Ownership Transparency

The U.S. is the easiest place in the world for a criminal, terrorist, tax cheat, or kleptocrat to open an anonymous shell company to launder their money with impunity. Anonymous corporations are great ways to hide money and other assets — they can hold a bank account or buy a yacht. Criminals often layer anonymous corporations, with one owning another and so on, making it even harder for law enforcement to “trace the money” and figure out who is directing the company’s activity. It’s time to ending the use of anonymous shell companies as vehicles for illicit activity by requiring that the true owners of U.S. companies be disclosed at the time of formation and updated upon any change.

Narcotics Officers Endorse Senate Bill to End Anonymous Companies

The National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC) sent a letter to the Senate endorsing the bipartisan ILLICIT CASH Act (S.2563), which would end the incorporation of anonymous companies in the U.S.

The NNOAC is comprised of 40 individual state narcotic associations representing more than 60,000 law enforcement officers from across the nation.  NNOAC adds its name to the growing list of police and prosecutors that support legislation to combat the abuse of anonymous shell companies.

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In Historic Vote, House Passes Bipartisan Bill to End Anonymous Companies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With a bipartisan vote of 249 to 173, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to update federal anti-money laundering laws and end the incorporation of anonymous companies in the U.S.  After more than a decade of debate in Washington, the vote in favor of the Corporate Transparency Act of 2019 (H.R.2513) represents the first time that legislation to end anonymous companies has made it through either Chamber of Congress.

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