What International Leaks Databases Have Taught Us So Far?
The international leaks database by ICIJ has given us one important lesson, that there are more destructive implications of lax regulations in terms of shell companies and offshore accounts than mere hiding money by the rich.
The most alarming revelation from international leak databases like the Panama Leaks, Pandora Leaks, Offshore Leaks, and beyond was that the companies and individuals exposed were not just involved in economic crimes like tax evasion and money laundering. In fact, they were also engaged in terrorist financing. Terrorist organizations like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Russian organized crime groups were also taking advantage of the lax regulations via shell companies and offshore accounts. In the following article, you will discover how terrorist financing can be curbed using Leaked Documents Monitoring
How Lax U.S Regulations Benefit Terrorist Organisations?
The current US regulations are not just ineffective but actually way too lax in facilitating the formation of shell companies. The United States is placed on the bottom list of countries with lax regulations for the formation of shell companies, right after Panama and Kenya where it’s the easiest to set up shell companies. Anybody can conceal their identity and assets under the cover of an anonymous shell company. Furthermore, a shell company can be founded without requiring and verifying information regarding the beneficial or ultimate beneficial owner of the firm. This allows the terrorists to deposit black money into US banks and use the international financial system for their illegal activities.
Money is essential for all terror organizations to run their operations. Terrorism financing is the process of supplying money to terror organizations. Terrorist financing can have legitimate or illegitimate sources of funding. Legitimate sources include profits made out of legitimate businesses or misuse of a given charity for terrorist activities. Illegitimate sources could be profits made in the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and people. Most countries have compliance regulations in place following FATF recommendations and Bank Secrecy laws Act.
Even a sanctioned state like Iran, which is declared a terror-sponsoring state by the US itself, could easily take advantage of the anonymity provided by loose US regulations by creating a complex web of anonymous shell companies to evade US authorities and benefit millions of dollars from the expensive real estate property in the very heart of Manhattan – the 650 Fifth Avenue.
How Terrorists Take Advantage of Shell Companies?
According to the report released by the US Department of Treasury, ISIS funding increased substantially from 2014 – 2017 and it was able to fund its terrorist infrastructure by looting the domestic economies of its occupied territories in Syria and Iraq. Large profits were made in the oil business in these territories. Their approximate earning in the oil business was $1 million to $2 million a day. Their side income comes from ransoms obtained from kidnapping operations, which comprised over $100 million.
Likewise, in the case of Hamas, its financial operatives generated income to fund their terrorist operations by setting up anonymous shell companies in major financial centers around the globe including the United States, Turkey, United Kingdom, Qatar, and United Arab Emirate. They also made profits from investment firms and real estate. Furthermore, Hamas receives $70 million to $100 million a year from Iran. Border security and taxation provides it $300 million to $400 million annually.
A typical terrorist in the U.S can easily take advantage of lax regulations. They probably may have a hard time traveling in the country without a passport or a driver’s license but they can easily set up an anonymous shell company while keeping their identity in the shadows.
Another shocking instance of this wild story is the use of shell companies by Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout where he smuggled weaponry like tanks and missiles under the cover of shell companies to terror organizations all over the world.
How To Combat Terrorist Financing Using Internationally Leaked Documents Screening Services?
In today’s world where terrorist organizations are developing sophisticated strategies and are ahead of their game to bypass compliance regulations, financial institutions must level up their plan of action. FATF, in its report published in July 2021 called ‘Opportunities and Challenges of New Technologies for AML/CFT’ also insist financial institutions around the globe take advantage of new technologies like Leaks Database monitoring system to enhance the efficiency of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.
For the financial world, the encouraging news is, tools like Leaks Database Monitoring Solution driven by machine learning are now easily accessible in the market. The Online Leaked Documents Screening screens millions of documents, from hundreds of thousands of offshore companies including hundreds of top executives and thousands of shell companies from around the world.
Technologies like International Leaks Database Monitoring advance financial inclusion by incorporating the use of AML hi-tech, resultantly increasing the reach of regulators transatlantically.
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