The overarching aim of this book is to bring order to the subjects of money laundering and of the anti-money laundering frameworks that have been written over the past thirty years. It provides scholars, practitioners and policy makers with a guide to what is known of the subject thus far. The book examines critically the underlying assumptions of research and of policy-making in the field and offers a systematic review of the most important policy and academic literature on the subject.

Effectively implement comprehensive anti-money laundering regulations Handbook of Anti-Money Laundering details the most up-to-date regulations and provides practical guidance toward implementation. While most books focus on the regulations themselves, this useful guide goes further by explaining their meaning to bank operations, and how the rules apply to real-life scenarios. The international perspective provides a broader understanding of the anti-money laundering controls that are in place worldwide, with certain country-specific details discussed in-depth. Coverage includes the Wolfsberg Principles, Financial Action Task Force guidance, the U.S. Patriot Act, and the latest from both the EU and Bank for International Settlements. The IMF estimates that two to five per cent of the global GDP – $590 billion to $1.5 trillion – is laundered every year. Globally, banks and other financial institutions have been required to put in place specific arrangements to prevent and detect money laundering and the criminal activity that underlies it. This book provides the latest regulations and guidance toward application. Understand what money laundering regulations mean in practice Reference international and country-specific rules and regulations Get up to speed on the most current regulations and practices Implement the most effective anti-money laundering measures In response to the increased monitoring and regulation, money launderers have become more sophisticated at disguising the source of their funds. Financial institutions' employees must be ever more aware of what they're facing, and how to deal with it, making actionable guidance a critical companion to any regulatory information. For financial institutions seeking more thorough understanding and practical advice, the Handbook of Anti-Money Laundering is a comprehensive guide.

Although the practice of disguising the illicit origins of money dates back thousands of years, the concept of money laundering as a multidisciplinary topic with social, economic, political and regulatory implications has only gained prominence since the 1980s. This groundbreaking volume offers original, state-of-the-art research on the current money laundering debate and provides insightful predictions and recommendations for future developments in the field. The contributors to this volume academics, practitioners and government representatives from around the world offer a number of unique perspectives on different aspects of money laundering. Topics discussed include the history of money laundering, the scale of the problem, the different types of money laundering, the cost to the private sector, and the effectiveness of anti-money laundering policies and legislation. The book concludes with a detailed and insightful synthesis of the problem and recommendations for additional steps to be taken in the future. Students, professors and practitioners working in economics, banking, finance and law will find this volume a comprehensive and invaluable resource.

How exactly is money laundered? The answer to this question is not well understood – and for this very reason, costly prevention measures remain ineffective. This much-needed book provides the first in-depth explanation of the methods used by intelligent criminals to amass wealth from large-scale trafficking in drugs, arms, and human beings, as well as from less odious crimes. The author shows clearly not only why existing approaches to combat money laundering are bound to fail but also how money launderers easily circumvent such measures. Based on qualitative interviews with both alleged criminals and prevention experts, detailed illustrations of concrete steps taken by intelligent and specialized perpetrators of money laundering allow practitioners to anticipate and effectively combat this type of crime. The author fully documents such aspects of money launderers’ behaviour as the following: resources required; dealing with detection risks; and international mobility. A central chapter covers in depth the various markets, institutions, and facilities that are particularly favourable to money laundering, and original insights accompany the presented findings with relevant quotations from the interviewees. The author offers tailored recommendations for different professional groups, including bankers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, and judges. In its critical questioning of the logic behind anti-money laundering regulations and their costly implementation, the book demonstrates that either the existing measures of prevention are drastically tightened and extended to almost all branches of the economy or the financial sector is relieved of the burden it bears and alternative ways of fighting this type of crime are sought instead. It will prove enormously valuable to understanding and investigating white-collar and financial crime, and be welcomed by practitioners and professionals in financial markets, banking, criminal lawyers, and compliance experts, as well as academia.

This handbook explores organized crime, which it divides into two main concepts and types: the first is a set of stable organizations illegal per se or whose members systematically engage in crime, and the second is a set of serious criminal activities that are typically carried out for monetary gain.

Governments around the world have made the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism a priority. Among its effort is the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations, specifically Recommendation 1. The FATF Recommendations (Recommendation 1) requires that countries mandate financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs), to adopt a risk-based approach to combating money laundering and terrorist financing. This book aims to provide a clear understanding of what the risk-based approach involves. In addition to this, it differentiates the risk-based approach from the rule-based approach and determines if the risk-based approach interferes with the human rights of high-risk customers.Internationally, this book would be the first comprehensive book on the subject of the Risk-Based Approach. This book would help financial institutions and designated non-financial institutions with any problem regarding the application of the risk-based approach.Financial institutions/DNFBPs who implement the risk-based approach, in line with the guidance given in this book, will be well-placed to avoid the consequences of inappropriate de-risking behaviour. Although there are quite a number of reference guides provided by the Financial Action Task Force to assist firms with the implementation of the risk-based approach. Those publications focus mainly on the risk assessment principles. This book is focused on both the principles and the practical aspect of its application.This book is a must read for every professional specializing in the field of Anti-Money Laundering Compliance. It is also a must read for every individual who intends to know more about the money laundering subject.

Originally developed to reduce drug trafficking, efforts to combat money foundering have broadened over the years to address other crimes and, most recently, terrorism. In this study, [the authors] look at the scale and characteristics of money laundering, describe and assess the current anti-money laundering regime, and make proposals for its improvement.-Back cover.