On March 11, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Southwest Border Geographic Targeting Order (GTO) aimed at Money Service Businesses (MSBs)[1]. This order is designed to enhance the monitoring and...more
In the last few weeks, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has circulated several instructions focusing on money services businesses operating in the southwest United States, answering the current...more
We have written previously about the new administration’s significant shifts in its approach to criminal enforcement and prosecution of money laundering cases. Specifically, we wrote about shifts at the U.S. Department of...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on March 11, 2025, issued a Geographic Targeting Order (the Southwest GTO) as part of a "whole-of-government approach" to leverage all...more
Following consideration of comments received from an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, on February 16, 2024, FinCEN issued a proposed rule (the “Proposed Rule”) that for the first time would require non-financed...more
On February 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed a new rule to increase reporting requirements for nonfinanced, entity-purchased residential real estate. FinCEN...more
FinCEN announced on October 20 that, once again, it is extending the Geographic Targeting Order, or GTO, which requires U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind so-called “shell companies” used in...more
Meanwhile, Congress Wants a Report on Russian Money Laundering and Its Relationship to the Real Estate Industry FinCEN announced today that, once again, it is extending the Geographic Targeting Order, or GTO, regarding...more
Case Highlights Confidentiality of BSA Reporting and Continued Focus on Real Estate as Money Laundering Tool - The Northern District of California granted summary judgment to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network...more
To the surprise of no one, FinCEN announced today that it is extending the Geographic Targeting Order, or GTO, regarding real estate transactions....more
Second of Two Posts on Evolving Issues Regarding Real Estate and Money Laundering - In our last post, we blogged on a major regulatory tool to combat the use of real estate as a potential vehicle for money laundering: the...more
As expected, on May 8, 2020, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) reissued its Geographic Targeting Orders (“GTOs”) requiring U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind legal entities...more
In its 2020 National Strategy for Combating Terrorist and Other Illicit Financing (“2020 Strategy”), the U.S. Department of Treasury (“Treasury”) has laid out its AML and money laundering enforcement priorities. Last week, we...more
Last Thursday, FinCEN Deputy Director Jamal El-Hindi appeared at the 20th annual Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Financial Crimes Conference hosted by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) in New...more
On June 12, 2019, Kenneth A. Blanco, Director of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), provided remarks at the NYU Law Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement that underscored the agency’s...more
“Sanctions Bill from Hell” Targets Real Estate Deals - On February 13, 2019, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R – S.C.) introduced S.482 – the Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2019 (“DASKAA”), a bill intended...more
The Standing Committee on Finance (Committee) recently released its report, Confronting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing: Moving Canada Forward (Report), where it makes 32 recommendations on proposed modifications and...more
Breaking from its recent practice of making public announcements about Geographic Targeting Orders, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) last month quietly extended its real estate GTOs for...more
Regulators and enforcement agencies continue to pursue aggressive regulations and requirements for financial institutions (a very broad definition under Title 31 of the US Code and regulations). The new administration does...more
In its “Risk Outlook, Autumn Update” (“Update”) released last week, the Solicitor Regulation Authority (“SRA”), a regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales, found that although the legal sector remains at...more
As the world now knows, an indictment against Paul Manafort, Jr., a former campaign chairperson for now-President Donald Trump, and Manafort’s associate, Richard Gates III, was unsealed yesterday. ...more
On August 22, 2017, FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) published a new Advisory regarding Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) covering residential real estate transactions in certain counties or boroughs of New...more
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued an advisory to alert financial institutions of widespread public corruption in Venezuela and the methods Venezuelan senior political figures...more
In its latest effort to combat money laundering within the real estate sector, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) has issued a new Geographic Targeting Order (“GTO”) broadening its scrutiny of shell companies...more
• The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) continues to expand its Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) with respect to beneficial ownership transparency in real estate transactions. ...more