Kenyan officials will remove some money services businesses from a governmental blacklist following evaluations of the companies' compliance controls, according to an individual with direct knowledge of the matter.
U.S. bank restrictions have exacerbated the troubles of Somali money services businesses to the point that companies and individuals alike are resorting to complex workarounds to send money to the East African nation.
Fear of regulatory trouble is compelling some banks to turn down business to avoid the huge compliance costs of vetting potential clients, attendees at a banking conference in London heard Thursday.
Short of abiding by the Community Reinvestment Act and other prohibitions against discriminatory lending, banks still have the right to choose who they'll do business with. While that seems like an obvious statement, it gets drowned out in the debate about "de-risking."
Somewhere in a controversial EU fee for the U.K. disclosed Thursday lies something like an old saw, only it's not about how crime doesn't pay but how it costs, and in unexpected ways.
An Islamic charity told by HSBC that its account would be closed in two months is considering fighting the British multinational bank's decision in court, but analysts say it will be difficult for it to win under U.K. law..
Somali pirates are exploiting remittance services offered by regional telecommunications companies to launder the proceeds of kidnapping and other crimes, according to the World Bank.
A number of large U.S. and international banks are dropping customer accounts and services tied to high-risk geographical regions and lines of business in response to regulatory pressure, including enforcement actions.
A federal judge has agreed to sign off on a plan to settle a civil money laundering case against SAC Capital Advisors LP, France will remove Jersey from its tax blacklist if the jurisdiction improves how it responds to data requests, and more, in the midweek roundup.
Belgian authorities raided the homes of 20 HSBC customers as part of an tax evasion investigation, Swiss authorities furthered loosened bank secrecy standards, and more, in the midweek roundup.
Finra fined a Columbus, OH-based firm $50,000 for AML violations, Bangladesh's FIU published a 1-year long AML action plan, and more, in the midweek roundup.
American and British officials will likely weigh steps to quash fundraising by the Somali rebel group behind the terror attack and hostage standoff in Kenya, two investigators said Monday.
The FBI is probing software company Ebix Inc. for suspected money laundering, a group of 76 U.S. senators urged President Obama to implement tougher sanctions against Iran, and more, in the midweek roundup.
American sanctions, terrorist financing prosecutions and rising related compliance costs have made it increasingly difficult for Somalia's U.S.-based community to move money to the African nation.