U. S.
Department of State
Department of
State website offers world wide information on American diplomacy.
The site provides an in-depth look at the role of Secretary of State.
The Department of State and Agency for International Development
(USAID) Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2007 to 2012 sets forth
the Secretary of State's direction and priorities for both organizations
in the coming years. The Strategic Plan supports the policy positions
set forth by the President.
www.state.gov
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U.S.
Securities & Exchange Commission
U.S. Securities
& Exchange Commission is the website that is the investors advocate.
The mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to
protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets,
and facilitate capital formation.
www.sec.gov
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Office
of Thrift Supervision
Office of Thrift
Supervision -OTS is an office within the Department of the Treasury.
The OTS is the federal bank regulator and supervisor of a dynamic
and diverse industry of savings associations and their subsidiaries
spread across the nation. The OTS also oversees domestic and international
activities of the holding companies and affiliates that own these
thrift institutions.
www.ots.gov
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Board
of Governors of The Federal Reserve System
The Fed provides
a detailed look at the structure, responsibilities, and operations
of the Federal Reserve System. Revised in 2005 to reflect changes
in monetary, regulatory, and other policy areas. Incorporates major
changes in the law and in the structure of the financial system
in the past decade.
www.federalreserve.gov
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Office
of The Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks
The Office
of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) charters, regulates, and
supervises all national banks. It also supervises the federal branches
and agencies of foreign banks. Headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
the OCC has four district offices plus an office in London to supervise
the international activities of national banks. The Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency is a vast source of regulatory knowledge
for banks.
www.occ.treas.gov
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Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation
The Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is an independent agency created
by the Congress that maintains the stability and public confidence
in the nation's financial system by insuring deposits, examining
and supervising financial institutions, and managing receiverships.
www.fdic.gov
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Financial
Crimes Enforcement Network
The U.S. Department
of the Treasury established the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
in 1990 to provide a government-wide multisource financial intelligence
and analysis network. The organization's operation was broadened
in 1994 to include regulatory responsibilities for administering
the Bank Secrecy Act, one of the nation's most potent weapons for
preventing corruption of the U.S. financial system.
www.fincen.gov
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FINRA
Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority-FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator
for all securities firms doing business in the United States. It
was created in July 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and New
York Stock Exchange. On their website, FINRA offers conferences
and educational events among other resources.
http://www.finra.org/index.htm
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NFA
National Futures
Association- NFA - is the industry wide, self-regulatory organization
for the U.S. Futures Industry. NFA regulates every firm or individual
who conducts futures trading business with the public. Through the
website a broker and brokerage firm check may reveal Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (CFTC) registration, NFA membership information
and futures-related regulatory and non-regulatory actions contributed
by NFA, the CFTC and the U.S. futures exchanges.
http://www.nfa.futures.org/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FATF
The Financial
Action Task Force – The goal of FATF is to adopt and implement
controls to counter the use of the banking systems by criminals.
FATF was established by the G-7 Summit that was held in Paris in
1989. In 1990 it established a series of Forty Recommendations on
money laundering and were revised in 1996 and in 2003. Along with
the Forty Recommendations the website details FATF "Non-Cooperative
Countries or Territories" (NCCTs List or FATF Black List).
The FATF membership is currently 32 countries and territories.
http://www.fatf-gafi.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **OFAC
The Office of
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) An office within the US Dept of the
Treasury charged with administering and enforcing US economic and
financial sanctions and trade embargoes. OFAC seeks to change (by
economic pressure) policies and behavior contrary to those of the
US. The website provides information on Sanctions Programs: Country
and List-based (SDN List), recent OFAC actions, OFAC Training and
other resources.
http://www.treas.gov/ofac
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOJ
The Dept of
Justice-DOJ is administered by the United States Attorney General.
DOJ works to combat terrorism, apprehend Most-Wanted and other fugitives.
It is responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of
federal laws. It encompasses several division and several federal
law enforcement agencies such as Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and
Federal Bureau of Investgations(FBI).
http://www.usdoj.gov
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- US Dept
of Homeland Security
Dept of Homeland
Security-DHS is a federal agency whose mission is to help prevent,
protect against and respond to acts of terrorism on US Soil. The
site offers various resources including Homeland Security Advisory
System, Current Threat Level.
http://www.dhs.gov
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ICE
Immigration
and Customs Enforcement- ICE is an investigative branch of DHS.
After 9/11 INS and former US Customs Services merged to form an
agency that enforces immigration and custom laws and protect the
US against terrorist attacks. ICE is composed of four law enforcement
divisions and several supportive divisions all which work to protect
the public. This website serves as a resources tool which includes
an ICE.gov breaking news feed.
http://www.ice.gov
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- **Wolfsberg
AML Principles
Wolfsberg AML
Principles- incorporates 11 of the worlds largest international
Private Banks which have agreed to a set of global anti-money laundering
guidelines. The website also provides recent updates from The Wolfsberg
Group, such as "Close Associates" and "Close Family"
of PEPs, should also be deemed Politically Exposed Persons.
http://www.wolfsberg-principles.com/
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USA
PATRIOT Act
Uniting and
Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to
Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act of 2001. On Oct
26, 2001, President Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act into law. There
are several sections of this law that are beneficial to the banking
community in the fight against money laundering and terrorism; sections
311, 312, 313, 314, 319 (b), 325, 326, 351, 352, 356, 359, and 362.
To view brief descriptions of these particular sections of USA PATRIOT
Act, you can visit FinCEN:
http://www.fincen.gov/statutes_regs/patriot/index.html