CAMS-FCI Advanced CAMS-Financial Crimes Investigations Questions and Answers

The correct answer is C and E. The investigator should provide additional information to the LE upon receiving a formal request, and gather all the information that would be useful for LE and recommend filing a SAR/STR. These steps are consistent with the best practices of conducting financial crime investigations and reporting suspicious activity. The investigator should not close the customer’s accounts or the investigation, as this may interfere with the ongoing LE inquiry and violate the FI’s policies and procedures. The investigator should also not contact local LE directly, as this may compromise the confidentiality of the investigation and the FIU’s authority. References:

• Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide, Chapter 4: Reporting Suspicious Activity, pages 40-411
• Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide, Chapter 5: Governance of an AFC Investigations Unit, pages 48-491
• Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification | ACAMS

The observations at the on-site visits that would justify writing a SAR/STR are signs of severe wear and poor maintenance at the site (A), lights turned off at the site during operational hours ©, and a full parking lot of cars with no staff at the site (F). These observations suggest that the daycare businesses are not operating legitimately or providing adequate services to their customers, and that they may be misusing governmental grants or laundering money through their accounts. These observations are consistent with some of the red flags for fraud identified by ACAMS2, such as:

• Inadequate facilities or equipment for the type of business
• Lack of visible activity or customers at the business location
• Discrepancy between reported income and expenses
• Unusual volume or frequency of transactions

The other observations are not as relevant or indicative of fraud as options A, C, and F. A site located in a commercial building (B) could be a normal or legitimate choice for a daycare business, depending on its size, location, and availability. Visible attendance with children being dropped off by parents (D) could show that the daycare business is providing genuine services to its customers, although it does not rule out possible fraud or money laundering. Visible signage indicating the purpose of building (E) could also show that the daycare business is transparent and legitimate, although it does not guarantee its quality or compliance.

References: 1: ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide, available at ACAMS 2: ACAMS Fraud Prevention eLearning Course Module 3: Fraud Detection Techniques

A product of analysis is a conclusion or inference that is derived from facts or judgments, using analytical techniques or tools. Option B is a product of analysis because it implies that the investigator has used a tool or technique, such as a threshold analysis, to identify a pattern of structured cash deposits that may indicate an attempt to evade reporting requirements. The other options are facts or judgments that can be verified by evidence or observation.

References: Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification Handbook, page 23.

The SAR/STR narrative should include the suspicious accounts and transactions identified, as well as the reasons why they are considered suspicious. The narrative should provide a clear and concise description of the activity, the parties involved, the dates, amounts, and frequencies of the transactions, and any other relevant information that would assist law enforcement in understanding the nature and purpose of the activity. The narrative should not include the investigator’s subjective opinion, personal tax records, or supporting documentation that is not essential to explain the suspicious activity. Supporting documentation can be attached separately to the SAR/STR form or provided upon request by law enforcement.

The investigator should review how the wire transfers were initiated first, because this could indicate the level of involvement and knowledge of the LLC account holders. If the wire transfers were initiated online or by phone, it could suggest that the account holders were trying to avoid face-to-face contact with the bank staff and reduce the chances of being questioned or identified. If the wire transfers were initiated in person at a branch, it could indicate that the account holders were confident or careless about their activities, or that they had some relationship with the bank staff. The method of initiation could also affect the quality and quantity of information collected by the bank about the wire transfers, such as the purpose, source, and destination of the funds. References: ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide, page 65.

The investigator should review all client-signed documents relating to all accounts (A) to check for any discrepancies or red flags. The investigator should also perform secondary scans of the client’s other owners/authorized signers (D) to identify any possible connections or associations with the second client or the Paradise Papers. Additionally, the investigator should prepare a relationship flow chart of all existing accounts (F) to better understand the client’s activities and patterns. These steps are consistent with the ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide1, which states that investigators should “review all relevant documentation, including account opening documents, transaction records, and customer correspondence” (p. 23), “conduct enhanced due diligence on all parties involved in the investigation” (p. 24), and “use data visualization tools to map out complex relationships and transactions” (p. 25).

References: 1: ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide, available at ACAMS

The additional information that the investigator should request is the source of the incoming funds to the group-related companies. This is because the customer declared that the ongoing source of funds to this account comes from group-related companies, but the transaction journal shows that the customer received funds from different third parties, not from group-related companies. Therefore, the investigator should verify the relationship and legitimacy of these third parties and their funds with the customer and the group-related companies. The other options are not relevant or necessary for this investigation.

References: Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification | ACAMS

A review of outward remittances reveals the same pattern of several simple steps for each transaction, which could indicate a layering scheme to obscure the origin and destination of the funds. This would support escalating this account for closure, as it is inconsistent with the customer’s declared purpose and anticipated activities. The other options are not relevant or sufficient to warrant account closure.

References: Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification | ACAMS

The correct answer is B because the FATF recommendations state that financial institutions should provide feedback to the FIU as quickly as possible, especially in cases involving the financing of terrorism that could imply an imminent threat to the country. Option A is incorrect because requesting an official court subpoena would delay the response and might not be necessary for the FIU to access the information. Option C is incorrect because establishing a committee would also delay the response and might not be in compliance with the FIU’s request. Option D is incorrect because informing the public relations department is irrelevant to the question and might compromise the confidentiality of the investigation.

References: FATF Recommendations, Recommendation 29; Leading Complex Investigations Certificate, Module 4.

Some of the negative impacts of illegal wildlife trade and environmental crimes are loss of potential tax proceeds and threats to biodiversity. Loss of potential tax proceeds occurs when illegal wildlife trade and environmental crimes evade taxation and customs duties, depriving governments of revenues that could be used for public services and development. Threats to biodiversity occur when illegal wildlife trade and environmental crimes endanger species, habitats, and ecosystems, reducing their resilience and ability to provide essential services for human well-being. Public health consequences and threats to a country’s political stability are not directly related to illegal wildlife trade and environmental crimes, but rather to other types of financial crimes such as money laundering, terrorism financing, or corruption.

References: [Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide], page 68-69; [FATF Report on Money Laundering from Environmental Crime], page 9-10.

The reason why it is important for the casino to maintain control of the output from the provider is that the casino maintains ultimate responsibility for this activity and should maintain control to avoid non-compliance ©. This is because the casino is accountable for its own AML/CFT obligations and cannot delegate or outsource them to a third-party provider. According to the ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide1, “the FI should ensure that it has adequate oversight and control over any third-party providers that it engages for AML/CFT purposes, such as conducting due diligence, verifying information, or monitoring transactions” (p. 25). The FI should also “review and evaluate the performance and quality of the third-party providers on a regular basis, and address any issues or gaps that may arise” (p. 25).

The other options are not as relevant or accurate as option C. The clients of the casino prefer to know that the casino is keeping their information secure when being held by a third-party (A) is not a reason why the casino should maintain control of the output from the provider, but rather a customer expectation or preference. As with all third-party relationships, proper control must be maintained to ensure profitability (B) is not a reason why the casino should maintain control of the output from the provider, but rather a general business principle or objective. Other casinos are frequently looking to reduce costs and share ideas, so if this relationship is successful, the model can be used by other businesses (D) is not a reason why the casino should maintain control of the output from the provider, but rather a potential benefit or outcome.

The condition that should be met to satisfy the regulator is that the program is drafted using a risk-based approach to avoid the FI being used as a conduit for criminal activities. A risk-based approach means that the FI identifies, assesses, and understands its exposure to financial crime risks and applies appropriate measures to mitigate them. This is consistent with the international standards and best practices for anti-financial crime compliance. The program being aligned with the financial industry’s anti-financial crime priorities, meeting the minimum requirements of anti-financial crime standards published by a financial industry association, or having no high-severity issues in internal auditing results are not sufficient to satisfy the regulator, as they do not necessarily reflect the specific risks faced by the FI or demonstrate its effectiveness in preventing and detecting financial crimes.

References: [Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide], page 14-15; [FATF Guidance on Risk-Based Approach for Effective Supervision], page 7-8.

The correct answer is A and B because human smuggling/trafficking and terrorist financing are both predicate offenses for money laundering that could be related to the client’s activities. Option C is incorrect because there is no indication of narcotics trafficking in the scenario. Option D is incorrect because there is no indication of antiques smuggling in the scenario. Option E is incorrect because there is no indication of tax evasion in the scenario.

References: Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification Handbook, page 10; Financial Crime Typologies - Intermediate Certificate, Module 2.

The request for information should include the following elements:

• Details of DEF Oil Resource Ltd parent company and the name(s) of the beneficial owner(s) (Option A): This is necessary to verify the identity and ownership structure of the remitter and to assess the risk level of the customer and the transaction.
• The account profile of the customer and their KYC data (Option C): This is necessary to understand the nature and purpose of the customer’s business relationship with the respondent bank and to compare it with the observed transactional activity.
• The contract pertaining to the purchase of property in another country (Option E): This is necessary to verify the legitimacy and source of funds for the transaction and to identify the ultimate beneficiary of funds.

The other options are not relevant or necessary for the request for information. The full transaction history of the correspondent bank’s customer (Option B) is too broad and may not be related to suspicious activity. The respondent bank’s customer’s senior management bonus plan (Option D) is not relevant to the transaction and may not be available to the respondent bank. The last 6 months of transactional history (Option F) is also too broad and may not be related to the suspicious activity.

References:

Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification Handbook, page 19

"The FATF measures the effectiveness of a country's efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing through a mutual evaluation process. During a mutual evaluation, the FATF assesses a country's legal and institutional framework, its implementation of measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, and the effectiveness of its efforts. The FATF then issues a report with recommendations for improvement" [CAMS Study Guide 6th edition, page 15-16].

The illegal activity that the investigator has reasonable grounds to suspect Richard Aston of is aftermarket sales of entertainment admission tickets. This is because aftermarket sales of entertainment admission tickets involve reselling tickets for events, concerts, festivals, etc. at a higher price than their face value, often through online platforms or scalpers. This practice can be illegal or unethical, depending on the jurisdiction and the terms and conditions of the original ticket seller. The investigator should look for indicators of aftermarket sales of entertainment admission tickets, such as high volume or frequency of incoming payments from various individuals, correlation between incoming payments and major events or conferences, and discrepancy between the customer’s profile and the nature of the transactions. The other options are incorrect because:

A. Embezzling from the hotel is not likely, as it would involve stealing money or property from the hotel by an employee or a person in a position of trust. There is no evidence that Richard Aston works for or has access to the hotel’s assets.

C. Human trafficking is not probable, as it would involve exploiting people for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. There is no indication that Richard Aston is involved in any form of human trafficking or has any connection to victims or perpetrators.

D. Sports betting is not plausible, as it would involve wagering money on the outcome of sporting events or games. There is no sign that Richard Aston is engaged in any sports betting activity or has any association with bookmakers or gamblers.

References:

Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification | ACAMS, Section 2: Investigating Financial Crimes, page 10

TicketSwap: The safest way to buy and sell tickets

Ticketing 101 | Ticketmaster

10 Types of Tickets For Events (+ Why & When To Use Them) - Eventbrite

The activity type that the FI should target for creating an automated alert for human trafficking money laundering is multiple deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM (B). This is because this pattern is consistent with the indicators of human trafficking identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Egmont Group1, which include:

• Frequent cash deposits, often in round amounts, outside of normal business hours
• Deposits made at different branches or ATMs in various locations
• Lack of information about the nature and purpose of the business
• Involvement in online platforms that advertise sexual services
• Expenses related to travel and accommodation
• The other options are not as relevant or specific as option B. Payments made to multiple hotels in the same city (A) could be a legitimate business expense or a sign of other types of money laundering, such as tax evasion or fraud. Deposits made within days of major sporting events © could also be explained by other factors, such as increased tourism or gambling. Payments made for virtual currency (D) are not directly related to human trafficking, although they could be used to facilitate money laundering in general.

References: 1: FATF and Egmont Group, Financial Flows from Human Trafficking, July 2018, available at FATF

The correct answer is C. Escalate to the compliance officer/money laundering reporting officer to file a SAR/STR. This is because the financial crime investigator has found evidence of fraudulent documents and false information, which indicate a high risk of money laundering or other financial crimes. The investigator should not contact the client directly, as this may tip them off or compromise the investigation. The investigator should also not report collusion between the cryptocurrency exchange and internal staff, as this is an assumption that has not been verified. The investigator should not request a CDD refresh, as this is not sufficient to address the serious issues identified.

References:

Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide, page 291

Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide, page 311

Advanced CAMS-FCI Study Guide, page 331

1: https://www.acams.org/en/certifications/advanced-cams/advanced-financial-crimes-investigations

An investigator should avoid escalating a suspicious event to the chief compliance officer if there is a potential conflict of interest, such as when a close family member of the officer is involved in the transaction. In such a case, the investigator should pursue other channels, such as reporting to a higher authority or an independent committee. The other options do not present a conflict of interest and should be escalated to the chief compliance officer as part of the normal procedure.

References: Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification Handbook, page 18.

The FI is required to ensure that the request includes an end date © when it receives a keep open letter from LE for the identified account. This is because the FI has to balance its legal obligations to cooperate with LE and to protect its customers’ privacy and rights. According to the ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide1, “the FI should request a written confirmation from LE that includes a specific end date for the request, as well as a point of contact for any questions or concerns” (p. 35). The FI should also document the request and its compliance with it, and continue to monitor the account for any suspicious activity.

The other options are not correct. The FI should not contact the client for information relating to the account (A), as this could compromise the LE investigation or alert the client of the suspicion. The FI should not stop filing SAR/STR reports on the account and/or customer (B), as this could violate its regulatory obligations and expose it to legal risks. The FI should not notify LE immediately after new transactions (D), as this could also interfere with the LE investigation or tip off the client. The FI should follow the instructions of LE regarding when and how to share information.

One of the actions that is part of the enhanced due diligence process is collecting beneficial ownership details regarding the client’s account. This is important to identify the natural persons who ultimately own or control the client, and to assess the potential risks associated with them. According to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), beneficial ownership information should include1:

• The name, nationality, and country of residence of each beneficial owner.
• The date of birth or incorporation of each beneficial owner.
• The nature and extent of the beneficial interest held by each beneficial owner.
• The means by which the beneficial ownership or control is exercised.

References:

FATF Guidance on Transparency and Beneficial Ownership

The data points that the compliance team should include in its data analytics program to detect shell or front company red flags are entities whose principal place of business is a non-residential address and entities transacting with or having relation to tax haven or high-risk countries. These data points may indicate that the entities are not conducting legitimate business activities, but rather are used to conceal the identity or location of the true beneficiaries or owners, or to facilitate money laundering, tax evasion, or other illicit activities. Some of the sources that support these data points as red flags are4567:

• Entities whose principal place of business is a non-residential address may indicate that they have no physical presence, operations, assets, or employees. They may use addresses such as post office boxes, mail forwarding services, registered agents, or virtual offices to avoid detection or scrutiny.
• Entities transacting with or having relation to tax haven or high-risk countries may indicate that they are involved in offshore financial activities that are designed to evade taxes, regulations, or sanctions. They may also be exposed to higher risks of money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, or fraud.

References:

• How to Identify a Shell Company and the Associated Red Flags
• Difference between Shell, Shelf & Front Company | Sigma Ratings
• Shell Companies and Money Laundering | ComplyAdvantage
• General Comments Incorporation of shell companies - Singapore Police Force

The fact that should not be included in the SAR/STR narrative is the request by law enforcement (D). This is because the request by law enforcement is confidential and should not be disclosed to the customer or anyone else who is not authorized to know it. According to the ACAMS Advanced Financial Crimes Investigations Certification Study Guide1, “the FI should not include any reference to the LE request in the SAR/STR narrative, as this could compromise the LE investigation or alert the customer of the suspicion” (p. 35). The FI should also not inform the customer of the LE request or delay filing the SAR/STR because of it.

The other facts should be included in the SAR/STR narrative, as they are relevant and indicative of human trafficking money laundering. The air travel and hotel expenses (A) show that the customer is involved in moving people across different locations, which could be a sign of human smuggling or trafficking. The time of the cash deposits (B) shows that the customer is receiving cash payments during unusual hours, which could be a sign of illicit activities or services. The sporting event © shows that the customer is exploiting a high-demand situation for their business, which could be a sign of opportunistic or organized crime.

A SAR/STR narrative that is useful to law enforcement should include a detailed description of the known or suspected criminal violation or suspicious activity, as well as ensure that all information in the SAR/STR is complete and accurate based on what the institution knows. These elements help law enforcement to understand the nature and scope of the suspicious activity, and to follow up with further investigation if needed. The other options are not essential for a useful SAR/STR narrative, as they either provide irrelevant or redundant information, or could compromise the confidentiality of the report.

The OFAC sanctions screening audit program should include the requirement that all clients with foreign identification are subject to enhanced due diligence, as this provides an extra layer of protection against potential violations of OFAC sanctions.

The correct answer is A because this scenario describes a possible case of human trafficking, which is a crime where people are exploited for labor or sexual services against their will. Human traffickers may use bank accounts to launder their proceeds and pay their victims, and they may use fake or stolen identities to avoid detection. The other options are not likely because they do not explain why multiple deposits from the same employer under different employees’ names would occur, nor why cash withdrawals would follow each deposit.

References: : Human Trafficking, : Human Trafficking Red Flags

The main premise for filing a SAR/STR is that the entity is not implementing adequate internal controls according to what is expected, and mishandling of funds could be occurring. This raises suspicion that the entity may be involved in corruption, fraud, or diversion of funds for illicit purposes. Trust service providers are obliged by law to follow government internal controls, as they are subject to AML/CFT regulations and supervision. Cash disbursements are allowed for social welfare programs, but they should be properly documented and verified. Social welfare programs are not necessarily difficult to document, as there are ways to identify and monitor the beneficiaries, such as biometric data or unique identifiers.