CAMS Exam Dumps - Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition)

When dealing with correspondent banking clients, banks must evaluate the ownership and management structure of the client in order to assess the risks associated with the relationship. The status of the entity as a state, publicly, or privately held entity, as well as the transparency of the ownership structure, are important factors to consider when assessing these risks. Banks should also take into account the size of the management structure, the regularity of boardmeetings, and the length of time since the last Wolfsberg Group review in order to determine the risk associated with the correspondent banking relationship.

According to the CAMS Study Guide, one of the methods to launder money using TCSPs is to create a complex web of transactions involving multiple entities and jurisdictions, often using shell companies and nominees. The payment of consultancy fees to unrelated companies and service providers established in a foreign jurisdiction could be a sign of such a scheme, as it could be used to disguise the origin and destination of illicit funds, or to evade taxes and regulations. Therefore, this transaction indicator warrants further escalation to the compliance officer.

CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 2, page 69.

The primary purposes of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-Style Regional Bodies are to promote effective implementation of FATF recommendations and to provide expertise and input in FATF policy-making. (CAMS Manual, 6th Edition, Page 180)

One of the criteria that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) uses to define non-cooperative countries and territories (NCCTs) is the lack of adequate rules for the licensing and creation of financial institutions, especially those with no or minimal presence, and the lack of effective systems for checking the backgrounds of managers and beneficial owners of such institutions. This criterion aims to prevent the establishment and operation of shell banks or other entities that can be used for money laundering or terrorist financing purposes. The FATF requires that countries and territories should have laws and regulations that ensure that financial institutions are subject to adequate licensing or registration procedures, that the authorities have the power to deny or revoke licenses or registrations, and that the authorities have access to information on the identity, reputation, and financial soundness of the managers and beneficial owners of financial institutions.

= Some of the references that support this answer are:

About the Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories NCCT Initiative, Section “The review and listing process”: “The FATF established at that time four regional review groups (Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Africa/Middle East) consisting of representatives from the FATF member governments that served as the main points of contact with the reviewed country or territory. … The review groups gathered relevant laws, regulations and other relevant information, analysed this information against the 25 NCCT criteria, and drafted a report that was sent to the jurisdictions for comment.”

Annual Review of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories 2006-2007: Eighth NCCT Review, Annex 1: “List of Criteria for Defining Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories”, Criterion 1: “Licensing and creation of financial institutions, in particular those with no physical presence, and the ability to obtain information on the beneficial ownership and control of such institutions.”

FATF (Financial Action Task Force) Countries 2024 - World Population Review, Section “Blacklisted Countries”: “These are countries which were previously placed on the grey list and advised by the FATF to adopt the recommended financial security procedures, but have either failed or refused to do so. Blacklisted countries may be labeled as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs).”

According to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision guidelines, the internal audit functionshould evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the bank’s compliance function and its compliance risk management framework1. This includes assessing the compliance risk inherent in the bank’s activities, products, services, and systems, as well as the compliance policies, procedures, controls, and reporting mechanisms2. The internal audit function should also review the transactions and records of the bank to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal standards3.

The other statements are incorrect because:

B. An internal audit program of adequacy of the bank’s compliance function should be established, but should not include review of transactions. This statement is false because the internal audit function should review the transactions and records of the bank to ensure compliance, as mentioned above3.

C. The compliance function and internal audit function should be combined. This statement is false because the compliance function and the internal audit function should be separate and independent from each other, to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure objectivity and credibility.

D. The auditors should not discuss internal audit findings with compliance management to maintain independence. This statement is false because the internal audit function should communicate and coordinate with the compliance function on a regular basis, to share information, insights, and recommendations, and to avoid duplication of work. However, the internalaudit function should maintain its independence and report directly to the board of directors or the audit committee.

1: The internal audit function in banks, Principle 10, p. 9

2: The internal audit function in banks, Principle 10, p. 10

3: The internal audit function in banks, Principle 10, p. 11

The internal audit function in banks, Principle 2, p. 4

The internal audit function in banks, Principle 10, p. 11

According to the Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition) resources, one of the red flags for money laundering in real estate transactions is the use of an appraiser who is not on the approved list of the financial institution. This could indicate a possible collusion between the appraiser and the borrower or the underwriter to inflate the value of the property and obtain a higher loan amount. The anti-money laundering specialist should document the underwriter’s actions and the reasons for approving the exception, as well as the discrepancy between the appraised value and the market value of theproperty. The specialist should then file a suspicious transaction report (STR) to the relevant authorities, as required by the local regulations .

ACAMS Study Guide for the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition), Chapter 7: Money Laundering Risks and Methods, page 201.

ACAMS Study Guide for the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition), Chapter 8: Anti-Money Laundering Programs, page 227.

ACAMS Study Guide for the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition), Chapter 9: Conducting or Supporting the Investigation Process, page 255.

Using the customer profile and expected activity information, a financial institution should be able to identify transactions that are difficult to make economic sense. Transactions that don't make economic sense may be suspicious, and should be investigated further to determine if they may be related to money laundering or other illicit activities. For example, if a customer is profiting from a series of transactions that don't make economic sense, such as buying and selling the same stock multiple times in a short period of time, then this could be a sign of money laundering or other illicit activities.

According to the ACAMS CAMS Study Guide, one of the key elements of an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program is ongoing training for all relevant staff. Training should cover the legal and regulatory obligations, the risks and red flags of money laundering and terrorist financing, the procedures and controls for customer due diligence and transaction monitoring, the reporting and record-keeping requirements, and theroles and responsibilities of the staff and the management. Training should also be tailored to the specific functions and needs of the staff, and should be updated regularly to reflect the changes in the AML environment and the FI’s policies and procedures.

PEPs are considered high-risk customers for AML purposes, as they may abuse their positions of power and influence to commit or facilitate corruption, bribery, embezzlement, or other financial crimes. Therefore, it is essential that the FI’s staff are aware of the definition and categories of PEPs, the sources and methods to identify and verify PEPs, the enhanced due diligence measures and ongoing monitoring that apply to PEPs, and the escalation and reporting procedures for suspicious activities involving PEPs .

If an internal audit reveals that a large group of employees do not know how to handle PEPs, this indicates a serious gap in the FI’s AML training program, which could expose the FI to regulatory sanctions, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. Therefore, the next course of action that should be taken is to create a company-wide training program that covers the relevant aspects of PEPs, and to ensure that the training is delivered to all staff who deal with PEPs or have access to PEP-related information. The training should also be evaluated for its effectiveness and impact, and the results should be reported to the senior management and the board of directors.

ACAMS CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 2: Developing an Effective Anti-Money Laundering Program, page 51-52

ACAMS CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 3: Conducting Customer Due Diligence, page 75-78

FATF Guidance: Politically Exposed Persons (Recommendations 12 and 22), June 2013, 1

ACAMS CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4: Conducting Ongoing Monitoring, page 97-98