Financial Crime Flashcards
Under what act is insider dealing a crime?
Criminal Justice Act 1993
** a serious offence but notoriously difficult to prosecute
Who oversees insider dealing legislation contained within the Criminal Justice Act 1993?
HMT
What 3 types of offences does insider dealing constitute?
- DEALING on the strength of information
- ENCOURAGING others to deal
- DISCLOSING of
Under the Criminal Justice Act 1993, what are the characteristics of inside information? (4)
- Specific or precise
- Not public
- Price sensitive
- From an inside source
What is as an insider? (2)
- Knows that the information is from an inside source
- Likely to deal on the strength of the information
What securities are not affected by insider dealing? (3)
- Packaged products
- UCITS
- OTC markets (commodity derivatives)
What type of securities are affected by insider dealing?
- Readily realisable products that are available on an RIE or through a professional intermediary (e.g. stockbroker)
What are the general defences for insider dealing? (3)
- Proper course of business and did not expect the recipient to deal
- Dealing was not for for profit or loss
- Information was already public even if it was only to one section of the public e.g. behind a paywall/for experts only at a fee
What are the special defences for insider dealing? (3)
- Stabilisation of prices
- Protecting market participants
- Market makers acting in good faith
How is insider dealing enforced by the FCA? (2)
- FCA works with RIEs
- FCA has the responsibility for prosecutions - power to interview people under caution, search premises and seize assets under warrant
Under was Act does the FCA has criminal powers?
FSMA 2000
What is the maximum penalty for insider dealing and misleading statements?
10 years in jail and unlimited fine
What is the minimum penalty for insider dealing and misleading statements?
£5,000 fine and 6 months in jail
What is considered a misleading statement? (3)
- Lies
- Misleading, false or deceptive statements
- Dishonesty and concealing material facts
What are 3 types of offences under the Financial Services Act 2012?
- S89: Misleading statements e.g. lying to persuade someone to deal, concealing relevant facts in takeover documents
- S90: Misleading impressions e.g. abusive squeezes, market rigging
- S91: Misleading statements in relation to benchmarks e.g. LIBOR
What are 2 defences for misleading statements?
- Reasonable belief that statement was not false or misleading
- Price stabilisation or control of information rules
Who initiates investigations and prosecutions?
FCA
What is the EU Benchmark Regulation (6)
- In response to LIBOR and EUIBOR scandals - manipulation of benchmarks
- Came into force in 2018
- Ensures benchmarks are robust and reliable
- Minimising conflicts of interest in benchmark setting process
- Introduces a code of conduct for benchmark creators, requiring robust methodologies and controls
- EU BMR was onshored and is now UK BMR
What type of offence is market abuse?
A civil offence
What is considered a market abuse offence? (3)
- Assisting or attempting to assist insider dealing - including amending or cancelling order
- Recommending or inducting another person to engage in insider dealing
- Unlawfully disclosing inside information
What investments and prescribed markets are covered by Market Abuse regulation (MAR)? (2)
- Any UK regulated market
- Any EU regulated market - MTF, OTC Derivatives, OTF
What is market abuse based on?
EFFECT as opposed to intention
What are the 5 market abuse behaviours?
- Insider dealing
- Improper disclosure
- Manipulating transactions
- Manipulating devices
- Dissemination
Under what act is money laundering an offence?
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 - POCA 2002
What is money laundering?
- Cash proceeds from illegal activity such as drug trafficking, fraud, forgery and tax evasion
What are the three stages that money laundering takes place?
Placement - disposing cash and depositing money into a bank account
Laying - Separates cash proceeds from illegal source. Investing funds
Integration - Attempt to lose audit trail by re-investing cash proceeds e.g. buying real estate. Money appears legit
Who is in charge of money laundering within firms? (2)
- Money Laundering Reporting Officer to whom suspicions should be reported (MLRO).
- All firms no matter how small have an MLRO
Who has the responsibility of reporting money laundering? (2)
- MLRO to National Crime Agency
- All staff to MLRO
- Failure to report is a criminal offence
What are the qualifying conditions for an MLRO? (5)
- MLROs are considered a senior member of the firm and approved person.
- A required control function.
- Expected to be based in the UK
- Be independent
- Have sufficient resources at their disposal
What are the 2 major differences between criminal funds and financing terrorism? (2)
- Terrorism can be funded from legitimate sources - difficult to classify when funds become terrorist assets
- Only a small amount could be required to fund terrorism - tracking funds can be difficult
Under what act is financial terrorism a crime?
Terrorism Act 2000
What is the maximum penalty for money laundering?
2 years in jail and unlimited fine
What procedures can firms use to prevent money laundering amongst clients? (3)
- AML documentation for identity and identifying owner of underlying assets
- Internal controls and staff training to identify suspicious transaction
- Simplified and enhanced due diligence
When should enhanced due diligence be carried? (3)
- Business is conducted on a non face to face basis
- The customer is a politically exposed person (PEP)
- Client is on a high risk jurisdiction (black list e.g. Botswana)
What block covers money laundering?
Senior Management Arrangements, Systems and Controls (SYSC) - Block 1; High Quality Standards
What is the enhanced due diligence process for PEPs? (5)
- PEPs are vulnerable to corruption as they hold high public status
- Due diligence is carried on all of their family members, friends and associates
- Must be approved by senior management
- Adequate measures to identify source of funds
- Enhanced ongoing monitoring procedures
What are examples of money laundering suspicions?
- Reluctance of a new client to provide ID
- Unnecessary use of a third party
- Continual patterns of unusual trading
- A request for non market price transactions
- The constant use of transfers and bearer securities
- An introduction from a suspicious party of jurisdiction
- Where a client has no obvious reason to use its services
- Unusual or frequent payments to third parties
How long must identity records be maintained?
5 years from:
- The end of the firms relationship with the client
- Transaction was completed
- AML training was given
- Reports made to the NCA
What is the defence for money laundering? (2)
- When knowledge or suspicion is reported to the National Crime Agency before the prohibited act is carried or soon after
- Employees have not received training
Under POCA 2002, what are the penalties for money laundering? (6)
- Concealing, acquiring, possessing and assisting - 14 years
- Failure to report - 5 years
- Knowingly prejudicing an investigation - 5 years
- Tipping off - 2 years
- False or misleading statements - 2 years
- Failure to comply with MLRO - 2 years
What are the offences under the UK Bribery Act 2010? (4)
- Pay or offer bribes
- Receive or solicit bribes
- Bribe foreign officials
- Fail as an organisation to prevent bribes
What is the penalty for bribery under the UKBA 2010? (2)
- Individuals: 10 years in jail
- Companies: unlimited fine
What is the Criminal Finances Act 2017? (2)
- Targets money laundering, tax evasion, corruption and terrorist financing
- Identifies criminal property and funds easier by improving the quality of investigating proceeds of crime
How does the Criminal Finances Act 2017 investigate proceeds of crime? (3)
- Unexplained wealth orders
- Further information orders
- Application to PEPs for information
What is the Joint Money Laundering Steering Group? (2)
- Sets out practical methods for implementation of money laundering regulations
- Includes unions like the British Bankers Association