Entries by Lauren Jack

Fake News vs. Real News – The Importance of Media in Due Diligence

We exist in an age when mass media outlets are criticized for bias and manipulation, and when foreign disinformation efforts further erode trust in traditional journalism. Confidence in media reports not just as a compliance tool, but also as reliable news sources is likely at near record lows as well. However, adverse media reports are a critical compliance tool that can serve as a springboard for more extensive due diligence research and can help identify potential indicators of sanctions evasion and other financial crimes.

Digital Assets in the Crosshairs

As the digital economy burgeons, cryptocurrencies, tokens, and NFTs have shifted from niche investments to central elements in global finance. Yet, this rapid growth brings complex challenges, especially in the realm of financial security and regulatory compliance. Explore how these assets are increasingly being used to fund activities that threaten global security.

Counterproliferation Finance Detection and Deterrence – What Can Financial Institutions Do?

The U.S. Treasury recently identified proliferation networks operating on behalf of Russia, North Korea, China, Iran, Syria, and Pakistan as threats to U.S. national security. These networks exploited the U.S. financial system to finance the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including financing to procure WMD components and raising revenues to support efforts by these state actors to advance their WMD activities.

2024 National Proliferation Financing Risk Assessment

The U.S. Department of the Treasury published the 2024 National Proliferation Financing Risk Assessment in February 2024 providing an in-depth analysis of the threats and vulnerabilities related to proliferation financing (PF) and highlighting key countries and non-state actors working to gain access to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and their components and to conventional restricted weapons and technologies.

Liberating Limits: OFAC Licenses

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) safeguards national security and helps advance U.S. foreign policy objectives by administering the U.S. sanctions regime. OFAC’s general and specific licenses serve as key mechanisms for authorizing and regulating certain transactions that would otherwise be prohibited under sanctions programs. The exceptions provided by licenses help businesses and individuals navigate international transactions without violating U.S. sanctions policies.

Crypto Jargon Defined: Bridging the Gap Between Complexity and Comprehension

From mixers and tumblers to hot and cold wallets, the crypto space is laden with complex jargon. Explore our post in which we simplify the language of the digital economy. Ideal for enthusiasts at any level—from curious beginners to those seeking deeper insights—this guide illuminates the path to mastering the nuances of digital, virtual, and crypto assets.

Stuck and Seized – Consequences of Forced Labor

Global economies are more interconnected than ever, and human rights abuses can have a profound impact on supply chains and disrupt the flow of goods. Recent deliveries of certain luxury vehicles, such as Porsches, Audis, and Bentleys have been delayed because a small component that links those vehicles with computer networks was produced by a Chinese company linked to forced labor and surveillance of Uyghur populations in China.

Russia Sanctions Evasion Case Study: Viktor Labin

When conducting customer due diligence and enhanced due diligence, simple screening for names that may be on sanctions lists is no longer sufficient given the increasing complexity of Russia’s sanctions evasion efforts and the volatile regulatory environment because of Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine. Extra research is necessary to ensure compliance with sanctions laws and adherence with your company’s own risk policies. This research, however, can be complex, and structured analytic techniques and tools are necessary for effective due diligence. 

Are Casinos Havens for Money Laundering?

A recent UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report has found that casinos, junkets, and cryptocurrencies are exacerbating transnational organized criminal activity in East and Southeast Asia as part of the region’s underground banking and money laundering infrastructure. Although the use of casinos to launder money is not new, the proliferation of online gambling since the COVID 19 pandemic has aggravated the existing problem and has given rise to underregulated online gambling venues as more gamblers began playing from home.