Which activity type should they target?

Law enforcement (LE) suspects human trafficking to occur during a major sporting event LE officers asked several financial institutions (FIs) to monitor financial transactions occurring before, during, and after the event.

An investigator identified a pattern linked to a business. The business’ account received multiple even dollar deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM. They occurred each day for several days prior to the date of the sporting event. Also, large cash deposits, typically between 2,000 USD and 3,000 USD. made by a person to the business’ account occurred in many branches in the days after the sports event.

There was little information about the company. The company did not have any history of employee payroll expenses or paying taxes. Expenses from the business account included air travel and hotel expenses. Searches about the person making cash deposits showed little. An online social media platform webpage with the individual’s name showed ads for dates1′ and "companionship."

The Fl wants to create an automated alert for human trafficking money laundering after this investigation.

Which activity type should they target?
A . Payments made to multiple hotels in the same city
B . Multiple deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM
C . Deposits made within days of major sporting events
D . Payments made for virtual currency

View Answer

Answer: B

Explanation:

The activity type that the FI should target for creating an automated alert for human trafficking money laundering is multiple deposits between midnight and 4:00 AM (B). This is because this pattern is consistent with the indicators of human trafficking identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Egmont Group1, which include:

Frequent cash deposits, often in round amounts, outside of normal business hours

Deposits made at different branches or ATMs in various locations

Lack of information about the nature and purpose of the business

Involvement in online platforms that advertise sexual services

Expenses related to travel and accommodation

The other options are not as relevant or specific as option B. Payments made to multiple hotels in the same city (A) could be a legitimate business expense or a sign of other types of money laundering, such as tax evasion or fraud. Deposits made within days of major sporting events © could also be explained by other factors, such as increased tourism or gambling. Payments made for virtual currency (D) are not directly related to human trafficking, although they could be used to facilitate money laundering in general.

Reference: 1: FATF and Egmont Group, Financial Flows from Human Trafficking, July 2018, available at FATF