In order to develop an effective Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the FIU intelligence and analysis officers must understand the basic principles of money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF). More importantly the FIU must understand how its role and inter-related functions are connected to the broader risks of the countries’ anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing (AML/CTF) risk management.
The AML/CTF training provided by AML Solutions International is based on many years of combined experience drawn from former operational intelligence officers and investigators. Your staff will receive instruction from real world experiences and case studies, not just the theory and concepts.
- FIU Development and Capacity Building
The three key functions of Receipt, Analysis and Dissemination of financial intelligence sit at the heart of every Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). This is a seemingly simple concept, however, effectively managing this end-to-end process is both complex and problematic. Recognising the problem often sits at the dissemination stage – once stages one and two are effective. AML Solutions International has a proven track record of assisting FIUs build their operational capacity in various key areas of the FIU e.g. gap analysis of core competencies of staff, financial intelligence analysis (operational, tactical and strategic), AML/CTF implementation and compliance.
- AML/CFT Investigations Training
Specialist training aimed specifically at law enforcement, intelligence, border protection and revenue officers as well as public prosecution lawyers. The training draws on the practical experiences of the facilitators and the participants alike in order to build the financial investigation capacity of all FIU stakeholders. The training highlights the role of the FIU and practices of financial intelligence in the end-to-end process, to consequently assist the investigation and prosecution of ML/TF criminal activity.
- Compliance Training
The degree or level of compliance with national AML/CTF legislation is a critical measure of a country’s broader AML/CTF effectiveness. Importantly, AML/CTF compliance is often viewed as the role of the competent authorities as well as the FIUs. The AML Solutions International CEO has often noted at international AML/CTF forums; that whilst developing FIUs are often willing to delegate the compliance function to their competent authorities (for very practical and budgetary reasons), they have inadvertently handed the management of the flow of the FIUs life-blood, financial intelligence, to a third party. There is a saying amongst intelligence officers; if you receive poor quality intelligence, you can only send poor quality intelligence out. This highlights the need for FIU oversight or input into the financial reporting obligations as mandated by law. To help address this problem AML Solutions International has worked with the compliance officers from FIUs, Central Banks, Gambling and Gaming regulators, Revenue and Tax Authorities, Real Estate regulators, Law and Accountancy regulators.