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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE
BOARD O F GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Written Agreement by and between
I

UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA
INTERNATIONAL
New York, New York

Docket No.

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
New York, New York

)

WHEREAS, Union Bank of California International, New York, New York
an Edge corporation organized under Section

of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 61 1

that is a subsidiary of Union Bank of California, N.A., San Francisco, California, is taking
steps to address deficiencies relating to compliance with applicable federal and state anti-money
laundering

laws, rules, and regulations, including the Currency and Foreign

Transactions Reporting Act, 31

C. 5311

(the Bank Secrecy Act or the

as

amended by the USA PATRIOT Act; the rules and regulations issued thereunder by the
Department of the Treasury (31 C.F.R. Part 103); and the suspicious activity reporting
requirements of Regulation K of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the
“Board of Governors”) (12 C.F.R.
WHEREAS, UBOCI provides significant services to its correspondent banking
customers, including non-U.S. banks, and also conducts a high volume of

dollar clearing

business, and Federal Reserve Bank of New York (the “Reserve Bank”) examiners have
identified compliance and risk management deficiencies at UBOCI in these operational areas;

WHEREAS, UBOCI is taking steps to enhance due diligence policies and procedures
relating to its funds transfer clearing operations and correspondent accounts for

banks

and is addressing risks associated with these lines of business, including legal and reputational
risks, by implementing industry sound practices designed to identify and effectively manage
such risks;
WHEREAS, it is the common goal of UBOCI and the Reserve Bank to ensure that
UBOCI fully addresses all deficiencies i n

policies and procedures,

due

diligence practices, risk management processes, and internal control environment; and
WHEREAS, on October 18,2004, the board of directors of UBOCI, at a duly constituted
meeting, adopted a resolution authorizing and directing Jones M. Castro, Jr., President of
UBOCI, to enter into this Written Agreement (the “Agreement”) on behalf of UBOCI and
consenting to compliance by
and

and its institution-affiliated parties, as defined in sections

of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended (12

and

with each and every provision of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, UBOCI and the Reserve Bank hereby agree as follows:

Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Within 60 days of this Agreement, UBOCI shall submit to the Reserve Bank an
acceptable written AML program designed to improve UBOCI’s system of internal controls and
to ensure compliance with all applicable provisions of the BSA and the rules and regulations
issued thereunder. The program shall include provisions for updates on an ongoing basis as
necessary to incorporate amendments to the BSA and the rules and regulations issued thereunder.
The program shall, at a minimum:

2

(a)

Improve

system of internal controls, particularly in the area of

funds transfer clearing operations, to ensure compliance with all recordkeeping and
requirements;
(b)

include controls designed to ensure compliance with all requirements

relating to correspondent accounts for non-U.S. persons, including but not limited to the
prohibition on correspondent accounts for foreign shell banks (31 C.F.R. 103.177) and due
diligence requirements for certain correspondent accounts (31 C.F.R. 103.181);
(c)

provide for thorough assessment of legal and

risks associated

with correspondent accounts and clearing operations and for regular review of risk tolerance by

appropriate members of senior management;
(d)

provide for the retention of outside consultant assistance as necessary and

appropriate to assess risks associated with particular lines of business and to design and
implement controls to manage such risks; and
(e)

be designed to ensure identification and verification of the identity of

account holders and transactors in accordance with applicable regulations.

Independent Testing and Audit
2.

Within 60 days of this Agreement,

shall submit to the Reserve Bank an

acceptable written plan for enhancing independent testing of

compliance. The

plan shall include, at a minimum:
(a)

Procedures to evaluate UBOCI’s compliance with the BSA, the rules and

regulations issued thereunder, and all other applicable AML and suspicious activity reporting
requirements;

3

(h)

adherence to industry sound practices

procedures to evaluate

relating to AML compliance, customer and correspondent account due diligence, and the
reporting of suspicious activities;
(c)

procedures for ongoing compliance monitoring covering operations and

customer due diligence in the funds transfer and correspondent banking lines of business,
including a schedule of compliance reviews to be performed in those areas;
(d)

regular evaluation of training to ensure that appropriate personnel possess

the requisite knowledge necessary to comply with the BSA;
(e)

provisions for independent testing to be performed by qualified parties

(which may include internal audit) who are independent of

business lines and

compliance function;
procedures for review of independent testing results by senior
management and escalation to the

of directors in appropriate circumstances:

procedures to ensure that senior management institutes appropriate actions
i n response to the independent testing results; and
(h)

procedures to ensure that independent testing results are communicated to

the Reserve Bank on a regular basis and retained for subsequent supervisory review.

Training
3.

Within 60 days of this Agreement, UBOCI shall submit to the Reserve Bank an

acceptable written plan to provide documented, effective training to all appropriate personnel at
(including, but not limited to, correspondent account relationship personnel, employees
involved i n funds transfer clearing operations, and customer contact personnel) in all aspects of
regulatory and internal policies and procedures related to the BSA and the identification and

4

reporting of suspicious transactions, and to update the training on a regular basis to reasonably
ensure that all personnel are trained in the most current legal requirements and i n the
organization’s risk management processes.

Suspicious Activity Reporting and Customer Due Diligence

4.

Within 60 days of this Agreement, UBOCI shall submit to the Reserve Bank an

acceptable written customer due diligence program designed to reasonably ensure the
identification and timely, accurate, and complete reporting of all known or suspected violations
of law against or involving UBOCI and all suspicious transactions at UBOCI to law enforcement
and supervisory authorities as required by the suspicious activity reporting provisions of the
Board of Governors (12 C.F.R.
(a)

At a minimum, the program shall include:

A methodology for assigning risk levels to

customer base,

including correspondent accountholders;
(b)

a risk focused assessment of
(i)

customer base to:

identify the categories of customers whose transactions and

banking activities are routine and usual; and
(ii)

determine the appropriate level of enhanced due diligence

necessary for those categories of customers that pose a heightened risk of conducting potentially
illicit activities at or through UBOCI;
(c)

for each customer whose transactions require enhanced due diligence,

procedures to:
determine the appropriate documentation necessary to verify the
identity and business activities of the customer;

5

(ii)

understand the normal and expected transactions of the customer;

and
periodically review the parameters of normal business activity for
the customer;
(d)

for correspondent accounts established, maintained, administered, or

managed i n the United States for a foreign financial institution, procedures that comport with the
industry sound practices that are set forth i n available public guidance
Clearing House Association

the New

“Guidelines for Counter Money Laundering Policies and

Procedures in Correspondent Banking” (March 2002) and the
Supervision’s “Customer Due Diligence for Banks” (October

Committee on Banking
and that include, but are

not limited to:
(i)

obtaining appropriate information about the correspondent, its

business operations, its customers, and its

procedures, particularly with regard to its

customer relationships that may present a heightened risk of money laundering; and
(ii)
by

procedures to ensure that correspondent banking services provided

are reviewed and approved by appropriate levels of management, and are subject to

appropriate ongoing review; and
(e)

procedures designed to ensure proper identification and reporting of all

known or suspected violations of law and suspicious transactions, including but not limited to:
(i)

effective monitoring of customer accounts and transactions,

including transactions conducted through

clearing operations, consistent with industry

sound practices;

6

(ii)

appropriate participation by senior management in the process of

identifying, reviewing, and reporting potentially suspicious activity; and
adequate and timely referral of information about potentially
suspicious activity to appropriate levels of management, including a policy for determining
action to be taken in the event of multiple filings of Suspicious Activity Reports on the same
customer or where a correspondent fails to provide due diligence

in a timely fashion.

Transaction Review
5.
independent

Within 20 days of this Agreement,

(a)

shall engage a qualified

(the “Consultant”) acceptable to the Reserve Bank to conduct a review of

account and transaction activity for a time period beginning no later than July 23,2002 to the
present to determine whether suspicious activity involving accounts or transactions at, by, or
through

was properly identified and reported in accordance with applicable suspicious

activity reporting regulations (the “Review”).
(b)

Within 10 days of the engagement of the Consultant, but prior to the

commencement of the Review,

shall submit to the Reserve Bank for approval an

engagement letter that sets forth:
(i)

The scope of the Review, including the types of accounts

and transactions to be reviewed;
(ii)

the methodology for conducting the Review, including any

sampling procedures to be followed;
(iii)

the expertise and resources to be dedicated to the Review; and

(iv)

the anticipated date of completion of the Review.

7

Upon completion of the Review, UBOCI shall provide to the Reserve
Bank a copy of the Consultant’s report detailing the findings of the Review at the same time the
report is provided to UBOCI.
(d)

Upon completion of the Review, UBOCI shall ensure that all matters or

transactions required to be reported that have not previously been reported are reported in
accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

Approval and Progress Reports

6.

The programs, plans, engagement letter, and the identification of the independent

consultant required by paragraphs

and 5 of this Agreement shall be submitted to the

Reserve Bank for review and approval. Acceptable programs, plans, and an acceptable
engagement letter shall be submitted to the Reserve Bank within the time periods set forth in this
Agreement and an acceptable independent consultant shall be retained within the time period set
forth in paragraph

of this Agreement. UBOCI shall adopt the approved programs, plans,

and engagement letter within 10 days of approval by the Reserve Bank and then shall fully
comply with them. During the term of this Agreement, the approved programs, plans, and
engagement letter shall not be amended or rescinded without the prior written approval of the
Reserve Bank.
Within 20 days after the end of each month following the date of this Agreement,

UBOCI shall submit to the Reserve Bank written progress reports detailing the form and manner
of all actions taken to secure compliance with the provisions of this Agreement, and the results
thereof. Management’s responses to the audit reports on BSA prepared by internal and external
auditors shall be included with the progress report. The Reserve Bank may, in writing,
discontinue the requirement for progress reports or modify the reporting schedule.

8

Notices
8.

All communications regarding this Agreement shall be sent to:
(a)

Mr. Robert A.
Senior Vice President
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045

(b)

Mr. Jones M. Castro, Jr.
President
Union Bank of
International
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005

Miscellaneous

9.

The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding on UBOCI and each of its

institution-affiliated parties in their capacities as such, and their successors and assigns.

10.

Each provision of this Agreement shall remain effective and enforceable until

stayed, modified, terminated or suspended in writing by the Reserve Bank.
11.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement, the Reserve Bank may,

its

sole discretion, grant written extensions of time to UBOCI to comply with any provision of this
Agreement.
12.

The provisions of this Agreement shall not bar, estop or otherwise prevent the

Board of Governors, the Reserve Bank, or any federal or state agency from taking any further or
other action affecting UBOCI or any of its current or former institution-affiliated parties or their
successors or assigns.

9

13.

This Agreement is a “written agreement” for the purposes of, and is enforceable

by the Board of Governors as an order issued under, section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance
Act

IN
Ieday
as of this __

WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed

of

r,2004.

FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW
YORK

UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA
INTERNATIONAL

By:
Nancy Bg&&ci.
Senior
President

Jones M. Castro, Jr.
President

10

This
is a
agreement” for the purposes of, and is
13.
Governors as an order issued under, section of the Federal
Insurance Act.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
be
day
2004.
FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF

BANK OF

By:

--

By:
Nancy
Senior Vice President

10

by the Board of
as ofihi&&