buzzfeed--2020-09-22--The Banker Was A Spy

The Banker Was A Spy

The Russian bank VEB has long operated in the United States — despite dozens of suspicious activity reports outlining concerns that it was a threat to national security .
A FinCEN Files investigation .
In 2014 , the FBI was in the late stages of an elaborate sting .
An undercover agent posing as an energy analyst leaked binders with fake commercial secrets to two Russian spies operating in New York .
The spies took the binders back to the “ Rezidentura , ” the New York base of operations for the SVR , Russia ’ s foreign intelligence agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relayed the spies ’ every word back to American counterintelligence agents .
The pair of SVR officers were caught gabbing about their secret roles , from the difficulties of recruiting prospective agents to the disappointment that their day-to-day work was not even close to “ movies about James Bond.
” In their free-flowing conversations , they discussed an SVR agent working for them under deep cover in New York : Evgeny Buryakov .
Ostensibly , Buryakov was a representative of a Russian bank called VEB .
But in reality he worked for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcripts show the two spymasters discussed how Buryakov had traveled the world as a bank employee , spying while he went , and how they wanted him to take on an important task : find out how the US planned to bar Russian firms from its financial system .
They didn ’ t need to worry .
American authorities allowed the Russian bank — whose board used to be chaired by Vladimir Putin — to operate in the US despite a paper trail that outlined concerns it was a threat to national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between BuzzFeed News and more than 100 newsrooms associated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists , shows that the US Treasury Department received at least 86 warnings from 2007 to 2016 discussing the bank , its clients , or Buryakov .
These warnings are known as suspicious activity reports , or SARs .
By law , banks act as crucial sentinels for the US government , looking for signs of financial crimes .
When they spot transactions that bear the hallmarks of money laundering or other financial misconduct , they must file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Financial Crimes Enforcement Network , or FinCEN .
Such reports are not by themselves evidence of a crime but can support investigations and intelligence gathering .
Banks are barred from discussing or even acknowledging the existence of SARs , but in a statement to BuzzFeed News , VEB said it has “ never been involved in any illegal activities ” or been approached by authorities in relation to the matters raised in this story .
The bank said that disclosure of SARs was illegal and that as it “ can not verify the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News , it did not wish to comment further .
The SARs filed by other banks relating to VEB and its clients document suspected national security risks .
One warned that Buryakov had sent cash to an address linked to a company providing gear that could be of great use to an intelligence agent : video surveillance tools .
Others raised the possibility that a VEB subsidiary helped bankroll Bashar al-Assad ’ s regime in Syria and facilitated an arms deal to a sanctioned country .
But the recurring warnings didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still was allowed to process its dollars through the US , using some of the world ’ s most prestigious banks .
Established as a not-for-profit , state-financed bank to boost the Russian economy , VEB is controlled by President Putin ’ s innermost circle .
Igor Shuvalov , former Russian deputy prime minister , oversees the bank as its chair .
Its former CEO was Sergey Gorkov , a graduate of Russia ’ s intelligence academy .
In 2014 , responding to Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine , the US forbade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that was the only major restriction that VEB faced .
It was allowed to continue to bank in the United States and gain access to the dollar , the world ’ s most important currency .
In January 2015 , Buryakov was arrested for espionage .
The indictment rang alarm bells at the New York banking giant JPMorgan Chase , where VEB held cash accounts , controlled by Buryakov ’ s supervisor at VEB .
A SAR from JPMorgan Chase noted a lawsuit filed by Buryakov ’ s landlord .
That suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spying by US authorities , his family left without paying rent for his apartment in Riverdale , New York .
( Buryakov could not be reached for comment for this story . )
Afterward , the lawsuit alleges , Buryakov ’ s supervisor at VEB turned up at the property .
He allegedly caused “ structural damage ” to the apartment , including breaking furniture , and cleared it out .
Chase ’ s compliance officers , employees whose job is to keep an eye out for any financial transactions that might be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records of Buryakov ’ s supervisor .
They found that he had been removing cash from VEB ’ s accounts in a highly unusual manner .
According to Chase ’ s SAR , in 2015 Buryakov ’ s supervisor visited Chase branches across New York and New Jersey , withdrawing $ 30,000 over three days .
Each transaction was for $ 10,000 .
The Chase compliance officials sounded the alarm .
They warned the US government that the supervisor “ worked in close proximity ” to Buryakov , who they noted had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the supervisor ’ s unusual cash withdrawals looked like “ structuring of funds ” designed to circumvent the automated alert that occurs when more than $ 10,000 in cash is withdrawn — in essence , that Buryakov ’ s supervisor might be trying to avoid government monitoring .
The supervisor has since left VEB and runs his own company .
He did not respond to requests for comment .
Despite one VEB employee being charged with espionage and another being involved in suspicious transactions , the government took no public action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only major bank to worry about how VEB was moving cash around .
In 2012 , the Federal Reserve of New York found “ deficiencies ” in the way that Commerzbank sold banknotes and ordered it to review all of its former sales .
In the process of doing that , the bank ’ s compliance officers investigated its dealings with a VEB subsidiary bank .
It seemed that between 2010 and 2013 , the small bank , which has no offices outside of Russia , had been purchasing vast sums of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — from Commerzbank .
Over that time , the Syrian conflict had erupted from a small rebellion to a full-blown civil war pitting various factions against the Assad regime , which sparked international outrage for deploying chemical weapons on civilians but was supported by Russia .
In a SAR that Commerzbank later filed to the US government , it noted that VEB was “ publicly tied to Syrian commercial and arms deals ” and that Russia was supporting the Assad regime by “ loans of foreign currencies.
” Commerzbank was concerned that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund its war .
Yet Commerzbank staff in Germany assured their New York counterparts that the sales were simply “ ordinary competitive business practices.
” Members of the New York team disagreed .
The Americans launched an investigation that showed “ spikes in activity ” in the dollar purchases that “ appear to correspond ” to sanctions being imposed on Syria , according to the bank ’ s SAR .
Commerzbank stopped providing it with banknotes in September 2013 .
It notified the US government of its suspicions in a SAR the following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News , Commerzbank said it was unable to comment on clients due to bank secrecy laws .
A spokesperson said the bank has invested heavily in compliance since 2015 and successfully completed audits ordered by US regulators .
In 2013 a group of US senators wrote to then–Treasury secretary Jack Lew , warning that Russian banks , including VEB , acted as a “ financial lifeline ” to the Assad regime .
The banks at the time denied helping Assad .
Declaring that there was “ clear and compelling evidence ” Assad had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the senators urged the government to sanction VEB .
The Treasury didn ’ t act .
Another VEB subsidiary , Genetechma Finance Limited , came under scrutiny for its links to possible arms sales .
Genetechma had told Barclays Bank that it was buying $ 34.6 million worth of helicopters from a Russian state-owned defense contractor and intended to sell them to a leasing firm based in Moscow .
But in September 2013 , it told Barclays that the deal had fallen through at the last minute and the helicopters would instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When Barclays compliance officers later investigated , they found that the UAE company was the “ general agent ” for an aviation manufacturing and repair complex in Sudan .
That complex was a joint venture between the then-sanctioned North Sudanese government and Russian Helicopters , a defense firm that produces aircraft for both civilian and military use .
The Sudanese government was considered a state sponsor of terrorism by the US , and Russia was known to be supporting the Sudanese government in the bloody civil war in South Sudan .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compliance officers at Barclays noted that Genetechma “ was identified to have sold four ( 4 ) dual purpose helicopters ” that were “ adaptable for the military ” to a business with ties to a sanctioned country .
Experts told BuzzFeed News that the model of helicopter identified in the SAR was a type used heavily in the South Sudanese War .
Barclays was also concerned about signs of money laundering that accompanied the deal .
After the deal was done , Genetechma sent a payment of $ 10.2 million to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the payment was part of the helicopter leasing contract .
Soon after , the company in Cyprus paid the exact same amount , $ 10.2 million , to yet another shell company , saying that it was a payment for scrap metal .
The compliance officers at Barclays believed that “ the payment appeared unusual ; ” they couldn ’ t identify who owned the second shell company or even where it was based .
They were concerned that the deal might be linked to North Sudan .
Louise Shelley , an academic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deals this complex should raise red flags .
Legitimate supply chains are “ straight and direct for efficiency purposes , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
“ Illicit supply chains have to be convoluted so they 're not transparent.
” Barclays , responding to questions for this story , said that under law it could not comment about clients or transactions detailed in SARs , and that the bank believed it had complied with all of its legal and regulatory obligations .
Genetechma did not respond to requests for comment .

In 2014, the FBI was in the late stages of an elaborate sting. An undercover agent posing as an energy analyst leaked binders with fake commercial secrets to two Russian spies operating in New York.
The spies took the binders back to the “Rezidentura,” the New York base of operations for the SVR, Russia’s foreign intelligence agency.
Microphones hidden inside the leaked material relayed the spies’ every word back to American counterintelligence agents. The pair of SVR officers were caught gabbing about their secret roles, from the difficulties of recruiting prospective agents to the disappointment that their day-to-day work was not even close to “movies about James Bond.”
In their free-flowing conversations, they discussed an SVR agent working for them under deep cover in New York: Evgeny Buryakov.
Ostensibly, Buryakov was a representative of a Russian bank called VEB. But in reality he worked for the SVR, collecting economic intelligence.
FBI transcripts show the two spymasters discussed how Buryakov had traveled the world as a bank employee, spying while he went, and how they wanted him to take on an important task: find out how the US planned to bar Russian firms from its financial system.
They didn’t need to worry. American authorities allowed the Russian bank — whose board used to be chaired by Vladimir Putin — to operate in the US despite a paper trail that outlined concerns it was a threat to national security.
The FinCEN Files, a collaboration between BuzzFeed News and more than 100 newsrooms associated with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, shows that the US Treasury Department received at least 86 warnings from 2007 to 2016 discussing the bank, its clients, or Buryakov.
These warnings are known as suspicious activity reports, or SARs. By law, banks act as crucial sentinels for the US government, looking for signs of financial crimes. When they spot transactions that bear the hallmarks of money laundering or other financial misconduct, they must file SARs to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN. Such reports are not by themselves evidence of a crime but can support investigations and intelligence gathering.
Banks are barred from discussing or even acknowledging the existence of SARs, but in a statement to BuzzFeed News, VEB said it has “never been involved in any illegal activities” or been approached by authorities in relation to the matters raised in this story.
The bank said that disclosure of SARs was illegal and that as it “cannot verify the authenticity” of the documents received by BuzzFeed News, it did not wish to comment further.
The SARs filed by other banks relating to VEB and its clients document suspected national security risks. One warned that Buryakov had sent cash to an address linked to a company providing gear that could be of great use to an intelligence agent: video surveillance tools. Others raised the possibility that a VEB subsidiary helped bankroll Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and facilitated an arms deal to a sanctioned country.
But the recurring warnings didn’t seem to hurt VEB. It still was allowed to process its dollars through the US, using some of the world’s most prestigious banks.


buzzfeed--2020-09-23--Americans Overseas Say Trying To Vote In This Year’s Election Is A “Massive Shitshow”

Poll workers wear masks and hand out ballots at an early voting location in Fairfax , Virginia , on September 18 .
Sophie Weiner , a writer and communications professional who moved to Melbourne from New York with her Australian partner a little over two years ago , said voting from abroad has always been complicated and confusing .
The 30-year-old has missed local elections in the past because of changing deadlines and the need to reregister while abroad .
But this time around , she is facing next-level challenges while trying to vote in November ’ s US presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic .
A curfew is in place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. , and residents are only allowed to leave their homes outside of those hours for food and essential items , medical care , daily exercise , and work .
But they can ’ t go farther than 3 miles , meaning it is legally impossible for Weiner and others to drop off their ballots at the US Consulate there .
Then there are the significant mail delays both internationally and in the US due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the precarious state of the US Postal Service , which has become a target of attacks by President Donald Trump With just 42 days until the election , Weiner is worried her vote might not be counted .
“ Basically it ’ s a massive shitshow , and everyone is very anxious , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
Weiner ’ s fear and frustration reflect those of more than 20 registered US voters living in Australia , Canada , China , Germany , Ireland , Jamaica , Poland , Russia , Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke to BuzzFeed News .
They are , to varying degrees , concerned their votes may not be counted because of the unprecedented challenges facing them this year as the window of time to send in their ballots narrows .
There are just six weeks left until Election Day .
Some 4.8 million Americans live abroad , and 2.9 million of them were eligible to vote as of 2018 , according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program .
Also among those voting abroad are US service members who must request an absentee ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel and their families get help from designated officers in each unit who share access to voting resources and keep them apprised of upcoming deadlines .
Expatriate turnout is historically low ; only an estimated 7 % — some 208,000 people — voted in the 2016 presidential election , according to an FVAP report .
But with the race between Trump and former vice president Joe Biden so close , interest in the election is up , and a small number of votes in key swing states could make the difference .
American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absentee ballots , a process that varies in complexity depending on which US state they are registered .
The most worried voters told BuzzFeed News they believe there is a good chance their ballots won ’ t make it in time because of the number of obstacles they face , which in many cases includes navigating the complicated , monthslong process of sending physical voting materials through international mail .
That , too , is complicated by the pandemic .
The USPS ’ s website lists 37 countries where mail service has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic.
” That could mean trouble for voters registered in states that require ballots to be physically mailed in .
Among them are the battleground states of Michigan , Minnesota , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
Joel Wasserman , a Maryland voter and Kyiv-based English teacher who volunteers at a center to help veterans of the war in eastern Ukraine , plans to send his ballot first class through Ukrposhta , the Ukrainian postal service , at the beginning of October .
“ Given how Ukrposhta has gotten better recently and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m more confident in the Ukrainian end of the postal process now , ” Wasserman said .
In 2018 , Wasserman used another method used by expatriates in the past : He sent his ballot via diplomatic pouch .
He would give his ballot to the embassy , which would then send it to be counted in Maryland .
But an email he received from the US Embassy in Kyiv regarding the 2020 election indicated that if he relied on diplomatic pouch this year , his ballot might not arrive in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with BuzzFeed News , warned US voters that a ballot can take up to eight weeks to reach its destination if sent through the embassy — meaning it ’ s already too late .
There have been other hiccups at US embassies and consulates .
The embassy in Moscow and consulate in Yekaterinburg , Russia , have posted notices to let voters know that in-person ballot drop-off is not available due to COVID-19 , meaning voters will need to rely on the often unreliable Russian postal service for the first leg of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embassy in Cuba has also barred voters from dropping off ballots “ due to current health risks and country conditions , ” a statement posted to its website said .
Making matters worse , the embassy in Havana said that all “ international mail and courier services are also unavailable from Cuba to the United States.
” The embassy said voters should look online for state-specific information on possibilities for voting electronically .
The most optimistic of voters with whom BuzzFeed News spoke said they were more certain their votes would be counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states with a history of mail-in voting , where much of the process can be done online .
Genevieve Jenner , a social media manager who lives with her family in Cornwall , England , and is registered to vote in Washington state , said she considered herself “ incredibly fortunate ” to be able to essentially fill out her ballot online , print it , sign it , scan it , and email the files .
“ It takes away a lot of stress , especially in this election year , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Mickey and Tetyana Neeley , Coloradans who moved to Denia , Spain , for semiretirement in 2018 , said the pandemic has caused serious inconsistency in mail delivery between Spain and the US .
Nonetheless , Mickey said , “ the [ voting ] process was flawless for the primary.
” He said they hope the case will be the same for general election voting .
They plan to complete their ballots this week and submit them electronically .
Additionally , Colorado has instituted a ballot-tracking system that notifies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tabulated .
That has put the Neeleys at even greater ease .
In a statement to BuzzFeed News , a USPS spokesperson said , “ The United States Postal Service is fully committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process when public policy makers choose to utilize us as a part of their election system , and to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner.
” The spokesperson added , “ Voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ( UOCAVA ) should monitor possible service disruptions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19.
” Flabbergasted by so many complications , some overseas voters have formed groups to jointly troubleshoot ballot challenges .
Ali Matalon , a 26-year-old dual US and Jamaican citizen and self-described “ policy wonk ” living in Kingston , Jamaica , is one of them .
“ We ’ ve started a WhatsApp group of predominantly young Jamaican American citizens who are living in Jamaica or in the Caribbean region so that we can all be supported in the absentee voting process , ” she said .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ballots.
” In Melbourne , Weiner said , people are also trading tips in the local Democrats Abroad group on Facebook .
The latest issue being discussed is how to get the best deals on tracked and guaranteed mail delivery , what many believe to be their best shot at rushing their ballots home .
But such services come at a price and may not be fast enough .
“ I ’ ve seen prices between $ 33 and $ 100 , ” Weiner said .
“ Even by using a service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times are long .
People are definitely freaking out.
” Neither Democrats Abroad nor Republicans Overseas responded to BuzzFeed News ’ requests for comment .
Some Americans , like Nathaniel Espino , a partner in a Warsaw-based public relations agency who has lived outside the US for 25 years , aren ’ t taking any chances with their ballots .
Instead of taking the mail-in-from-abroad route , he plans to drop his ballot in a local mailbox when he visits the US in late October .
“ I ’ m also budgeting time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person in case my absentee ballot doesn ’ t get there in time , ” he said .

Sophie Weiner, a writer and communications professional who moved to Melbourne from New York with her Australian partner a little over two years ago, said voting from abroad has always been complicated and confusing. The 30-year-old has missed local elections in the past because of changing deadlines and the need to reregister while abroad.
But this time around, she is facing next-level challenges while trying to vote in November’s US presidential election.
Melbourne is still under a hard lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic. A curfew is in place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and residents are only allowed to leave their homes outside of those hours for food and essential items, medical care, daily exercise, and work. But they can’t go farther than 3 miles, meaning it is legally impossible for Weiner and others to drop off their ballots at the US Consulate there.
Then there are the significant mail delays both internationally and in the US due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the precarious state of the US Postal Service, which has become a target of attacks by President Donald Trump
With just 42 days until the election, Weiner is worried her vote might not be counted.
“Basically it’s a massive shitshow, and everyone is very anxious,” she told BuzzFeed News.
Weiner’s fear and frustration reflect those of more than 20 registered US voters living in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Ireland, Jamaica, Poland, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, and the UK who spoke to BuzzFeed News. They are, to varying degrees, concerned their votes may not be counted because of the unprecedented challenges facing them this year as the window of time to send in their ballots narrows. There are just six weeks left until Election Day.
Some 4.8 million Americans live abroad, and 2.9 million of them were eligible to vote as of 2018, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Also among those voting abroad are US service members who must request an absentee ballot from their local election offices. Military personnel and their families get help from designated officers in each unit who share access to voting resources and keep them apprised of upcoming deadlines.
Expatriate turnout is historically low; only an estimated 7% — some 208,000 people — voted in the 2016 presidential election, according to an FVAP report. But with the race between Trump and former vice president Joe Biden so close, interest in the election is up, and a small number of votes in key swing states could make the difference.
American voters abroad cast their votes mainly through absentee ballots, a process that varies in complexity depending on which US state they are registered.
The most worried voters told BuzzFeed News they believe there is a good chance their ballots won’t make it in time because of the number of obstacles they face, which in many cases includes navigating the complicated, monthslong process of sending physical voting materials through international mail.
That, too, is complicated by the pandemic. The USPS’s website lists 37 countries where mail service has been temporarily suspended for reasons “related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” That could mean trouble for voters registered in states that require ballots to be physically mailed in. Among them are the battleground states of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Joel Wasserman, a Maryland voter and Kyiv-based English teacher who volunteers at a center to help veterans of the war in eastern Ukraine, plans to send his ballot first class through Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian postal service, at the beginning of October.
“Given how Ukrposhta has gotten better recently and USPS has gotten markedly worse, I’m more confident in the Ukrainian end of the postal process now,” Wasserman said.
In 2018, Wasserman used another method used by expatriates in the past: He sent his ballot via diplomatic pouch. He would give his ballot to the embassy, which would then send it to be counted in Maryland. But an email he received from the US Embassy in Kyiv regarding the 2020 election indicated that if he relied on diplomatic pouch this year, his ballot might not arrive in time.
The email, which he shared with BuzzFeed News, warned US voters that a ballot can take up to eight weeks to reach its destination if sent through the embassy — meaning it’s already too late.
There have been other hiccups at US embassies and consulates.
The embassy in Moscow and consulate in Yekaterinburg, Russia, have posted notices to let voters know that in-person ballot drop-off is not available due to COVID-19, meaning voters will need to rely on the often unreliable Russian postal service for the first leg of their ballot’s trip west.
The embassy in Cuba has also barred voters from dropping off ballots “due to current health risks and country conditions,” a statement posted to its website said. Making matters worse, the embassy in Havana said that all “international mail and courier services are also unavailable from Cuba to the United States.” The embassy said voters should look online for state-specific information on possibilities for voting electronically.
The most optimistic of voters with whom BuzzFeed News spoke said they were more certain their votes would be counted because they are registered to vote in states with a history of mail-in voting, where much of the process can be done online.
Genevieve Jenner, a social media manager who lives with her family in Cornwall, England, and is registered to vote in Washington state, said she considered herself “incredibly fortunate” to be able to essentially fill out her ballot online, print it, sign it, scan it, and email the files.
“It takes away a lot of stress, especially in this election year, with Trump tampering with the post office,” she said.
Mickey and Tetyana Neeley, Coloradans who moved to Denia, Spain, for semiretirement in 2018, said the pandemic has caused serious inconsistency in mail delivery between Spain and the US. Nonetheless, Mickey said, “the [voting] process was flawless for the primary.”
He said they hope the case will be the same for general election voting. They plan to complete their ballots this week and submit them electronically.
Additionally, Colorado has instituted a ballot-tracking system that notifies voters when their ballot is both received and tabulated. That has put the Neeleys at even greater ease.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, a USPS spokesperson said, “The United States Postal Service is fully committed to fulfilling our role in the electoral process when public policy makers choose to utilize us as a part of their election system, and to delivering Election Mail in a timely manner.”
The spokesperson added, “Voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) should monitor possible service disruptions to foreign countries, including service disruptions due to COVID-19.”
Flabbergasted by so many complications, some overseas voters have formed groups to jointly troubleshoot ballot challenges.
Ali Matalon, a 26-year-old dual US and Jamaican citizen and self-described “policy wonk” living in Kingston, Jamaica, is one of them.
“We’ve started a WhatsApp group of predominantly young Jamaican American citizens who are living in Jamaica or in the Caribbean region so that we can all be supported in the absentee voting process,” she said. “We’re all voting as soon as we receive our ballots.”
In Melbourne, Weiner said, people are also trading tips in the local Democrats Abroad group on Facebook. The latest issue being discussed is how to get the best deals on tracked and guaranteed mail delivery, what many believe to be their best shot at rushing their ballots home.
But such services come at a price and may not be fast enough.
“I’ve seen prices between $33 and $100,” Weiner said. “Even by using a service like FedEx or DHL, the wait times are long. People are definitely freaking out.”
Neither Democrats Abroad nor Republicans Overseas responded to BuzzFeed News’ requests for comment.
Some Americans, like Nathaniel Espino, a partner in a Warsaw-based public relations agency who has lived outside the US for 25 years, aren’t taking any chances with their ballots. Instead of taking the mail-in-from-abroad route, he plans to drop his ballot in a local mailbox when he visits the US in late October.
“I’m also budgeting time to go and do early voting in person in case my absentee ballot doesn’t get there in time,” he said.


buzzfeed--2020-09-22--Mitt Romney Supports Replacing Ruth Bader Ginsburg Before the Election

WASHINGTON — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said Tuesday that he supports replacing the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court before the upcoming presidential election .
“ The historical precedent of election year nominations is that the Senate generally does not confirm an opposing party ’ s nominee but does confirm a nominee of its own , ” Romney said in a statement , echoing an argument Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made earlier this week .
“ The Constitution gives the President the power to nominate and the Senate the authority to provide advice and consent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intend to follow the Constitution and precedent in considering the President ’ s nominee , ” Romney said in a statement .
“ If the nominee reaches the Senate floor , I intend to vote based upon their qualifications.
” Romney , who broke with his party earlier this year to convict President Donald Trump on one count of abuse of power during the Senate ’ s impeachment trial , was a closely watched swing vote on the issue of replacing Ginsburg .
His decision to side with Trump and Senate Majority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party will have the votes to replace the late justice in the coming weeks .
With a 53–47 majority in the Senate , Republicans can lose four votes and still successfully push through a nominee .
Just two Republicans , Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , have said they would not support replacing Ginsburg before the election .
“ Given the proximity of the presidential election , however , I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's death .
Though she noted that Trump “ has the constitutional authority ” to appoint a replacement and said she would support the Judiciary Committee moving forward to vet Trump ’ s eventual nominee , Collins she said she believes whoever wins the election should get to pick the next justice .
Murkowski made similar comments both prior to Ginsburg ’ s death and in the days following the announcement .
In a statement the Sunday , Murkowski reiterated that stance , saying , “ For weeks , I have stated I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election .
Sadly , what was then hypothetical is now our reality , but my position has not changed .
I did not support taking up a nomination before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia , we are now even closer to the 2020 election — less than two months out and I believe the same standard must apply . ''
Despite blocking Merrick Garland , former president Barack Obama ’ s pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and arguing the next president should make the appointment , McConnell said quickly following Ginsburg ’ s death that Trump ’ s nominee would get a vote in the Senate .
Trump said Monday that he would announce his choice later this week , on Friday or Saturday .
Other Republican senators could still break with party leadership on whether to move forward with filling the seat .
Sen. Chuck Grassley told NBC News in August that “ he couldn ’ t move forward ” with a new nominee before the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move forward with Garland ’ s 2016 nomination , and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner , who is facing a close reelection fight , has not commented on how he will vote .
But several Republican senators in close races , including Sens .
Martha McSally of Arizona , Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , have said they support moving forward with a nomination .
Romney is one of the most prominent Mormon politicians in the US and represents Utah , a Republican state with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saints .
For decades , the church ’ s members have been a reliably Republican voting block , but Trump has struggled in the state and with members of the LDS church .
In 2012 , with Romney on the ticket as the Republican nominee , Utah voted for Romney by a margin of nearly 50 points .
In 2016 , Trump won the state by just 18 points , while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton picked up 27 % of the vote , and third-party candidate Evan McMullin garnered 21 % .
Recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading former vice president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the state by about 12 points .
In a letter to his caucus over the weekend , McConnell encouraged senators to “ keep their powder dry , ” writing , “ This is not the time to prematurely lock yourselves into a position you may later regret .
”

WASHINGTON — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said Tuesday that he supports replacing the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court before the upcoming presidential election.
“The historical precedent of election year nominations is that the Senate generally does not confirm an opposing party’s nominee but does confirm a nominee of its own,” Romney said in a statement, echoing an argument Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made earlier this week.
“The Constitution gives the President the power to nominate and the Senate the authority to provide advice and consent on Supreme Court nominees. Accordingly, I intend to follow the Constitution and precedent in considering the President’s nominee,” Romney said in a statement. “If the nominee reaches the Senate floor, I intend to vote based upon their qualifications.”
Romney, who broke with his party earlier this year to convict President Donald Trump on one count of abuse of power during the Senate’s impeachment trial, was a closely watched swing vote on the issue of replacing Ginsburg. His decision to side with Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a sign that the party will have the votes to replace the late justice in the coming weeks. With a 53–47 majority in the Senate, Republicans can lose four votes and still successfully push through a nominee.
Just two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have said they would not support replacing Ginsburg before the election.
“Given the proximity of the presidential election, however, I do not believe that the Senate should vote on the nominee prior to the election,” Collins said in a statement following Ginsburg's death. Though she noted that Trump “has the constitutional authority” to appoint a replacement and said she would support the Judiciary Committee moving forward to vet Trump’s eventual nominee, Collins she said she believes whoever wins the election should get to pick the next justice.
Murkowski made similar comments both prior to Ginsburg’s death and in the days following the announcement.
In a statement the Sunday, Murkowski reiterated that stance, saying, “For weeks, I have stated I would not support taking up a potential Supreme Court vacancy this close to the election. Sadly, what was then hypothetical is now our reality, but my position has not changed. I did not support taking up a nomination before the 2016 election to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Justice Scalia, we are now even closer to the 2020 election — less than two months out and I believe the same standard must apply."
Despite blocking Merrick Garland, former president Barack Obama’s pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia after the justice died in February 2016, and arguing the next president should make the appointment, McConnell said quickly following Ginsburg’s death that Trump’s nominee would get a vote in the Senate. Trump said Monday that he would announce his choice later this week, on Friday or Saturday.
Other Republican senators could still break with party leadership on whether to move forward with filling the seat. Sen. Chuck Grassley told NBC News in August that “he couldn’t move forward” with a new nominee before the election after supporting McConnell’s decision not to move forward with Garland’s 2016 nomination, and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, who is facing a close reelection fight, has not commented on how he will vote.
But several Republican senators in close races, including Sens. Martha McSally of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have said they support moving forward with a nomination.
Romney is one of the most prominent Mormon politicians in the US and represents Utah, a Republican state with the country’s largest population of Latter-day Saints. For decades, the church’s members have been a reliably Republican voting block, but Trump has struggled in the state and with members of the LDS church.
In 2012, with Romney on the ticket as the Republican nominee, Utah voted for Romney by a margin of nearly 50 points. In 2016, Trump won the state by just 18 points, while Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton picked up 27% of the vote, and third-party candidate Evan McMullin garnered 21%.
Recent polling in the state has found Trump leading former vice president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the state by about 12 points.
In a letter to his caucus over the weekend, McConnell encouraged senators to “keep their powder dry,” writing, “This is not the time to prematurely lock yourselves into a position you may later regret.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-22--Standard Chartered’s Problems With Suspicious Clients Didn’t Go Away. Just Like These Two Ex-Employe

Standard Chartered’s Problems With Suspicious Clients Didn’t Go Away. Just Like These Two Ex-Employees Had Been Saying.

Confidential records from the FinCEN Files show that the bank was reporting its own suspicions about customers with links to Iran until at least 2017 .
On a summer morning in 2012 , Anshuman Chandra read a news article about a Saudi Arabian financial institution suspected of facilitating the funding of al-Qaeda attacks , including 9/11 .
The bank was called Al Rajhi , and a US Senate committee cited allegations it had handled payments to suicide bombers in Somalia , Sri Lanka , India , and the Philippines .
Chandra was deeply troubled , he said , and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died in terrorist attacks .
He was disturbed because Chandra worked for Standard Chartered bank , and he realized that his employer was doing business with Al Rajhi .
So Chandra warned a supervisor about what he had learned , he said , but he never heard back .
From Standard Chartered ’ s Dubai office , where Chandra was a client services manager , he dug deep into bank records .
He later learned , examining a yearly profit report , that in 2009 alone , Standard Chartered earned $ 2 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Al Rajhi did not respond to a request for comment . )
But that wasn ’ t all .
Poring over Standard Chartered ’ s accounts , he found a number of customers in Iran , a country under US sanctions , and Chandra feared that they too had been indirectly supporting terrorist activities .
“ I actually got goosebumps , ” Chandra said .
This time , he decided to bypass his bosses .
He turned to the US government .
By the fall of 2013 , Chandra and another whistleblower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities thousands of internal bank records that they claimed show Standard Chartered was giving safe harbor to a number of customers moving money to Iran .
The documents came at a significant time .
A year earlier , the bank had acknowledged its role in concealing tens of thousands of transactions with businesses in Iran .
Under threat of criminal prosecution , the bank had agreed to clean up its act .
Ultimately , the government walked away from the whistleblowers .
But the two men had flagged real problems .
The bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported to the US Treasury that it had suspicions about at least 31 companies contained in the data the whistleblowers had handed over .
Prosecutors eventually determined in 2019 that the bank had allowed more illegal transactions for Iranian clients — including one who had been in Knight and Chandra ’ s documents from 2013 .
Taken together , the whistleblowers ’ accounts and the banks ’ Treasury reports show the depth of the money laundering problems at Standard Chartered and the extent to which the US government gives big banks a pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are required to file suspicious activity reports , or SARs , when they spot transactions that bear the hallmarks of money laundering or other financial misconduct .
These confidential reports , which go to the Treasury Department ’ s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network , or FinCEN , are not by themselves evidence of a crime , but they can support investigations and intelligence gathering .
The FinCEN Files investigation is based on more than 2,100 of these documents that BuzzFeed News shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and more than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whistleblowers passed along their records , including transaction spreadsheets and client lists , the FBI pursued an investigation .
But it was short-lived .
An agent who was looking into the bank said their documents did not show evidence of new illegal transactions .
A judge recently issued a ruling blocking Knight from an opportunity for whistleblower compensation .
In response to detailed questions from BuzzFeed News , Standard Chartered said in a statement , “ We take our responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously and have invested substantially in our compliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank files SARs “ when circumstances warrant and that means our screening and monitoring systems are working as intended.
” The bank said it employs 2,000 people worldwide to detect and report suspicious transactions , and that “ U.S .
and U.K. authorities have publicly acknowledged ” that the bank “ has undergone a comprehensive and positive transformation over the last several years.
” Standard Chartered , which like all banks is prohibited from disclosing the contents or even the existence of SARs , did not address many of the specific allegations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision on his whistleblower case .
Both he and Chandra are pursuing a separate suit alleging that the bank retaliated against them for their disclosures .
They say the decision to come forward wreaked havoc on their lives — and they don ’ t know why the government didn ’ t dig deeper into their materials .
“ I feel betrayed , ” Chandra said .
“ If they analyzed the data , ” he added , “ they could have stopped this much earlier.
” “ These false allegations have been thoroughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a comprehensive investigation into the claims , ” the Standard Chartered spokesperson said .
The FBI did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
“ The Department of Justice stands by its work , and remains committed to aggressively investigating and prosecuting financial crime—including money laundering—wherever we find it , ” DOJ spokesperson Matt Lloyd said in a statement responding to detailed questions about the FinCEN Files investigation .
The global headquarters of Standard Chartered bank stands stolidly on Basinghall Avenue in the heart of the City of London , an imposing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The bank ’ s history dates back 150 years and tracks the rise of the British Empire .
Standard , at the time a separate institution , banked Cecil Rhodes , the diamond baron who supported policies of racial inequality in southern Africa ; Chartered financed the opium trade , ensuring that Britain profited from the drug addictions of millions in China , Hong Kong , and India .
The combined companies now rake in more than $ 15 billion in revenue and employ 85,000 people in 60 different markets .
Standard Chartered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to emerge unscathed from the 2008 financial crisis .
It avoided much of the criticism its competitors received for their risky and deceptive mortgage-trading practices , and even managed to earn a profit throughout the crash .
In 2012 , its CEO said it succeeded because unlike its competitors , it saw “ virtue in being boring.
” But in August of that year , the world learned of another side to Standard Chartered .
New York state prosecutors announced that the bank had helped its clients hide at least 59,000 financial transactions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars , that potentially violated American sanctions against Iran .
The bank had made “ hundreds of millions of dollars in fees ” off those clients , the prosecutors said .
The bank admitted to having broken the law , but only up until 2007 .
The New York regulators had threatened to revoke the bank ’ s business charter .
The punishment would effectively halt its access to the US dollar market , a death blow for a global financial institution .
But , with a promise from Standard Chartered to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outside monitor keeping a close eye on the bank , prosecutors held off bringing any criminal charges .
New York state issued a fine of $ 340 million — a mere 1.3 % of Standard Chartered ’ s revenue that year .
The bank was allowed to continue winding down its business with a number of Iranian clients .
Meanwhile , the bank was also being investigated by US federal authorities .
But Standard Chartered had a well-placed advocate .
George Osborne , the UK ’ s chancellor of the exchequer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Federal Reserve copying in Timothy Geithner , then the US secretary of the Treasury , to discuss his “ concerns.
” The US was coming down awfully hard on the bank , Osborne said , hard enough to endanger its health .
“ For a systemically important financial institution , ” he wrote , “ this could lead to contagion.
” Endanger one bank , he seemed to suggest , and the whole economy could suffer .
Geithner and Osborne were both heading to Tokyo for the annual World Bank meeting .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned meeting , later dug up in a congressional probe , make clear that the world ’ s superpower believed Standard Chartered had crossed a line : “ Treasury considers SCB 's conduct surrounding sanctions violations to be reckless and egregious but not the worst we have encountered.
” The Department of Justice and Standard Chartered ultimately negotiated a deferred prosecution agreement , the US government ’ s preferred tool for getting wayward banks back on track .
Standard Chartered would pay a second fine — $ 227 million — but so long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there would be no criminal prosecution on the federal level , either , and the bank would not lose its license .
A spokesperson for Geithner told BuzzFeed News the Treasury secretaries have “ no authority over criminal prosecutions ” and that “ such matters are handled independently by the Department of Justice and the bank regulators respectively.
” The spokesperson added that Geithner “ did not push for lenient treatment for Standard Chartered from the US government.
” Chandra was working in the bank ’ s Dubai office when , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues talking about a former colleague named Julian Knight .
They were saying he had blown the whistle on the bank .
Knight , a former flight lieutenant in Britain ’ s Royal Air Force , had risen to become one of the global heads of transaction banking at Standard Chartered before getting fired in 2011 .
He was living in Germany when he first heard the bank was in trouble with prosecutors .
Knight did not believe that Standard Chartered had stopped banking Iranian clients .
He dug out a compact disc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit reports , and transaction spreadsheets he had downloaded before leaving the bank .
Through a friend , he passed it to the Treasury Department .
Those records , which have since been reviewed by BuzzFeed News , showed that Standard Chartered was working with Iranian clients after 2007 .
What Knight did n't know was that the government had allowed the bank to fulfill its obligations with some Iranian clients after 2007 .
Those clients had permission to repay their outstanding loans to the bank in currencies other than US dollars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank accounts that were otherwise blocked by the US government .
Chandra didn ’ t know all those details , either .
He just knew he needed to speak with Knight .
Chandra said that in April 2013 he sent Knight an email and soon after that passed on the information he had gathered , with the request that it be handed to the US authorities .
He was visiting Standard Chartered ’ s Zambia branch when he received his first email from Matthew Komar .
“ I am a Special Agent with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the investigation into Standard Chartered , ” Komar wrote in an email obtained by BuzzFeed News .
“ I would like to speak with you.
” Chandra was nervous about speaking with Komar , who asked many questions , but the two stayed in touch .
On October 2 , 2013 , a week after his first contact with the FBI , Komar gave him some unwelcome news .
The FBI had let slip that it was talking to Chandra .
His name was “ inadvertently sent by a member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Komar wrote .
He said the bank ’ s lawyers had promised not to share the information with their client .
Chandra had already emailed Komar , telling him about an unexpected scan of Chandra ’ s computer , the first of what he said were a number of strange developments at work .
“ I 'm very worried at the moment , ” he wrote .
Over the next few months , according to his emails to the FBI , he lost access to certain shared files , he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his managers grew hostile toward him .
In October 2014 , Chandra reported getting his first death threat .
In an email to Komar , he quoted the caller saying , “ We know you helped Americans , its not good and we will take care of you.
” Chandra wrote to Komar : “ Need your help urgently for my and family 's safety.
” Chandra said Komar suggested he call the local police .
It was the last , Chandra said , that he would hear from Komar for two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions from BuzzFeed News .
Chandra and Knight , angered by how they had been treated by both the bank and the FBI , turned to American courts .
In 2018 , Knight filed what is known as a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act .
He sought compensation for assisting the US government in its prosecution of the bank for sanctions violations .
But Komar testified that his information wasn ’ t useful , because the investigators were not able to “ corroborate or validate ” the whistleblower ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge dismissed the case .
A year after filing that lawsuit , Knight joined with Chandra to file another , this time accusing Standard Chartered of retaliating against them , “ discrediting them and destroying their careers in the industry.
” Knight claimed that the stress of the harassment had taken a serious toll on his health .
Standard Chartered countered that with the retaliation claim , Knight and Chandra were just looking for “ another bite at the apple ” after the first lawsuit went south .
The bank said the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections granted to whistleblowers , because the information they gave the government had no value — and even if Chandra were a whistleblower , that ’ s not what caused his termination .
As for Knight , the bank said he had waived his right to sue when he signed his termination agreement .
The retaliation lawsuit , and any last chance of vindication from the courts for Chandra and Knight , is still pending .
But another kind of vindication had long been happening — much of it in secret .
Chandra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bank ’ s customers .
It turns out similar suspicions were being documented by the bank itself .
The FinCEN Files show the bank filed at least 35 SARs on 31 customers that appeared in the documents Chandra and Knight sent to the FBI in 2013 .
These SARs , filed after the whistleblowers had handed their information to the FBI , show the bank itself alerting the government to questions about the legitimacy of some of its business .
One of the clients included in both the whistleblowers ’ documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Zarooni Exchange .
The US government barred Al Zarooni from the US financial system in 2015 for supporting the Altaf Khanani money laundering organization , which is alleged to have funneled `` billions of dollars across the globe on behalf of terrorists , drug traffickers , and criminal organizations . ''
The Dubai-based company was accused by the Treasury of laundering cash for the Taliban .
Two years after the sanctions were issued , Standard Chartered ’ s compliance staff filed a suspicious activity report showing that the bank had facilitated “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2009 and 2010 .
During that time , Taliban militants staged violent attacks that killed civilians and soldiers .
Al Zarooni could not be reached for comment .
Another such client was a large diamond trader accused by prosecutors of black market diamond sales , tax evasion , and bribery .
In a SAR from January 2017 , the bank indicated it had reported the company ’ s transactions in multiple prior filings .
Between 2014 and 2016 , the SAR said , Standard Chartered had moved more than $ 4 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 SARs mentioning customers in the whistleblowers ’ documents discussed possible links to Iran .
One was suspected by the bank to have used “ fraudulent documents ” to hide its trade with Iran until at least 2014 , according to the SAR .
Another “ may have sought to obfuscate ” payments to Iran for the leasing of containers at Iranian airports , according to a 2017 SAR .
The SARs were being written and reviewed behind a wall of secrecy .
But eventually a very public repudiation of Standard Chartered ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In April 2019 , seven years after Standard Chartered entered into its deferred prosecution agreement , US Attorney Jessie Liu announced that the bank ’ s transactions for Iranian clients had “ undermined the integrity of our financial system and harmed our national security .
”

Chandra was working in the bank’s Dubai office when, he said, he heard two of his colleagues talking about a former colleague named Julian Knight. They were saying he had blown the whistle on the bank.
Knight, a former flight lieutenant in Britain’s Royal Air Force, had risen to become one of the global heads of transaction banking at Standard Chartered before getting fired in 2011.
He was living in Germany when he first heard the bank was in trouble with prosecutors. Knight did not believe that Standard Chartered had stopped banking Iranian clients.
He dug out a compact disc that had all the company emails, profit reports, and transaction spreadsheets he had downloaded before leaving the bank. Through a friend, he passed it to the Treasury Department.
Those records, which have since been reviewed by BuzzFeed News, showed that Standard Chartered was working with Iranian clients after 2007. What Knight didn't know was that the government had allowed the bank to fulfill its obligations with some Iranian clients after 2007. Those clients had permission to repay their outstanding loans to the bank in currencies other than US dollars, or to withdraw their existing balances from bank accounts that were otherwise blocked by the US government.
Chandra didn’t know all those details, either. He just knew he needed to speak with Knight. Chandra said that in April 2013 he sent Knight an email and soon after that passed on the information he had gathered, with the request that it be handed to the US authorities.
He was visiting Standard Chartered’s Zambia branch when he received his first email from Matthew Komar.
“I am a Special Agent with the FBI who is the case agent on the investigation into Standard Chartered,” Komar wrote in an email obtained by BuzzFeed News. “I would like to speak with you.”
Chandra was nervous about speaking with Komar, who asked many questions, but the two stayed in touch.


buzzfeed--2020-09-22--Explore Thousands Of Suspicious Payments Sent Around The World

This is part 6 of our FinCEN Files investigation .
To read more , click here .
The map below @ @ @ @ @ using documents shared by BuzzFeed News through the FinCEN Files collaboration .
Go here to @ @ @ @ @ Files .

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

The map below was created by ICIJ, using documents shared by BuzzFeed News through the FinCEN Files collaboration.
Go here to read more about the FinCEN Files.


buzzfeed--2020-09-22--Here Is How Banks Have Responded To The FinCEN Files Investigation

“ This is not new information to us or our regulators .
The presented issues which relate to Deutsche Bank date back to the years prior 2016 , we ourselves reported them to our regulators and authorities and they have been to a larger part reported on by the media .
We acknowledged past weaknesses in our control environment , we apologized for this and accepted our respective fines .
Most importantly : we learnt from our mistakes , systematically tackled the issues and made changes to our business perimeter , our controls , and our personnel .
Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which regulators and authorities lauded the bank ’ s cooperation and remediation publicly .
We have engaged in disciplinary consequences including on management board level when the facts warranted it .
We worked and still work constructively together with the authorities .
We have invested almost $ 1 billion in improved controls , trainings and operational processes , and have increased our anti-financial crime team to over 1,500 people .
We plan to continue to increase this number further .
We are a different bank now . ''
On SARs : “ Legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing potential SARs .
This would be a criminal violation of US ( and other ) law .
Banks file SARs on a regular basis in accordance with our legal obligations and as part of our partnership with regulators and law enforcement to protect the global financial system .
We thus help the authorities to catch and prosecute those engaged in criminal activity .
Deutsche Bank is actively monitoring for suspicious conduct and shares relevant findings with the authorities.
” “ The fight against financial crime , money laundering and capital flight has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial institutions alike .
The world ’ s leading financial institutions , including Deutsche Bank , have invested billions of dollars to more effectively support authorities in this effort .
Naturally , this leads to increased detection levels .
At Deutsche Bank we have devoted significant resources to strengthening our controls and we are very focused on meeting our responsibilities and obligations .
This also includes implementing risk mitigants and , where appropriate , off-boarding customers and correspondent banking relationships .
The ICIJ has reported on a number of historic issues .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our regulators .
The issues have already been investigated and led to regulatory resolutions in which the bank ’ s cooperation and remediation was publicly recognized .
Where necessary and appropriate , consequence management was applied .
The bank has devoted significant resources strengthening its controls and we are extremely focused on meeting our responsibilities and obligations .
To the extent that information referenced by the ICIJ is derived from SARs , it should be noted that this is information that is pro-actively identified and submitted by banks to governments pursuant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential issues , not proven facts.
” “ We take our responsibility to fight financial crime extremely seriously and have invested substantially in our compliance programmes .
Standard Chartered has nearly 2,000 staff worldwide dedicated to preventing , detecting and reporting suspicious transactions , and all staff are trained in sanctions and anti-money-laundering compliance .
In addition to investing to ensure we meet our regulatory obligations , we are active in public-private partnerships to help fight financial crime and raise industry standards .
As a result of the investments and improvements we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly acknowledged that the Group has undergone a comprehensive and positive transformation over the last several years .
`` In 2019 we monitored more than 1.2 billion transactions for potential suspicious activity and screened more than 157 million transactions for compliance with applicable sanctions requirements .
The reality of the global financial system is that there will always be attempts to launder money and evade sanctions ; the responsibility of banks is to build effective screening and monitoring systems and we work closely with regulators and law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ commenting on most of the details in your inquiry . ''
`` You asked us about our 2014 'How We Do Business ' report and specifically about foreign correspondent banking .
As we noted in that report , we exited several hundred foreign correspondent banks while we upgraded our control environment and systems .
We acknowledged in that 2014 report that our existing AML controls needed improvement , and have since devoted considerable resources to comply with the laws and regulations governing anti-money laundering , terrorist financing and economic sanctions .
Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars are devoted to helping support law enforcement and national security efforts .
JPM has taken a leadership role in AML reform to drive the regime towards more proactive intelligence-led investigations and develop innovative techniques to help combat financial crime . ''
“ We do not comment on suspicious activity reporting .
All of the information provided by the ICIJ is historic and predates the conclusion of our Deferred Prosecution Agreement ( DPA ) in 2017 .
Starting in 2012 , HSBC embarked on a multi-year journey to overhaul its ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdictions .
During that period , the Monitor fulfilled his role of identifying issues and making recommendations for improvement , and concluded that HSBC became a safer bank each year as a result of the Bank ’ s efforts .
At the end of 2017 , the Justice Department , having received all of the Monitor ’ s reports , determined that HSBC met all of its obligations under the DPA .
HSBC is a much safer institution than it was in 2012.
” “ In 2012 , we launched our Global Standards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place the most effective standards to combat financial crime across our operations globally .
As part of this effort , we designed and implemented new , globally consistent policies on AML and sanctions that often extend beyond the requirements of local laws and regulations .
Among other steps , we hired experienced senior personnel to lead the effort and significantly increased our financial crime compliance capabilities ; we put in place a robust investigations capability ; we improved and expanded our financial crime compliance training initiatives ; and we upgraded or replaced key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1bn spent since 2015 .
We also increased the number of staff in our financial crime compliance function from a few hundred in 2012 to around 5,000 in 2017 .
In parallel with our reforms , we dramatically reduced our financial crime risk profile , exiting jurisdictions , curtailing business in other jurisdictions and closing the accounts of existing customers .
`` The goal of any financial crime compliance programme is to detect and prevent financial crime .
One way we do that is through transaction monitoring and sanctions screening .
Each month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across 236 million accounts for signs of money laundering and financial crime .
In addition , we screen approximately 131 million customer records and 40 million transactions monthly for sanctions exposures .
During 2019 , we filed almost 50,000 suspicious activity reports to law enforcement and regulatory authorities where we identified potential financial crime .
`` Though we have made significant improvements in our financial crime compliance programme , we are continually seeking ways to improve .
That includes investing in and developing new technologies that we believe will enable us to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial crime by allowing us to detect potentially illicit conduct with greater precision than traditional technologies allow .
`` Our global social network analytics platform , which we launched in 2018 , enables us to identify links between different customers and transactions , making it easier to see where there might be criminal networks .
In 2019 , the platform won two industry awards : the Celent Model Bank Award for Risk Management and The Banker ’ s Tech Project Award for Compliance .
In August 2019 , we became the first bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen all our trade finance transactions for potential signs of financial crime.
” '' 1 .
Financial crime weakens financial institutions and we have a shared interest , in addition to our legal obligations , to prevent it .
The potential financial , legal , regulatory and reputational damage to any institution from financial crime is intense .
`` 2 .
Suspicious Activity Reports ( SARs ) are a key part of the process by which law enforcement agencies gather evidence on possible financial crime matters .
In common with other banks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other similar reports globally each year – this is a common and required practice in the financial services industry .
`` 3 .
Financial institutions must file SARs on any activity that appears suspicious .
SARs are not however themselves evidence of criminal conduct and simply reflect a snapshot taken at a particular point in time of the information then available .
In the majority of cases , we continue to investigate and monitor account activity after SARs are filed , at times working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies .
In most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SARs are filed .
`` 4 .
Financial crime is , by its nature , complex and difficult to detect .
We analyse information about our clients and their activities over time .
Criminal activity which may seem obvious with hindsight is often only uncovered as a result of careful evidence gathering after the event in question has occurred or after a SAR has been filed .
`` 5 .
If we conclude we have financial crime concerns , we take appropriate action and have done so in numerous cases over the years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ client relationships is not something we take lightly .
Given the filing of a SAR is not itself evidence of any actual wrongdoing , we would only terminate a client relationship after careful and objective investigation and analysis of the evidence , balancing potential financial crime suspicions with the risk of ‘ de-banking ’ an innocent customer and our obligation to treat customers fairly .
`` 6 .
You will be aware that there are various initiatives to improve the degree of transparency around how corporates and other structures hold money around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the major banks and they should make the process of due diligence on clients a lot easier .
`` 7 .
U.S. criminal law prohibits the unauthorised disclosure of SARs or information about SARs .
We are therefore not permitted to comment on whether a SAR has been filed , or on the contents of any SAR that may have been filed , even when the SARs in question may have been publicly disclosed .
We are also not permitted to comment on individuals or businesses , including to confirm whether they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are therefore unable to comment on the specific points in your letter .
`` 8 .
But for the avoidance of doubt , we believe that we have complied with all our legal and regulatory obligations including in relation to U.S. sanctions .
We would also refer you to the report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee of Investigations entitled 'The Art Industry and U.S. Policies that Undermine Sanctions ' , published on 29 July 2020 .
That report covers many of the issues raised in your letter and highlights the extensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also our significant cooperation with relevant authorities . ''
“ We can not comment specifically on these matters as they are part of ongoing investigations by the authorities .
However , as we have previously said , it is clear that we should have never had that portfolio of non-resident customers .
It is also clear that we were too slow in realising the extent of the issues and to close it down .
Combating financial crime and money laundering is a key priority for Danske Bank .
Overall , we are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combating financial crime and money laundering than when the situation in Estonia developed between 2007 and 2015 and have terminated the non-resident portfolio of customers in Estonia .
We have significantly increased our resources dedicated to compliance and combating financial crime across the bank and have invested heavily in IT systems .
We will continue to invest in the area and strengthen the knowledge and culture of compliance across the bank to continue to improve our financial crime defences.
” '' Please understand that , due to banking secrecy and the Money Laundering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual or non-existing customer relationships .
`` Compliance is a high priority at Commerzbank .
Since 2015 , we have invested a total of more than 800 million Euros in the area of compliance , thereby strengthening the global compliance management system in a targeted effort .
We use this to prevent and uncover illegal activities .
At the same time , we have provided targeted training for our employees and significantly increased the number of employees .
`` The fact that we take compliance seriously is also demonstrated by the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor used by U.S. authorities within a short period of time .
`` We use the findings from monitoring transactions and customers to further reduce our risks .
`` Suspicious transactions are reported to the relevant authorities as part of our regular transaction monitoring .
`` As early as 2013 , we discontinued our global banknote trading activities , i.e .
the supply and safekeeping of banknotes , due to business policy considerations .
In addition , we have significantly reduced the number of international partner and correspondent banks since 2015 .
Apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , regulatory requirements played an important role in this context .
“ Since 2015 we have invested extensively in our compliance and are implementing the regulatory requirements .
The number of international partner and correspondent banks of Commerzbank is currently in the low four-digit range .
Please understand that we will not comment any further.
” “ First of all , we would like to stress , that VEB.RF Group companies have never been involved in any illegal activities .
We should also note that we have never been approached by U.S. ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the allegations made in your letter , although some of them date back a decade .
`` According to your letter , the investigation is based on 'thousands of suspicious activity reports ' ( SARs ) .
We note that unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a serious crime .
To that end we would point you to a statement by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network made in response to information about various media intending to publish a series of articles based on unlawfully disclosed SARs and other sensitive US government documents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 'the unauthorized disclosure of SARs is a crime that can impact the national security of the United States , compromise law enforcement investigations , and threaten the safety and security of the institutions and individuals who file such reports ' .
`` Moreover , we can not verify the authenticity of the SARs that you have presented in your request , as there has never been any similar requests from the US authorities , any public or private body .
Given the serious issues raised by the illegal disclosures of the SARs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for VEB to be involved in the preparation of the article you intend to publish , including by commenting on the allegations made therein .
Nor do we think it is appropriate to publish an article containing these illegal disclosures.
” Bank of China did not respond to requests for comment .
“ Wells Fargo has robust anti-money laundering policies and procedures in place , and we follow all applicable financial crimes-related laws and regulations .
We are unable to provide any further comment.
” “ It does not make sense that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hid illegal activity consisted solely of Suspicious Activity Reports that those banks filed alerting law enforcement to that very activity .
Clearly , there is more to this story , but unfortunately the reporting failed to unearth it , and the banks are legally prohibited from telling their side .
In some cases , if the past is any guide , that story likely includes law enforcement asking a bank to keep open an account it has identified as suspicious so that law enforcement can track where the money is going and gather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conviction .
”

Barclays:
"1. Financial crime weakens financial institutions and we have a shared interest, in addition to our legal obligations, to prevent it. The potential financial, legal, regulatory and reputational damage to any institution from financial crime is intense.
"2. Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) are a key part of the process by which law enforcement agencies gather evidence on possible financial crime matters. In common with other banks, we typically file thousands of SARs and other similar reports globally each year – this is a common and required practice in the financial services industry.
"3. Financial institutions must file SARs on any activity that appears suspicious. SARs are not however themselves evidence of criminal conduct and simply reflect a snapshot taken at a particular point in time of the information then available. In the majority of cases, we continue to investigate and monitor account activity after SARs are filed, at times working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies. In most cases, accounts are not closed after SARs are filed.
"4. Financial crime is, by its nature, complex and difficult to detect. We analyse information about our clients and their activities over time. Criminal activity which may seem obvious with hindsight is often only uncovered as a result of careful evidence gathering after the event in question has occurred or after a SAR has been filed.
"5. If we conclude we have financial crime concerns, we take appropriate action and have done so in numerous cases over the years. As you will appreciate, terminating client relationships is not something we take lightly. Given the filing of a SAR is not itself evidence of any actual wrongdoing, we would only terminate a client relationship after careful and objective investigation and analysis of the evidence, balancing potential financial crime suspicions with the risk of ‘de-banking’ an innocent customer and our obligation to treat customers fairly.
"6. You will be aware that there are various initiatives to improve the degree of transparency around how corporates and other structures hold money around the world. We think these are supported by the major banks and they should make the process of due diligence on clients a lot easier.
"7. U.S. criminal law prohibits the unauthorised disclosure of SARs or information about SARs. We are therefore not permitted to comment on whether a SAR has been filed, or on the contents of any SAR that may have been filed, even when the SARs in question may have been publicly disclosed. We are also not permitted to comment on individuals or businesses, including to confirm whether they are or have been a client. We are therefore unable to comment on the specific points in your letter.
"8. But for the avoidance of doubt, we believe that we have complied with all our legal and regulatory obligations including in relation to U.S. sanctions. We would also refer you to the report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee of Investigations entitled 'The Art Industry and U.S. Policies that Undermine Sanctions', published on 29 July 2020. That report covers many of the issues raised in your letter and highlights the extensive investigative work undertaken by Barclays, and also our significant cooperation with relevant authorities."