Blog

20
Jul

FATF issued Financial Investigations Guidance

The purpose of the Financial Investigations Guidance is to help countries better understand law enforcement’s role in the larger anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism context, specifically addressing the role of financial investigations

This guidance report aims to assist policy makers as well as practitioners by providing ideas and concepts that they can incorporate into their AML/CFT frameworks that might lead to more effective financial investigations.

The term financial investigation, for the purpose of this guidance report, means an enquiry into the financial affairs related to criminal conduct. The major goal of a financial investigation is to identify and document the movement of money during the course of criminal activity. The link between the origins of the money, beneficiaries, when the money is received and where it is stored or deposited can provide information about and proof of criminal activity.

This guidance report also contains overarching concepts, strategies and techniques which are meant to be applicable to different legal systems and different types of operational frameworks and is intended to assist countries on how best to implement the FATF Recommendations associated with conducting financial investigations.

Some of the ideas and concepts provided in the guidance go beyond the scope of the standards but are intended to provide examples of ways in which countries conduct financial investigations.

www.fatf-gafi.org