Anti-money laundering programs for dealers in precious metals, precious stones, or jewels.

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§ 1027.210 Anti-money laundering programs for dealers in precious metals, precious stones, or jewels.

(a) Anti-money laundering program requirement.

(1) Each dealer shall develop and implement a written anti-money laundering program reasonably designed to prevent the dealer from being used to facilitate money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities through the purchase and sale of covered goods. The program must be approved by senior management. A dealer shall make its anti-money laundering program available to the Department of Treasury through FinCEN or its designee upon request.

(2) To the extent that a retailer's purchases from persons other than dealers and other retailers exceeds the $50,000 threshold contained in § 1027.100(b)(2)(i), the anti-money laundering compliance program required of the retailer under this paragraph need only address such purchases.

(b) Minimum requirements. At a minimum, the anti-money laundering program shall:

(1) Incorporate policies, procedures, and internal controls based upon the dealer's assessment of the money laundering and terrorist financing risks associated with its line(s) of business. Policies, procedures, and internal controls developed and implemented by a dealer under this section shall include provisions for complying with the applicable requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. 5311 et seq.), and this chapter.

(i) For purposes of making the risk assessment required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a dealer shall take into account all relevant factors including, but not limited to:

(A) The type(s) of products the dealer buys and sells, as well as the nature of the dealer's customers, suppliers, distribution channels, and geographic locations;

(B) The extent to which the dealer engages in transactions other than with established customers or sources of supply, or other dealers subject to this rule; and

(C) Whether the dealer engages in transactions for which payment or account reconciliation is routed to or from accounts located in jurisdictions that have been identified by the Department of State as a sponsor of international terrorism under 22 U.S.C. 2371; designated as non-cooperative with international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative or organization concurs; or designated by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 5318A as warranting special measures due to money laundering concerns.

(ii) A dealer's program shall incorporate policies, procedures, and internal controls to assist the dealer in identifying transactions that may involve use of the dealer to facilitate money laundering or terrorist financing, including provisions for making reasonable inquiries to determine whether a transaction involves money laundering or terrorist financing, and for refusing to consummate, withdrawing from, or terminating such transactions. Factors that may indicate a transaction is designed to involve use of the dealer to facilitate money laundering or terrorist financing include, but are not limited to:

(A) Unusual payment methods, such as the use of large amounts of cash, multiple or sequentially numbered money orders, traveler's checks, or cashier's checks, or payment from third parties;

(B) Unwillingness by a customer or supplier to provide complete or accurate contact information, financial references, or business affiliations;

(C) Attempts by a customer or supplier to maintain an unusual degree of secrecy with respect to the transaction, such as a request that normal business records not be kept;

(D) Purchases or sales that are unusual for the particular customer or supplier, or type of customer or supplier; and

(E) Purchases or sales that are not in conformity with standard industry practice.

(2) Designate a compliance officer who will be responsible for ensuring that:

(i) The anti-money laundering program is implemented effectively;

(ii) The anti-money laundering program is updated as necessary to reflect changes in the risk assessment, requirements of this chapter, and further guidance issued by the Department of the Treasury; and

(iii) Appropriate personnel are trained in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(3) Provide for on-going education and training of appropriate persons concerning their responsibilities under the program.

(4) Provide for independent testing to monitor and maintain an adequate program. The scope and frequency of the testing shall be commensurate with the risk assessment conducted by the dealer in accordance with paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Such testing may be conducted by an officer or employee of the dealer, so long as the tester is not the person designated in paragraph (b)(2) of this section or a person involved in the operation of the program.

(c) Implementation date. A dealer must develop and implement an anti-money laundering program that complies with the requirements of this section on or before the later of January 1, 2006, or six months after the date a dealer becomes subject to the requirements of this section.


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