Prohibited Business and High-Risk Business Policy
Version 4.0
Purpose
As an Authorized Payment Institution, we are considered to be at potentially higher risk for money laundering and terrorist financing activities. The purpose of this document is to give all staff at AB Money guidance and remind them of their obligations under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds(Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, Proceeds of Crime Act and Terrorism Act 2000 as set out in the AML Policy. Including the update, the UK's AML regime to incorporate international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and to transpose the EU’s 5th Money Laundering Directive.
The document and its activity may be subject to change and will undergo a periodic compliance review to ensure adherence to the aforementioned. The Company reserves the right to vary, change, alter, amend, add to or remove any of the terms and conditions of this procedure at any time.
Scope
This document details the information and tools in the identification of clients both private and corporate, and beneficiaries that will need to be referred to compliance for approval. Thisis because they are prohibited.
This document lists Industries or items and activities that AB MONEY prohibits working with as it is outside of the Company’s Risk Appetite. It applies to any person or entity using our payment service and any transactions that we are asked to process.
If we believe or suspect that any transaction violates this policy or is otherwise illegal or unsuitable, we may take any corrective action that we deem appropriate, including blocking the transaction, holding funds associated with a prohibited transaction, suspending, or restricting the use of our service, terminating the accounts of violators, or any other corrective action.
Core Obligations
It is the policy of AB Money to strictly comply with all laws and regulations that apply to any of their activities and operations, or that may give rise to the risk of liability for any of their branches or employees.
It is the duty of all employees to abide by all applicable laws and regulations, and exercise great care not to take or authorize any actions that may create even the appearance of illegal conduct or other impropriety. Staff must not try to falsify the truth or chose not to divulge information, in order to benefit themselves or the customers – this is an illegal offence and the company’s staff, who violate this Policy will be subject to appropriate action.
Prohibited Business
Although there are sanctioned countries that Financial Institution partners will not allow us to facilitate payments to (directly or indirectly) and we screen against various Financial Sanction lists - which the Company will not transfer funds to and have the appropriate controls in place to prohibit. The Company documents its prohibited business list along with its ‘Compliance Approval Required’ so that Compliance can monitor what types of industries are coming to AB Money which may have an impact the Risk Assessment of the firm.
Any item that features on the following list MUST be submitted to the MLRO who will review and respond on how to continue before either a business relationship is approved, or a payment is released.
Countries
For a list of counties that are considered to be higher risk/prohibited, these are listed with the risk rating of “Needs MLRO’s Approval”.
If a client tries to register or pay to any of these listed the transaction will be auto referred to compliance and it put in review required status in AB Money monitoring system (firewall) - where no further action can be taken by anyone except the MLRO.
Prohibited Industries
Industry | Risk |
---|---|
Gambling | Prohibited |
Pornography and Adult | Prohibited |
MSBs (unregistered or non-regulated) | Prohibited |
Shell companies [organizations with no physical presence, or meaningful decision making and / or management] | Prohibited |
Unregistered Charities | Prohibited |
Any business linked to trading active arms and Lethal Weapons | Prohibited |
Anything related to illegal drugs (as defined in the UK), including, for the avoidance of doubt, drug paraphernalia | Prohibited |
Binary options trading | Prohibited |
Crowd funding | Prohibited |
Remittances funded in cash; Cash and Check Handling: Check Cashing, Deposit Taking, Cash Transfer | Prohibited |
Private security firms | Prohibited |
Pay day lenders | Prohibited |
Diamond and precious metal merchants, including jewelers | Prohibited |
Debt management and collection | Prohibited |
Gaming | Prohibited |
Cultural Artifacts and Art Dealers | Prohibited |
Political and Religious Organizations | Prohibited |
High Risk Business Industries and Individuals
The following businesses/individuals are deemed to be higher risk by the business and will need EDD to be performed. The MLRO will advise the onboarding team as needed / requested, on a case-by-case basis, the appropriate and required action to take.
Industry | Risk |
---|---|
Banking & capital markets | High Risk |
Financial Services (excluding MSB) | High Risk |
Shipping Services | High Risk |
Consulting | High Risk |
Government & public sector | High Risk |
Oil & gas | High Risk |
Asset & wealth management | High Risk |
Metals | High Risk |
Pharmaceuticals & life sciences | High Risk |
Registered Charities(includes Non-Profits Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)) | High Risk |
Chemicals | High Risk |
Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies | High Risk |
Mining | High Risk |
Private equity | High Risk |
Real estate | High Risk |
Dealers in high value goods(such as precious metals including precious stones) | High Risk |
Fireworks and related goods | High Risk |
Jewelers | High Risk |
Anything linked to military contracts. (Note – if also linked to Lethal Weapons, then this becomes prohibited) | High Risk |
Cultural Artifacts and Art Dealers | High Risk |
Ivory or other items related to protected species, or archaeological, historical, religious significance of rare scientific value | High Risk |
Tobacco products | High Risk |