View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

10/28/2023

FATF Advances Efforts to Counter Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing | U.S. Department of the Treasury

FATF Advances Efforts to Counter Money Laundering and
Terrorist Financing
October 28, 2023

PARIS — At its plenary meeting this week, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global
standard-setting body for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism,
advanced numerous initiatives to strengthen global anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing standards.
“The United States welcomes the FATFʼs work to combat terrorist financing, strengthen asset
recovery, protect non-profit organizations from misuse, and address the illicit finance risks
associated with citizenship and residency by investment programs,” said Secretary of the
Treasury Janet L. Yellen. “These steps are critical to denying terrorist organizations access to
funds, safeguarding the global financial system, and enhancing collective e orts to address
financial crime.”
Among the initiatives that the FATF advanced this week, FATF members adopted revisions to
its asset recovery standards to strengthen the tools available to law enforcement, asset
recovery agencies, and criminal justice system to target and recover criminal proceeds and
improve mutual legal assistance. FATF members also adopted a report on how terrorist
groups like Hamas use crowdfunding techniques to raise money for their attacks. The FATF, in
response to the commitment made by FATF Ministers in April 2022 to further e orts by the
FATF to counter corruption, adopted a report on the misuse of citizenship and residency by
investment (CBI/RBI) programs, highlighting how corrupt actors, tax evaders, and other
criminals have exploited these programs to disguise their identity, open bank accounts to
establish shell companies, or conceal where they may owe taxes or other liabilities from
financial institutions by using new identification documents. The FATF also, as part of its
ongoing e orts to address the misapplication of the FATF standards, revised
Recommendation 8, the standard related to the protection of non-profit organizations
(NPOs) from misuse by terrorist financiers and other illicit actors. FATF members sent for
public comment dra guidance to implement the revised standards on beneficial ownership of
trusts and similar legal arrangements.
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1847

1/2

10/28/2023

FATF Advances Efforts to Counter Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing | U.S. Department of the Treasury

The FATF will also undertake work relating to countriesʼ compliance with Recommendation 5,
which requires countries to criminalize terrorist financing.
FATF members voted for the accession of Indonesia as the FATFʼs 40th member. The United
States welcomes Indonesiaʼs membership and recognizes the substantial progress Indonesia
has made to improve its AML/CFT regime.
Full outcomes of the FATF Plenary, 27 October 2023
###

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1847

2/2