ACAMS Updated CAMS-FCI Exam Questions and Answers by zack

The red flags that would be an indicator that activity is connected to a corruption/bribery typology are large checks issued to various individuals with the memos noting “gift”, “thank you”, “favor” (A) and negative news found on the customer related to government-issued violations for safety (B). These red flags suggest that the customer is involved in paying or receiving bribes or kickbacks to or from government officials or other parties in exchange for favorable treatment or contracts. These red flags are consistent with some of the indicators of corruption/bribery identified by ACAMS1, such as:

• Payments made to or from third parties that are not directly related to the business
• Payments made to or from high-risk jurisdictions or sectors
• Payments made with vague or incomplete descriptions or justifications
• Negative news or reputation of the customer or its associates

The other options are not as relevant or indicative of corruption/bribery as options A and B. Checks issued to an unrelated entity referencing “rent” and “utilities” in the memos © could be a legitimate business expense or a sign of other types of fraud or money laundering, such as tax evasion or shell company schemes. Multiple daycare locations with no active business operations or related account activity (D) could also be a sign of other types of fraud or money laundering, such as embezzlement or front company schemes. The same beneficial owner owning several daycare centers in different locations (E) could be a normal or legitimate business practice, depending on the size, location, and profitability of the centers.

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.

The analyst should clarify discrepancies noted in the customer’s declared profile given the downstream impact on the risk assessment. This is because discrepancies between the customer’s nature of business and the information on the business registry may indicate that the customer is not operating a legitimate business or is trying to conceal its true activities. The analyst should verify the customer’s identity, source of funds, and purpose of transactions to ensure that the customer’s risk profile is accurate and consistent with the Fl’s risk appetite.

References: Leading Complex Investigations Certificate, Module 2, page 9.

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.