Weaknesses of the AML/CTF program:

• Failed to set out clear methods to identify, mitigate, or manage the Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing (ML/TF) risks the club could reasonably faced. 

• Did not keep a record of all staff who had completed AML/CTF training, including initial and refresher training dates of completion. 

• Failure to apply appropriate enhanced customer due diligence. 

• Failure to monitor suspicious customers to identify, mitigate, and manage the ML/TF risk they pose. 

• Not conducting an appropriate source of wealth or funds check in relation to suspicious customers. 

Each contravention attracts a maximum civil penalty between $21m and $31.3m. 

Key learnings include: 

• Ensure that you have an AML/CTF program that complies with the AML/CTF requirements. 

• Include appropriate risk-based systems and controls to monitor the transactions of customers and clearly identify which staff are responsible. 

• Have clear processes for when Enhanced Customers Due Diligence should be applied. 

• Ensure AML/CTF training meets the requirements of the rules and comply with record-keeping requirements. 

• Relying on a third-party provider to manage aspects of your AML/CTF program does not absolve you from your responsibilities to manage your AML/CTF obligations. 
   

How SW can help

SW will continue to monitor developments in AML/CTF compliance and share insights as they arise. 

Reach out to your SW contact or our specialist advisers for guidance on how these learnings may impact your club

Contributors

Freddie Deegan

The post AML/CTF penalties offer critical lessons for community clubs  appeared first on SW Accountants & Advisors.

The AML/CTF Amendment Bill aims to effectively deter, detect and disrupt money laundering and terrorism financing and strengthen the existing frameworks to better address these evolving threats.

The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) notes the reforms modernise the regime to reflect changing business structures, technology and illicit financing methodologies. The amendments aim to bring Australia in line with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Who is affected?

AML/CTF compliance has been expanded to include:

• lawyers
• accountants
• real estate professionals and
• dealers in precious metals and stones.

If you are an entity already covered by AML/CTF requirements you will need to review and update your program and related processes and procedures.

What are the obligations?

Entities who now are regulated under AML/CTF must ensure they are:

• enrolling with AUSTRAC
• developing an AML/CTF program and risk assessment tailored to your business
• conducting customer due diligence
• reviewing transactions
• reporting on suspicious activity and
• ongoing employee training.

What do you need to do?

Entities under the expansion will need to enrol with AUSTRAC by 31 March 2026 and be compliant with AML/CTF obligations by 1 July 2026. Reforms to tipping-off offence will commence on 31 March 2025.

AUSTRAC can take enforcement action for non-compliance with AML/CTF legislation including civil penalty orders, enforceable undertakings, infringement notices and remedial directions.

How SW can help

We are committed to working with clients to ensure they are prepared for and understand the new requirements.

Get in touch and our team can help with:

• helping you understand the recent AML/CTF reform
• development of a tailored AML/TF program
• AML/CTF review to meet AUSTRAC requirements.

Contributors

Sean Wong

The post Anti-Money Laundering November 2024 reforms appeared first on SW Accountants & Advisors.

I support and assist organisations to optimise and improve their operations and achieve business objectives. By evaluating and advising on decision-making processes, risk management practices, control mechanisms and governance procedures, I provide valuable insights and guidance while maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.

Working with clients across a range of industries, including financial services, education, local government and government owned agencies, water authorities and other public and private sector organisations, my areas of expertise include:

• devising and executing outsourced internal audit programs
• crafting and assessing risk management frameworks
• conducting thorough investigations into fraud concerns and offering actionable recommendations for implementing effective fraud controls
• carrying out independent reviews on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) measures
• performing comprehensive payroll audits and evaluating compliance with Enterprise Agreements
• facilitating the development and review of Modern Slavery statements
• assessing general IT controls to ensure robust security measures, and
• evaluating controls and monitoring outsourced service providers to ensure seamless operations.

I am a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors in Australia, and a member of ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association).

Laura Toscano is a Partner of SW Audit and a Director of SW Accountants & Advisors Pty Ltd.

The post Laura Toscano, Partner appeared first on SW Accountants & Advisors.

With the news regarding SkyCity, AUSTRAC has cited ‘systemic failures’ in the operator’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) programs, particularly regarding the failure to have a transaction monitoring program and to carry out appropriate ongoing customer due diligence, including on some very high-risk customers.

Australia’s thriving pub and club industry is not exempt from scrutiny. Electronic gaming machine operators, including pubs and clubs with electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are required to actively mitigate and manage their money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risks. Business with entitlement to operate 15 or less EGMs may be exempt from some obligations, however they must still enrol with AUSTRAC and report suspicious matters.

AML/CTF requirements for gaming machines operators

Pubs and clubs with EGMs should ensure they have/do the following:

• Complete a risk assessment to identify money laundering and terrorism financing risks your business faces and tailor your AML/CTF program to the business.
• Collect and verify ‘know you customer’ (KYC) information.
• Have a transaction monitoring program.
• Have ongoing customer due diligence and carry out additional checks on higher risk or suspicious customers.
• Report suspicious matters to AUSTRAC e.g. if you suspect a person is linked to crime or a customer is not who they claim to be. Low reporting compared to peers may indicated an ineffective AML/CTF program.
• Do not tell customers that you have reported them in a suspicious matter report (SMR).
• Maintain accurate records of transactions e.g. a cheque register of payouts.
• Have processes so that staff working on the gaming floor can help to identify and report suspicious behaviour.
• Have an employee due diligence program.
• Submit annual compliance reports to AUSTRAC.
• Notify AUSTRAC of any changes such as a new compliance officer or updated contact information.
• Undertake regular independent reviews of Part A of your AML/CTF program.

How can SW help?

Our highly experienced team works closely with organisations across multiple industries, including the tourism and hospitality sectors, to ensure their AML/CTF programs are compliant  and appropriate to the needs of the business. We can review your current programs and processes, advise where the gaps are, or review your  compliance with AML/CTF requirements.

Reach out to our experts for an obligation free discussion about your current program, details about how we can help with a review of your AML/CTF program and provide tailored recommendations.

Contacts

Laura Toscano

The post Gaming machine money laundering: What do operators need to do to comply with AML/CTF Laws appeared first on SW Accountants & Advisors.

Following criticism and concern regarding Australia’s customer due diligence requirements, amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth) (AML/CTF Act) were passed by parliament in December 2020, and these came into force on 18 June 2021.

The changes bring Australia into compliance with the standards published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an international, inter-governmental body which develops and monitors policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

The Act empowers AUSTRAC, Australia’s AML regulator, with a range of measures to detect and deter money laundering and terrorism financing, including monitoring a reporting entity’s AML/CTF program, independent reviews and compliance reporting.

Through working with clients for over 20 years to streamline financial crime prevention processes and controls, our experts have a deep understanding of both the business structures of financial and other reporting institutions, and the regulatory compliance requirements that AUSTRAC will enforce.

What are the changes?

Several changes were made to improve collaboration and information sharing between agencies, increase due diligence obligations, streamline cross-border currency provisions, and in some areas reduce costs and regulatory burden.

Typically when conducting AML /CTF reviews we have helped organisations improve their AML/ CTF control framework in the following areas:

• Appropriate Know Your Customer (KYC) risk assessment processes
• Strengthening of gaps identified in the policy and procedure framework
• Automated controls around monitoring of suspicious transaction activity, and
• Effectiveness of sanctions and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) screening including processes in place to monitor Australian blacklists / watch lists.

How we can help?

Reporting entities, particularly ADIs and other financial institutions operating in Australia, must ensure the business has robust policies, procedures and controls in place through an AML/CTF Program to help it prevent, detect and report instances of money laundering and terrorism financing that might occur through the legitimate products and services the business offers.

The Program is required to be independently reviewed for compliance regularly.

• Is your AML/CTF Risk Assessment up to date and does it adequately identify your risks?
• Does your AML/CTF Program cover the updated requirements set out by the AML/CTF Act and Rules?
• Have you commissioned an independent review of your AML/CTF compliance in the last two years?

Contacts

Get in touch to talk to an expert about a specialist AML/CTF program review.

Laura Toscano

For further information see the AUSTRAC reforms guidance.

The post AML/CTF changes now in place appeared first on SW Accountants & Advisors.