| Subject: | Re: Subject: FinCEN public statement |
|---|---|
| Date: | Tue, 22 Sep 2020 15:29:29 -0400 |
| From: | ESecretariat <secretariat@egmont.org> |
| To: |
Message sent on behalf Ms. Hennie Verbeek-Kusters, Chair of the Egmont Group and Chair of the Egmont Committee
Dear HoFIU colleagues,
I would like to follow up on the FinCEN’s statement and the news articles that came out on Sunday 20 September.
You may have noticed the constant flow of news articles on this matter since Sunday 20 September at 7PM CET. Following coordination with the EG Vice Chairs, to our knowledge, and as I write this message, there has been no information that would indicate the ESW has been compromised. Nor has there, so far, been indication that information coming from other FIUs had been leaked or compromised. It’s for this reason that I call upon all of you to continue our good work, including exchanging and sharing information.
This being said, we, the Egmont Committee, which is currently setting up a sub-group in charge of engaging with FinCEN to see if there are any non-compliance issues related with these leaks, will be also monitoring following press releases to assess the situation on a daily basis. We will keep you updated whenever the situation, according to our assessment, changes.
Kind regards,
Hennie Verbeek-Kusters
Chair of the Egmont Group
Chair of the Egmont Committee
Message sent on behalf Ms. Hennie Verbeek-Kusters, Chair of the Egmont Group
Dear HoFIU Colleagues,
I hope this message finds all of you well despite these challenging times.
In my capacity as Egmont Group Chair, I am required to ensure members are informed about key developments relevant to our organization. As a result of this mandate, I would like to bring to your attention the Statement by FinCEN Regarding Unlawfully Disclosed Suspicious Activity Reports published on September 1st (online version available here), which reads as follows:
“The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is aware that various media outlets intend to publish a series of articles based on unlawfully disclosed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), as well as other sensitive government documents, from several years ago. As FinCEN has stated previously, the unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States, compromise law enforcement investigations, and threaten the safety and security of the institutions and individuals who file such reports. FinCEN has referred this matter to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General.”
On Wednesday, the Executive Secretary, the Regional Representatives of the Americas Regional Group and I had a virtual meeting with FinCEN’s HoFIU, Director Kenneth A. Blanco, to ask specific questions about this very concerning situation. Mr. Blanco was not in a position to answer our specific inquiries due to the ongoing investigations conducted by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Justice. The Egmont Committee will immediately start assessing the situation and explore any course of action.
At this point I highly encourage all HoFIU, if approached by the media about this case, to direct them to the public statement published on FinCEN’s website. Additionally, I believe it is of utmost importance to reiterate in any interactions with media:
· The strict arrangements FIUs have in place for protecting the confidentiality and security of the information they receive from reporting entities and other sources.
· The Egmont Group’s high standards for holding members accountable, especially in terms of protecting the information they receive.
· The assistance our organization provides members in maintaining high security standards, through dedicated training and the sharing of positive experiences.
· The real and immediate threat to the safety and security of the institutions and individuals reporting to FIUs, should such information be unlawfully disseminated.
I will continue to positively engage with Director Kenneth A. Blanco, the Regional Representatives, and the Executive Secretary to keep the Egmont Group members informed of any developments.
Best regards,
Hennie Verbeek-Kusters
Chair of the Egmont Group