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Each question shows the correct answer and an explanation of why it is right
A compliance officer of a financial institution is reviewing a payment for sanctions compliance between two parties in Europe and Asi
a. The payment is in Euros and involves the provision of services to a company located in a jurisdiction subject to Office of Foreign Assets Control secondary sanctions. Which factor is most important in determining the compliance officer's response?
The threat of US sanctions against foreign individuals and entities continues to exist despite the absence of a US nexus. This is stated in the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition) manual on page 591, which states: ''It is important to note that the threat of US sanctions against foreign individuals and entities continues to exist even when there is no direct US nexus (i.e., no US persons or assets involved).''
Which is the first valid step in the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties international cooperation process?
The first valid step in the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) international cooperation process is for the central authority of the requesting country to send a letter of request to the central authority of the other country. The letter of request should provide a summary of the facts and information required, the reasons for the request, and any specific legal or procedural requirements that need to be met. (CAMS Manual, 6th Edition, Page 233).
An investigator receives an alert documenting a series of transactions. A limited liability corporation (LLC) wired 59.000,000 USD to an overseas account associated with a state-run oil company. A second account associated with the state-run oil company wired 600,000,000 USD to the LLC. The LLC then wired money to other accounts, a money brokerage firm, and real estate purchases.
The investigator initiated an enhanced KYC investigation on the LLC. The financial institution opened the LLC account a couple of weeks prior to the series of transactions. The names associated with the LLC had changed multiple times since the account opened. A search of those names revealed relations with multiple LLCs. Public records about the LLCs did not show any identifiable business activities.
Open-source research identified mixed reports about the brokerage firm. The firm indicated it purchased mutual funds for its clients and dispensed returns to clients.
Media reports claimed the firm laundered money by holding for a fee before returning it to investors.
The investigator discovers that the bank has no records pertaining to ownership of the LLC. What would this mean for the bank and/or investigator?
The bank is out of compliance with CIP regulations because it did not obtain the minimum identifying information from the customer prior to opening the account, as required by 31 CFR 1020.220(a)(2)(i)(A). The bank should have obtained the name, date of birth, address, and identification number of the customer, as well as verified the identity of the customer to the extent reasonable and practicable. The lack of ownership data may also indicate a violation of beneficial ownership regulations, but that is not the primary issue in this case.
A bank investigator notices an account receiving multiple deposits from the same employer under different employees' names. A cash withdrawal occurs one day after each deposit. The outcome of this investigation will likely uncover which crime typology?
The correct answer is A because this scenario describes a possible case of human trafficking, which is a crime where people are exploited for labor or sexual services against their will. Human traffickers may use bank accounts to launder their proceeds and pay their victims, and they may use fake or stolen identities to avoid detection. The other options are not likely because they do not explain why multiple deposits from the same employer under different employees' names would occur, nor why cash withdrawals would follow each deposit.
The investigations team of a financial institution (Fl) wants to perform enhanced due diligence measures on operations done by a foreign bank related to transactions of companies that export scrap gold and silver. What would be the next best steps for the investigations team? (Select Two.)
The correct answers are B and C because these are the most relevant and reasonable steps for the investigations team to perform enhanced due diligence on the operations of the foreign bank and its customers. Asking for the risk rating, customer profiles, and official licenses would help the team assess the level of risk and compliance of the foreign bank and its customers, who are engaged in a high-risk activity of exporting scrap gold and silver. The other options are not appropriate because they are either premature or ineffective. Rescinding the contract, filing a SAR/STR, or closing the accounts would require more evidence and justification, and they may also damage the relationship with the foreign bank.
Law enforcement (LE) suspects human trafficking to occur during a major sporting event LE officers asked several financial institutions (FIs) to monitor financial transactions occurring before, during, and after the event.
An investigator identified a pattern linked to a business. The business' account received multiple even dollar deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM. They occurred each day for several days prior to the date of the sporting event. Also, large cash deposits, typically between 2,000 USD and 3,000 USD. made by a person to the business' account occurred in many branches in the days after the sports event.
There was little information about the company. The company did not have any history of employee payroll expenses or paying taxes. Expenses from the business account included air travel and hotel expenses. Searches about the person making cash deposits showed little. An online social media platform webpage with the individual's name showed ads for dates1' and "companionship."
The Fl wants to create an automated alert for human trafficking money laundering after this investigation. Which activity type should they target?
The activity type that the FI should target for creating an automated alert for human trafficking money laundering is multiple deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM (B). This is because this pattern is consistent with the indicators of human trafficking identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Egmont Group1, which include:
Frequent cash deposits, often in round amounts, outside of normal business hours
Deposits made at different branches or ATMs in various locations
Lack of information about the nature and purpose of the business
Involvement in online platforms that advertise sexual services
Expenses related to travel and accommodation
The other options are not as relevant or specific as option B. Payments made to multiple hotels in the same city (A) could be a legitimate business expense or a sign of other types of money laundering, such as tax evasion or fraud. Deposits made within days of major sporting events could also be explained by other factors, such as increased tourism or gambling. Payments made for virtual currency (D) are not directly related to human trafficking, although they could be used to facilitate money laundering in general.
SAR/STR NARRATIVE
A SAR/STR has been submitted on five transactions conducted on the correspondent banking relationship with ABC Bank.
Client Information:
Remitter information: DEF Oil Resource Ltd. is the oldest member of the DEF Group. It was founded in 1977 as a general trading business with a primary focus on exports from Africa and North Americ
a. The group has business activities that span the entire energy value chain. Their core field of endeavor is centered within the oil and gas industry and its associated sub-sectors.
Beneficiary Information:
As per the response received from ABC Bank, it was determined that the beneficiaries are related to DEF Oil Resource Ltd. These were created by DEF Oil Resource Ltd. to purchase property in a foreign country on behalf of their senior management as part of a bonus scheme. The purpose behind this payment was for purchase of property in another country.
Payment Reference:
ABCXXXXX31PZFG2H
ABCXXXXXX51PQGEH
ABCXXXXXX214QWVG
ABCXXXXXX41PSXA2
ABCXXXXXX815QWS3
Concerns:
* We are unsure about the country of incorporation of the beneficiaries.
* We are concerned about the transactional activity since the payment made towards entities (conducted on behalf of individuals) appears to be possible tax evasion.
* There appears to be an attempt to conceal the identity of individuals (senior management), which again raises concerns about the source of funds.
* Referring to the response received from ABC Bank, we are unclear about the ultimate beneficiary of funds.
* The remitter is involved in a high-risk business, (i.e., oil and crude products trading), and the beneficiary is involved in a real estate business which again poses a higher risk.
The monitoring system of the correspondent institution flags the transaction as suspicious activity. The correspondent bank needs to send a request for information to the respondent bank. Which elements should be included in the request? (Select Three.)
The request for information should include the following elements:
Details of DEF Oil Resource Ltd parent company and the name(s) of the beneficial owner(s) (Option A): This is necessary to verify the identity and ownership structure of the remitter and to assess the risk level of the customer and the transaction.
The account profile of the customer and their KYC data (Option C): This is necessary to understand the nature and purpose of the customer's business relationship with the respondent bank and to compare it with the observed transactional activity.
The contract pertaining to the purchase of property in another country (Option E): This is necessary to verify the legitimacy and source of funds for the transaction and to identify the ultimate beneficiary of funds.
The other options are not relevant or necessary for the request for information. The full transaction history of the correspondent bank's customer (Option B) is too broad and may not be related to suspicious activity. The respondent bank's customer's senior management bonus plan (Option D) is not relevant to the transaction and may not be available to the respondent bank. The last 6 months of transactional history (Option F) is also too broad and may not be related to the suspicious activity.
Advanced CAMS-FCI Certification Handbook, page 19
Exam domains verified against: Official Acams CAMS-FCI exam guide, last checked October 2026.
Covers advanced techniques for managing and directing intricate financial crime investigations. Examines strategies for coordinating multi-faceted cases, managing resources effectively, and navigating cross-border investigations.
Geared toward experienced financial crime analysts. Examines a variety of financial crime typologies at an intermediate level and addresses emerging patterns in money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes.
Sample question from this domain above: Q1
Tailored for financial crime and compliance reporting officers. Delves into the complexities involved in reporting suspicious activity and producing defensible outputs such as SARs and law enforcement referrals.
Directed at compliance professionals. Evaluates candidates' knowledge of the governance structures required for managing an effective Anti-Financial Crime investigations unit and maintaining regulatory oversight.
Common questions about the exam itself
