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FinCEN Advisory
This Advisory is being issued to supplement the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Advisory 21, issued in July 2000, regarding the Republic of
Nauru. Although Nauru has enacted some legislative reforms to address the
deficiencies noted in Advisory 21, the Treasury Department has determined that
the reforms are not sufficient, especially with regard to its offshore banking sector.
As a result, FinCEN is issuing this further Advisory to remind U.S. financial institutions
Of their statutory obligation to terminate any correspondent account provided to a
foreign shell bank, including any foreign shell bank licensed by Nauru.
Therefore, in addition to the enhanced scrutiny recommended in Advisory 21,
U.S. banks and other financial institutions are reminded of their obligations pursuant
to 31 U.S.C. 5318(j), as added by Section 313 of the USA PATRIOT Act of
2001, with respect to correspondent accounts with foreign shell banks. Under this
new provision, U.S. financial institutions, as well as other financial institutions
operating in the United States, are required to terminate any correspondent accounts
provided to foreign shell banks, and they must take reasonable steps to ensure that
correspondent accounts held by foreign banks are not being used to provide banking
services indirectly to foreign shell banks. A shell bank is a bank with neither a physical
presence in any jurisdiction nor an appropriate affiliation with a regulated, non-shell bank.
The Treasury Department has issued both an Interim Guidance as well as a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking that further outline the requirements of this new section.
See 66 Fed. Reg. 59,344 (Nov. 27, 2001); 66 Fed. Reg. 67,460 (Dec. 28, 2001).
The issuance of this Advisory does not mean that U.S. financial institutions should
curtail legitimate business with Nauru, but rather, particular caution should be exercised
to ensure compliance with applicable U.S. law.
James F. Sloan
Director
FinCEN Advisory is a product of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of the Treasury, Post Office Box 39, Vienna, Virginia 22183. For more information about FinCEN’s programs, visit the FinCEN web site at http://www.fincen.gov. General questions or comments regarding FinCEN publications should be addressed to the Office of Communications, FinCEN, (703) 905-3773. Information may also be faxed to (703) 905-3885.