Gatekeepers (e.g., accountants, auditors, lawyers) play a critical role in detecting financial crime.
Option B (Correct):Corporate clientsposehigher money laundering risksdue tocomplex ownership structures and cross-border financial activities.
Option C (Correct):The nature of requested services(e.g.,offshore structuring, large cash transactions) can indicate potentialmoney laundering attempts.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
Option A (Incorrect):The length of time a client has been with an accounting firm does not necessarily indicate financial crime risk.
Option D (Incorrect):Short-term relationships may be high-risk, but understanding the business type and services requested is more critical.
Red Flags for Money Laundering in Professional Services:
Clients requesting offshore structures for no apparent business reason.
Use of complex trusts or nominee directors to obscure ownership.
Unexplained large transactions moving through legal or accounting firms.
Best Practices for Gatekeepers to Prevent Money Laundering:
Perform Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) on high-risk clients.
Report unusual financial activity to FIUs.
Follow FATF’s DNFBP (Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions) AML guidelines.
[Reference:, FATF Recommendation 22 (AML Compliance for Accountants and Lawyers), Wolfsberg Group Guidance on DNFBP AML Risks, EU 6th AML Directive (6AMLD) on DNFBP Risk Management, , , Final Thoughts:, FIUs play a central role in financial intelligence collection and sharing., The Egmont Group enables cross-border AML cooperation among FIUs., Gatekeepers, such as accountants and lawyers, must monitor corporate clients for money laundering risks., , , , ]
