The Challenges of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) A Guide to PEPs FATF explicitly emphasizes that its politically exposed persons (PEPs) requirements should not be interpreted in any way as an effort aimed at stigmatizing PEPs. Given the tens of thousands […]
When elected to prominent political positions or assigned high-profile public roles, individuals should be categorized as politically exposed persons (PEPs) to reflect their increased risk of involvement in money laundering or terrorism financing. Global regulators require financial institutions (FIs) to […]
Domestic PEPs vs foreign PEPs: should they be treated the same? Politicians and other high-profile public officials are especially vulnerable to criminal behavior since they wield significant power and have access to a wealth of resources. Therefore, screening for politically […]
Politically exposed person (PEP) screening is crucial to anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) programs worldwide. It helps identify individuals vulnerable to money laundering activities and protect financial systems and their institutions. However, once an individual steps […]
Introduced in the United Kingdom in 2018, unexplained wealth orders (UWO) have become a powerful tool in the fight against money laundering. UWOs are court orders, issued by the UK High Court, that compel their targets to reveal the source […]
As part of customer due diligence, financial institutions verify their customers’ identities and examine contextual information to establish whether they present a higher money laundering risk. That information might include the customer’s political status, references to them in negative news […]
While politically exposed person (PEP) status does not predict criminal behavior, the risk exposure that it brings means that financial institutions must apply additional AML/CFT measures when establishing a business relationship and conduct ongoing monitoring to ensure that they capture […]
Canada’s AML regulations require banks and financial institutions to check whether their clients are a Politically Exposed Person in Canada (or elsewhere) in order to build accurate risk profiles and comply with legislation. PEP screening is required by regulatory authorities […]
As part of their customer due diligence obligations, banks and financial institutions must establish whether their clients are politically exposed persons (PEP) and at risk of being involved in financial crimes, like money laundering. Politically exposed persons fall into several […]
Many uncertainties and misunderstandings surround politically exposed persons (PEPs). Classifying a client as a PEP is part of the process that enables financial institutions (FIs) and designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) to assess the risks related to PEPs. Since […]
