COMPLIANCE
Timeline of financial crime in film and television
1930s : Organized crime and the mob accountant
Films in the 1930s depicted mob activities such as bootlegging , protection rackets and bribery . A mob accountant had a starring role in tracking the inflows and outflows . In the film The Untouchables ( 1987 ), the mob account /” bookkeeper ” plays a critical role in identifying bribery payments and the sources of illicit funds . The bookkeeper role is so important that the Untouchables team recruits an accountant to translate the ledgers .
1970s : Drug trafficking organizations
In the 1970s , the drug trafficking stories were primarily set in High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas / High Intensity Financial Crime Areas ( HIDTA / HIFCA ). Two film examples are the French Connection ( 1971 ) and Scarface ( 1983 ), set in New York City and Miami , respectively . In both films , narcotics are being imported to the U . S . through international drug trafficking organizations .
1990s : Proliferation and terrorist financing
The films in the 1990s depict terrorist financing activities as well as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction . In the film True Lies ( 1996 ), the terrorist cell uses an antiquities dealer as a front to carry out illicit activities .
2000s to today : Rise of the money launderers
In the current era , money launderers and their associated techniques are at the center of the storytelling . The two popular examples are Ozark and Breaking Bad . At the center of each story , there is a family man who uses a unique set of skills to get his family involved in illicit activities and later to try to protect his family from criminal organizations . In Ozark , the Byrd family begins laundering money for a Mexican drug cartel via cash businesses in a resort area , while Breaking Bad tells the story of a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who begins cooking the infamous “ blue meth .” The product is so successful that the protagonist and his wife are overwhelmed by the volume of cash .
These television programs and movies present red flags that can help financial crime professionals identify potential suspicious activity . Some of these actions may include :
▪ Know your customer
▪ Understanding the risks posed to your organization
▪ Negative news and other relevant intelligence
Case study one : Sons of Anarchy ( 2008-2014 ) 1 and Mongols Motorcycle Club
Logline : “ A biker struggles to balance being a father and being involved in an outlaw motorcycle club .” 2
Fictional financial crimes : Bribery / corruption , drug trafficking , transnational criminal organizations
Fictional red flags : Unsourced cash Real world counterpart : Tennessee Mongols Motorcycle Club
▪ Distributed more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine
▪ Committed violent acts , including kidnappings , assaults and murder
― Case outcome : The six defendants each sentenced to life in prison 3
― Potential AML red flags : Negative news , source of funds and HIDTA / HIFCA locations
In the current era , money launderers and their associated techniques are at the center of the storytelling
70 acamstoday . org