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2nd Annual AML & Anti-Financial Crime Conference
Country Risks for the Caribbean
Prepared by Christine Duhaime, BA, JD, CAMS
Created for ACAMS, 2nd Annual Caribbean Conference - 1 -
Country Major
Money
Laundering
Country1
Major Drug
Producing
and Drug
Transit
Country2
US
President’s
Country of
Major
Concern3
Narco-Trafficking Risks Money Laundering Risks
& Methods of Money Laundering
Other
Antigua and
Barbuda
Yes No No • Transshipment point for cocaine
destined to US
• Importation of illegal marijuana from
Canada
• Insufficient maritime resources to
intercept go-fast drug boats and narco-
submarines
• Corruption, drug trafficking and fraud
are the major predicate offences
• Major money laundering methods are
wires, structuring and shell entities
with shell banking
• Online gambling sites illegally
targeting other counties are a major
risk factor
• Online gambling sites that illegally
service US and other countries have safe
harbor in Antigua and Barbuda
• Over 5,000 shell companies but only 1/5
active
• Has more citizenship investment agencies
than banks – citizenship investment
programs are very high risk for financial
crime
Aruba Yes No No • Used by narco-traffickers (primarily
cocaine from Venezuela and
Colombia) as transit location for
cocaine arriving via fishing vessels,
which is then trafficked to other
countries
• Known as transit place for proceeds of
crime from drug trafficking with
proceeds moving to South America
• Pervasive bulk cash smuggling
• Gold transfers pervasive by TCOs
• STRs not at global standards
• Venezuelan nationals are buying real
estate with proceeds of crime
• Money illegally exited from China
starting to surface in Aruba with Chinese
foreign nationals
Bahamas Yes Yes Yes • Drugs from Jamaica are trafficked to
Bahamas via go fast drug boats and
small fishing vessels
• Private jets and sailing, fishing and go-
fast drug boats transport significant
• Banks, land-based casinos and online
gambling websites are high risk
money laundering activities
• Most high risk are online gambling
websites situated in Bahamas. For
example, online casinos processed
• Criminal justice system lacks resources
• Over 27,072 shells and many more
domestic companies owned by foreigners
• US govt recommends Bahamas
investigate and prosecute Bitcoin and
digital currency crimes specifically
1 INCSR Per Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, §481(e)(7), means a country whose financial institutions conduct transactions for significant illegal international narco-trafficking.
2 INCSR Per Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, §481(e), means a country that allows the transportation of illegal narcotics and is a major producer of illegal narcotics.
3 INCSR Per Foreign Relations Authorization Act, means a country designated for heightened risks and concern.