Newsroom

September 09, 2013

FinCEN official talks of two-way partnership

Sept. 10, 2013 – Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Deputy Director Frederick Reynolds told credit union attendees at NAFCU's Congressional Caucus Monday of the importance of financial institutions and FinCEN working together to uphold the goals of the Bank Secrecy Act.

"You all spend a lot of time and money complying with the BSA," Reynolds said. "You are, in a very real way, the eyes and the ears of federal law enforcement; you help protect the integrity of the financial industry."

Reynolds said credit unions bring a lot of value to FinCEN's work through their filings of suspicious activity reports, which the network uses to map illicit funding networks, find compromised financial institutions and protect the financial system.He said being a good steward of the BSA is a two-way partnership between the financial industry and FinCEN. "It's a public-private partnership," Reynolds said.

"Vibrant enforcement levels the playing field," Reynolds said when all institutions effectively comply with BSA. "It is driving positive change in the industry."