industry for evolving risks.I grew up in Miami in the 80's and early 90's, a time when money laundering and drug trafficking through the city reached its peak. In fact, my banking career started at the height of the Cocaine Cowboy era in the mid-80's. At this time financial regulations were still in their infancy and technology to manage the detection and monitoring of white-collar financial crimes by financial institutions did not yet exist. I started off as a part time teller at a large Miami Beach bank while still in high school. This experience provided me with my first exposure to how billions of dollars in cash was making its way into banks across the city. I often refer to Miami as ground zero for money laundering, as well as for my education on the subject. I grew professionally inside Miami banks by securing positions in audit departments where I developed firsthand knowledge of the various facets of banking. In the early 90s I continued to grow professionally, shifting my focus towards the growing realm of financial technology. At the time, cutting edge technology consisted of personal computers which were still in their early stages of development, and there was a sharp learning curve for myself and my colleagues trying to understand how to use shared desktop terminals and PC's for the first time. My experience with technology within the financial sphere expanded in the late 90's and 2000's when I grew to develop a greater understanding of the role of software and how certain programs could be used in combination with advancing technology - that is, newer, faster desktop computers and laptops - to facilitate the implementation of infrastructure within institutions that could be used to both enhance operational efficiency, as well as create processes that could be utilized to ensure that institutions could comply with new and evolving regulatory requirements. The bulk of these regulations would come to be encompassed within the USA PATRIOT Act.