News & Events

Shell Companies Undermine Sanctions against North Korea

On Aug. 5, the United Nations Security Council voted to pass powerful new sanctions on North Korea. If successfully enforced, the new sanctions could deal a significant blow to the regime, cutting off as much as its foreign currency supply. But if sanctions are going to have any effect on the North Korean regime, we cannot continue to leave open critical loopholes that allow them to launder money and get around the sanctions.

Read More

New Report: Anti-Money Laundering Efforts Near Failure

Former Treasury Agent Urges Authorities to Target the Drivers of Human Trafficking, Drug Smuggling, and Corruption
Ending Anonymous Companies; Trade Transparency Units; Holding Gatekeepers Accountable Among Policy Recommendations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Worldwide anti-money laundering efforts are currently just a decimal point away from total failure, according to a new report published Tuesday by the FACT Coalition.

Read More

FinCEN Real Estate Effort Underscores Need to End Anonymous Companies

Statement by the FACT Coalition on Treasury Department Decision to Renew and Expand Geographic Targeting Orders to Identify Buyers in Luxury Real Estate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department, announced Tuesday that it was renewing and expanding its temporary orders seeking to uncover illicit activity in the luxury real estate sector.

Read More

Just The FACTS: August 21, 2017

More corrupt officials face consequences as reverberations from the Panama Papers continue. Pakistan’s Supreme Court has indefinitely disqualified the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, from public service after the prime minister and his children were implicated in dubious real estate transactions in London. A subsequent investigation showed his family owned luxury real estate properties through anonymous companies. Based on their income, it was unlikely they could afford the properties, suggesting they were potentially hiding stolen assets and engaging in illicit financial practices. In a blog responding to the action taken by the supreme court, Global Witness’ Naomi Hirst noted this as an example of how anonymous companies are used to embolden corrupt officials and called on leaders to fulfill their promises to eliminate them.

Read More

Coalition Pushes Treasury to Defend Anti-Inversions Safeguard

Alliance of Good-Governance Groups Submits Comments in Support of Rules Combating Earnings-Stripping
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In comments submitted to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Monday, good government watchdogs called on the administration to protect a recent safeguard aimed at combating offshore tax avoidance.

Read More

Bipartisan Momentum Builds as Senators Introduce Measure to Curb Money Laundering, Terror Financing

Sen. Wyden and Sen. Rubio’s “Corporate Transparency Act” — Companion to Rep. Maloney and Rep. King’s H.R.3089 — Would End Incorporation of Anonymous Companies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Momentum continued to build towards curbing criminal money laundering and terror finance Thursday as Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Corporate Transparency Act (S.1717), the Senate companion to a bipartisan House bill (H.R.3089) aimed at ending the abuse of anonymous shell companies.

Read More