2024-04-29
Added · Updated
Issued by AML/CFT supervisors under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, this guideline mandates enhanced customer due diligence for high-risk customers and specific transaction types. It requires reporting entities to verify customer identity, beneficial ownership, and the source of wealth or funds using risk-proportionate measures. The document outlines procedures for identifying material changes, handling incomplete due diligence, and terminating relationships when compliance cannot be achieved.
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AML/CFT
Anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism Enhanced Customer Due Diligence Guideline April 2024
Structure of the Enhanced Customer Due Diligence guideline Introduction Page 3 Terms used in this enhanced CDD guideline Page 4
Part 1 Enhanced customer due diligence Page 5
Part 2 Enhanced CDD and identity requirements Page 14
Part 3 Circumstances when enhanced CDD applies Page 16
Part 4 Enhanced CDD - Source of Wealth, Source of f
Funds and additional measures
Part 5 Enhanced CDD and Suspicious Activity Reporting Page 26
Part 6 Enhanced CDD and Politically Exposed Persons Page 28
Part 7 Table of Abbreviations and Acronyms Page 29
Introduction
This guideline assists you to conduct enhanced customer due diligence (enhanced
CDD) on your customers under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009 (the Act).
The Act sets out a number of specific situations in which enhanced CDD is required. In
addition, enhanced CDD is required when you consider, based on your money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF) risk assessment (risk assessment), that the level of risk involved means that enhanced CDD should apply.
Enhanced CDD requires you to obtain and verify the same identity information that is
required for standard customer due diligence. However, when undertaking enhanced CDD, you may need to use increased or more sophisticated measures to do this. In most cases, enhanced CDD also requires you to obtain and verify information relating to the source of wealth (SoW) and/or source of funds (SoF) of your customer. In some situations, additional measures may also be required.
This guideline does not address enhanced CDD requirements for wire transfers and
correspondent banking relationships under sections 22(3)-(4) of the Act.
Your AML/CFT programme (programme) must outline how your business will
determine when enhanced CDD is required for a customer and when other types of customer due diligence are permitted.
A risk-based approach allows you some flexibility in the steps you take when conducting
enhanced CDD. Your risk assessment and programme will determine the amount of time and effort you spend on enhanced CDD.
A risk-based approach does not stop you from engaging in transactions/activities or
establishing business relationships with higher risk customers. Rather, it should help you to effectively manage, mitigate and prioritise your response to ML/TF risks.
This guideline is based on the requirements of the Act and has been produced by the
AML/CFT supervisors under section 132(2) of the Act. This guideline does not constitute legal advice.
Examples provided in this guideline are suggestions to help you meet your obligations
under the Act. They are not exhaustive and are illustrative in nature.
Section 57(2) of the Act requires you to have regard to this guideline, it is important that
you have read and taken this guideline into account when developing your AML/CFT programme. After reading this guideline, if you still do not understand any of your obligations you should contact your AML/CFT supervisor or seek legal advice.
Where AML/CFT Guidelines are referenced, they can be accessed at the following
websites:
Department of Internal Affairs: http://bit.ly/2gQ3Iev New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit: http://bit.ly/2zpmWPJ Reserve Bank of New Zealand: http://bit.ly/2n6RYdp Financial Markets Authority: https://bit.ly/3fjcKlD Terms used in this enhanced CDD guideline
The Act does not define the terms set out below. For the purposes of this guideline, the
following definitions apply.
“Reasonable steps”: Refers to an objective view of what actions would be proportionate and suitable given the risks involved and the obligations of the Act. For instance, the extent of identity verification you undertake on your customer. “Material change”: ML/TF risk is not static and a customer’s ML/TF risk profile can change quickly. A material change is an event, activity, or situation that you identify during interactions with your customer (or via ongoing customer due diligence and account monitoring) that could change their level of ML/TF risk. This may result in the need for enhanced CDD. “Risk-based approach”: Refers to the proportionate AML/CFT measures that you implement in response to identified risks. An effective risk-based approach (sometimes called RBA) allows you to exercise informed judgement when conducting enhanced CDD on your customers. Under a risk-based approach, there is no such thing as “zero risk”. “According to the level of risk”: Consistent with a risk-based approach, this refers to your assessment of ML/TF risk associated with your customer. “Inherent risk”: This is the assessed ML/TF risk before any AML/CFT controls and measures are in place. “Residual risk”: This is the assessed ML/TF risk after AML/CFT controls and measures have been put in place.
All footnote references refer to the AML/CFT Act 2009 unless stated otherwise.
On 1 July 2018, suspicious transaction reports (STRs) were replaced by suspicious
activity reports (SARs). We use the acronym SAR to denote both types of reporting for the purposes of this guideline.
Part 1: Enhanced customer due diligence
What is enhanced CDD?
15. Customer due diligence (CDD) is a cornerstone of your programme. CDD is the
process through which you develop an understanding of your customers and the ML/TF risks they pose to your business.
16. In some higher ML/TF risk circumstances an increased level of CDD is required. This
is known as enhanced CDD, “ECDD” or “EDD”. As part of standard CDD, you must obtain sufficient information to determine whether you require enhanced CDD on your customer. (Refer to paragraph [27] for the circumstances in which ECDD is required).1
17. Enhanced CDD has two core requirements over and above standard CDD:
Your customer's SoW is the origin of their entire body of assets. This information gives
an indication of the amount of wealth your customer would be expected to have and a picture of how they acquired it. (For further information regarding SoW refer to Part 4 of the guideline).
Your customer's SoF is more narrowly focused. It is the origin of the funds used for the
transactions or activities that occur within the business relationship with you. This also applies for an occasional transaction or activity.
You must base your programme on your risk assessment. Your programme must
contain your enhanced CDD procedures, policies and controls that manage and mitigate the ML/TF risks presented by your customers. Why is enhanced CDD required?
Enhanced CDD is required for certain types of customers and some transactions or
activities. This includes situations where you consider (based on your risk assessment) that the level of risk involved is such that enhanced CDD should apply. 1 Section 17(b) and 22 2 Sections 16(1) and 24(1)(a) 3 Sections 23(1)(a), 24(1)(b), 26(2)(b) and 26(3) 4 Section 22 5 Sections 24(1)(b), 26(2)(b) and 26(3) 6 Sections 57(1)(c) and 57(1)(j) 7 Section 22(1)(d)
For instance, enhanced CDD helps you:
A trust or another vehicle for holding personal assets
A non-resident customer from a country that has insufficient AML/CFT systems or
measures in place10
A company with nominee shareholders or shares in bearer form
A politically exposed person (PEP)
8 Section 31
9 Section 22
10 Refer to Countries Assessment Guideline and paragraphs [86] to [87]
A customer seeking to conduct a complex, unusually large transaction or unusual
pattern of transactions that have no apparent or visible economic or lawful purpose
Any other customer or circumstances that you assess (based on your risk
assessment and standard CDD) to be of high ML/TF risk11
A business relationship with a company with 1 or more nominee directors12
A business relationship with a limited partnership with a nominee general partner13
A business relationship with a customer that involves new or developing
technologies, or new or developing products, that might favour anonymity14
A customer seeking to conduct an occasional transaction or activity through the
reporting entity that involves new or developing technologies, or new or developing products, that might favour anonymity.
independent source. You must take reasonable steps to verify the information provided to you by the customer according to the level of risk involved.
39. “Reasonable steps” does not mean “no steps”. The Act is founded on a risk-based
approach where there is no such thing as zero risk. Your risk assessment and programme will direct the degree of your verification measures.
40. This means that you have some flexibility in the level of validation and corroboration
that you undertake. You can use your judgement on the level of verification you use depending on the situation, customer, activity, or transaction. However, the steps that you take should be objective, appropriate for your business and proportionate with the level of ML/TF risk. You must keep appropriate records to document the reasons and conclusions for your decisions (see paragraph [61]). How important is standard CDD for determining if enhanced CDD is required?
41. Standard CDD assists you to establish your customer’s risk profile.
24 For legal persons and legal arrangements, developing a clear understanding of the underlying persons that own or control them is a key part of this.25
What does “material change” mean for enhanced CDD purposes?
46. Your ongoing CDD and account monitoring should identify if there is material change in
the nature and purpose of your customer’s business relationship with you. A material change could present an increase in ML/TF risk.
47. Such material change could include circumstances where your customer asks for new
and higher risk products or services, or if they are creating new corporate or trust structures. On the other hand, it could be if your customer starts undertaking unexpected and unexplained activity in overseas locations. Alternatively, the volume, frequency or size of your customer’s transactions or activities may increase beyond what is reasonably expected.
48. For example, you may have a local customer who requested straightforward
transactional services from you at on-boarding, so you assessed them as low-risk and conducted standard CDD. However, ongoing CDD and account monitoring identifies that this customer has moved to a higher risk jurisdiction and there has been an unexpected increase in transaction volume and/or value. In these circumstances, you must now require enhanced CDD as part of your ongoing CDD. What if you cannot complete enhanced CDD?
49. If you are not able to complete enhanced CDD for a customer, you must not carry out
any occasional transaction or activity for them, nor establish a business relationship with them.28 If you already have a business relationship with the customer, this must be terminated.29
50. This prohibition applies to circumstances where a customer fails or refuses to provide
the relevant information, data, or documents that you have requested. This also applies if the information, data, or documents that the customer provides are inadequate, or if you have reasonable grounds to believe they are fraudulent.
51. As part of your programme, you should include your procedures, policies and controls
for situations when enhanced CDD, or any other type of CDD, cannot be conducted.30 This should cover the following situations:
When enhanced CDD is unable to be conducted at on-boarding
When the business relationship has been established and enhanced CDD was
incorrectly conducted during on-boarding
When enhanced CDD could not be conducted following a review during ongoing
CDD and account monitoring
When enhanced CDD cannot be conducted after a material change in the business
relationship
28 There are limited circumstances where the verification aspects of enhanced CDD can be completed after forming a business relationship. 29 Section 37 30 Your programme could also describe how you request, receive, and follow up on enhanced CDD requirements that are not met.
Ensuring you give the customer sufficient (and reasonable) time to provide the
required documents within a business relationship.
programme should provide detail on your procedures, policies, and controls in relation to delayed verification.
58. You should not use delayed verification or exception policies to circumvent enhanced
CDD procedures. This is particularly important if you have a suspicion of ML/TF or you become aware of anything that causes you to doubt the identity or intentions of your customer or their beneficial owner. What enhanced CDD record keeping do you need to do?
59. Your programme must have procedures, policies and controls for record keeping.36 In
relation to enhanced CDD, you must keep copies of all the information, data or documents you have used to verify your customer’s identity and details, their beneficial ownership (if applicable) and their SoW and/or SoF (if applicable).37 You must keep your records for a minimum of five years after an occasional transaction or occasional activity has been completed or a business relationship has ended (whichever is later).38
60. You should keep written notes or findings that justify the level of verification you
undertook and the reasons behind your AML/CFT decisions. For example, you should record the reasons why you delayed your enhanced CDD verification of a customer, or why you escalated a transaction monitoring alert to an SAR after conducting enhanced CDD. This could be part of a formal decision log or contained in your SAR procedures.
61. Your record keeping should be clear and logical so that another party reading the notes
can understand the risk-based decision that you made. This is important for supervisory and audit purposes.
62. Record keeping is an essential part of the audit trail for the detection, investigation, and
confiscation of criminal or terrorism property/funds. Record keeping helps investigating authorities to establish a financial profile of persons of interest and to trace criminal or terrorism property/funds. It also helps the Court to examine past transactions to assess whether property/funds are connected to criminal or terrorism-related offences. Do you need enhanced CDD to be part of your training?
63. Training is an important part of your AML/CFT system and must be part of your
programme.39 Well-designed enhanced CDD procedures, policies and controls may be compromised if you (or your relevant staff40) are not adequately trained.
64. Your training should incorporate when and how enhanced CDD will be undertaken,
including on-boarding customers, conducting ongoing CDD and submitting SARs. In addition, your enhanced CDD training should also look at what reliable and independent sources of information you can use to verify customer identity, beneficial ownership, and SoW or SoF. Your training should also cover recognised methods and trends in 36 Section 57(1)(e) 37 Section 50 38 Section 49-52 39 Section 57(1)(b) 40 Section 57(1)(b) requires your programme to include adequate and effective procedures, policies and controls for training on AML/CFT matters for senior managers, the AML/CFT compliance officer, and any other employee that is engaged in AML/CFT related duties.
ML/TF that could be deterred or detected by enhanced CDD, as well as any new and emerging techniques. Can you conduct enhanced CDD via a third party?
65. The Act allows for CDD to be undertaken for you by a third party. This can include
enhanced CDD. This may be a member of your designated business group, your agent or other reporting entities or persons in another country when certain conditions are met. The Act requires that the third-party consents to conducting the CDD for you and to providing you all relevant information.41 Liability for carrying out CDD (including enhanced CDD) remains with you.
66. If a third party is undertaking CDD (including enhanced CDD) for you this must be
considered in your risk assessment and the procedures, policies and controls included in your programme. 41 Section 32-34
Part 2: Enhanced CDD and identity requirements
Obtaining and verifying identity information
67. When conducting enhanced CDD on a customer, you must42 obtain the same identity
information that is required for standard CDD. This includes the customer’s full name, date of birth and address (if an individual) or company identifier or registration number and registered office (if not an individual) and any other information prescribed by the Act or regulations.
68. You must take reasonable steps to verify that information, data, or documents are from
reliable and independent sources.43 As you are conducting enhanced CDD, you may need to use increased or more sophisticated measures to do this than you would for standard CDD. Amended Identity Verification Code of Practice 2013
69. The Amended Identity Verification Code of Practice 2013 (IVCOP) provides
suggested best practice and a ‘safe harbour’ for verifying the name and date of birth of individuals that are low- or medium-risk customers. The supervisors consider that you may also find the IVCOP instructive as guidance for verifying the name and date of birth of high-risk individuals (when you are conducting enhanced CDD).
70. For example, you could use the IVCOP as your starting point for high-risk customers. It
may be that the risk relating to a particular customer does not relate to the accuracy of their biographical information (i.e. you are satisfied you have verified their true name and date of birth). In this situation, you may not need to undertake any further verification steps over and above those set out in the IVCOP. Your AML/CFT resource can be then applied to other aspects of enhanced CDD, such as the examination of the SoW and/or SoF.
71. However, in other circumstances, risks relating to the person’s biographical information
(i.e. the risk this person is using a false identity) may be integral to the assessment they are high risk. For this type of situation, you should consider what additional, increased or more sophisticated measures are required to verify the name and date of birth. This could include sighting additional identity documents or if onboarding the customer remotely, obtaining certified copies of documents or taking additional identity authentication steps. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to require them to attend a branch in person with their original identity documents.
72. Note: The IVCOP states that you must have appropriate exception handling procedures
in place, for circumstances when a customer demonstrates they are unable to satisfy its requirements.44 These exception handling procedures should not apply if you are using the IVCOP as your starting point for verifying the name and date of birth of high42 Section 23 43 Section 13 44 Point 4 IVCOP
risk customers. Note also that the ‘safe harbour’ provided by the IVCOP does not apply in relation to high-risk customers.
73. For further information relating to name and date of birth verification, refer to the
Amended Identity Verification Code of Practice 2013 and its August 2023 Explanatory Note and Guideline. Persons acting on behalf of a customer and beneficial owners
74. You must identify and verify the identity of any person acting on behalf of the customer
and any beneficial owner(s) of the customer. In relation to a person acting on behalf of the customer, and according to the level of risk involved, reasonable steps must45 be taken to verify the information obtained so that you are satisfied who the person is and that they have the authority to act.
75. In relation to the beneficial owner(s) of the customer, and according to the level of risk
involved, reasonable steps must46 be taken to verify the information obtained so that you are satisfied that you know the identity of the beneficial owner(s). Enhanced CDD and beneficial owner
76. A core requirement of enhanced CDD is to identify and verify your customers’ beneficial
ownership arrangements to ensure that you understand them. It is crucial to know who the beneficial owner(s) are so that you can make appropriate decisions about the level of ML/TF risk presented by your customer.
77. If you want to do business with a customer, you must identify and verify the identity of
the beneficial owner(s).47 You should establish and understand the customer’s ownership structure at each layer. The beneficial owner is not necessarily one individual; there may be several beneficial owners in a structure. Where there are complex ownership layers with no reasonable explanation, you should consider the possibility that the structure is used to hide the beneficial owner(s). If so, enhanced CDD may be required.
78. Refer to Beneficial Ownership Guideline material for further information on beneficial
ownership.
45 Section 16(1)(c)
46 Section 16(1)(b)
47 Section 11 – Except in circumstances where simplified CDD applies.
Part 3: Circumstances when enhanced CDD applies
79. This section provides information on the different types of circumstances and customers
for whom enhanced CDD is required. This applies equally to business relationships with a customer and occasional transactions and activities. Trusts
80. You must conduct enhanced CDD on a trust or another vehicle for holding personal
assets.48 The requirement for enhanced CDD on trusts recognises the potential use of trusts to disguise the criminal origin of funds or the true ownership and effective control of the trust. This is particularly the case where ownership and control arrangements are sophisticated or complex. Your risk assessment and programme will determine the level of enhanced CDD you conduct on these entities and the assessed ML/TF risk associated with them.
81. For instance, your risk assessment may assess the level of inherent ML/TF risk
presented by a domestic ‘family’ trust as lower than the risk presented by an overseas trust from a jurisdiction with weak AML/CFT measures or high levels of corruption. You will still need to conduct enhanced CDD, including verification of SoW and/or SoF, on the family trust but it will not need to be as in-depth as with the overseas trust. The level of enhanced CDD you decide to undertake should be proportionate to the risks involved.
82. You must take reasonable steps, according to the level of risk involved, to verify the
identity of any beneficial owners of your customer.49 This includes instances where the beneficial owner of your customer may be an individual behind another legal arrangement50 or a company.
83. For a customer that is a trust, you must also obtain the name and date of birth of each
beneficiary of the trust.51 There is no requirement to verify this information. However, if the customer is a discretionary trust, a charitable trust or a trust with more than 10 beneficiaries, you must instead obtain a description of each class or type of beneficiary.52 If the trust is a charitable trust, you must also obtain the objects of that trust.53
84. To identify the SoW and/or SoF of a trust you will need to identify the settlor(s), and the
origin of the settlor’s wealth. For example, the settlor may have inherited family wealth, accumulated business earnings, or received funds from the sale of property. This could also include identifying the underlying individual(s) if the settlor(s) is not a natural person. You will also need (if relevant) to identify the source of any income that the trust is receiving. For example, it may be income from an underlying company or simply a monthly deposit from a family bank account. See Part 4 for more information. 48 Sections 22(1)(a)(i) and 22(1)(b)(i) 49 Section 16(1)(b) and 24(1)(a) 50 Section 5 51 Section 23(2)(a) 52 Section 23(2)(b)(i) 53 Section 23(2)(b)(ii)
and unusual transactions or patterns of transactions, and the situations when you need to conduct enhanced CDD.
92. Your account monitoring is also a vital element in identifying these types of transactions.
Whether an automated or manual system is used, this should generate ML/TF alerts for review and examination. You should base your thresholds and scenarios for these alerts on your risk assessment and you should detail your procedures, policies, and controls in your programme. Your monitoring rules for thresholds and other scenarios should be commensurate with the types of customers you deal with, the products and services you offer and the size and value of transactions you undertake. You should be able to justify the rationale behind your rules set based on your ML/TF risks. Assessed risk for a particular situation
93. You must conduct enhanced CDD when you consider the level of risk in a particular
situation is such that enhanced CDD should apply.59
94. This requirement applies to any other situation where there is ML/TF risk not otherwise
or specifically identified in the Act. The situations where these ML/TF risks arise should be based on the findings of your risk assessment and they will be particular to your business. The situations may arise from a combination of vulnerabilities associated with the size, nature and complexity of your business, your types of customers, your products and services and your methods of delivery, as well as the types of institutions and countries that you deal with.
95. In relation to the countries you deal with, it is important to understand that the risks
associated with a country are wider than having insufficient AML/CFT measures in place. Country risk can result from:
FATF identification of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies
FATF mutual evaluation reports
Basel AML Index
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports
59 Section 22(1)(d)
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index
Reliable and independent media sources.
102.For further information regarding the relationship between enhanced CDD and suspicious activity reporting, see Part 5 below. New or developing technologies or products 103.New or developing technologies or products can present unknown ML/TF risks and vulnerabilities, and new methods of delivery may be able to bypass existing AML/CFT measures to allow anonymity. 104.Where you have a customer who wants to establish a business relationship, or conduct an occasional transaction or activity, involving new or developing technology or products that might favour anonymity, you must take additional enhanced CDD measures to mitigate and manage these ML/TF risks.64 It is for you to determine what measures are required according to the level of risk involved. 105.Your risk assessment should consider whether your business is, or may be, exposed to customers involved in new or developing technologies or products. Your programme should then detail the procedures, policies, and controls that you will implement for this type of customer and technology.65 106.Effective 1 June 2024, if you are introducing a new or developing technology or a new or developing product (including a new delivery mechanism), there is an explicit requirement that you must update66 your risk assessment before doing so.67 This ensures that any new or evolving risks are fully examined, with mitigating steps as required taken before the new or developing technology or product is launched. Note that in practice, these steps should align with your existing procedures, policies and controls to keep your risk assessment (and in turn AML/CFT programme) up to date. The supervisors do not consider that creates additional or wider obligations relating to risk assessments. 64 Sections 22(5) and 30 65 Section 57(1)(i) 66 This could include assessing the risks and updating the relevant section of your risk assessment relating to the new or developing technology or the new or developing product (including the new delivery mechanism). 67 Regulation 13E AML/CFT (Requirements and Compliance) Regulations 2011 (effective 1 June 2024)
Part 4: Enhanced CDD - SoW, SoF and additional measures
107.As set out in Part 3 of this guideline, there are various circumstances in which enhanced CDD obligations relating to SoW and/or SoF are required.68 Where this applies, you must obtain information relating to the SoW and/or SoF of your customer69 and you must, according to the level of risk involved, take reasonable steps to verify70 that information. 108.Reporting entities should implement procedures, policies and controls for enhanced CDD that are appropriate to the product or service provided, the level of ML/TF risk and the customer’s circumstances.71 Your programme should set out how you will do this. 109.Effective 1 June 2024, your AML/CFT programme must differentiate when you will obtain and verify information regarding the customer’s SoW or the customer’s SoF, or alternatively both the customer’s SoW and their SoF.72 Note in some circumstances, you may also be required to implement additional enhanced CDD measures if examining SoW and/or SoF is not sufficient to manage and mitigate the ML/TF risks.73 110.In many cases, SoW or SoF information and documents required for enhanced CDD will be readily available and quickly provided by your customer. In other cases, you may need to inquire further into complex ownership or control structures, or you may need to examine the origins of your customer’s wealth in detail. 111.For instance, an overseas customer with a complex ownership structure and multiple assets or income streams will require greater effort and more comprehensive investigation to verifiy SoW and/or SoF information than a customer with a simple ownership structure and financial arrangements. Do I obtain and verify the SoW, the SoF or both? 112.In circumstances where you are establishing or updating your customer's risk profile you may need to obtain and verify information regarding their SoW. As set out in paragraph [18] above, your customer's SoW is the origin of their entire body of assets. This information gives an indication of the amount of wealth your customer would be expected to have and a picture of how they acquired it. 113.However, when enhanced CDD is triggered by circumstances involving transactions or activities, you may need to focus more specifically on the SoF. As set out in paragraph [19] above, your customer's SoF is more narrowly focused. It is the origin of the funds used for the transactions or activities that occur within the business relationship with you. This also applies for an occasional transaction or activity. 114.It is also important to remember that your customer's SoW and SoF do not exist in isolation of each other. In a situation where an individual transaction is 68 Section 22(1) and (2) 69 Section 23(1)(a) 70 Section 24(1)(b) 71 Section 22 72 Regulation 15H AML/CFT (Requirements and Compliance) Regulations 2011 (effective 1 June 2024) 73 Regulation 12AB AML/CFT (Requirements and Compliance) Regulations 2011 (effective 1 June 2024)
disproportionately large compared to your knowledge of a customer's wealth, this should trigger a more detailed examination of that transaction or activity. 115.It is for you to determine when to examine your customer's SoW, when to examine their SoF, or when to examine both. Your programme must contain procedures, policies and controls that set out how you differentiate and the respective circumstances in which you will obtain and verify the SoW, the SoF or both. 116.Note: The supervisors acknowledge it may not be possible to document every different scenario in your AML/CFT programme in which you will examine SoW versus SoF, or both. Furthermore, that a case-by-case determination depending on the identified risk may be preferable in some circumstances. Therefore, your AML/CFT programme could consider the types of situations in which SoW or SoF (or both) will be examined, and how you will differentiate in practice. The key consideration when determining whether SoW or SoF (or both) should be examined is which of them best enables you to effectively mitigate the ML/TF risks. You are not able to simply ‘choose’ the option that is the easiest to fulfil. How do you obtain and verify information about SoW and/or SoF? 117.You should ask your customer to provide you information about their SoW and/or SoF and record this information.75 You must take reasonable steps, according to the level of risk involved, to verify this information using reliable and independent sources. 118.Where you identify that the origin of your customer’s funds or wealth has come from their beneficial owner(s), it may be necessary, according to the level of risk involved, for you to extend your level of verification to include the SoW and/or SoF of these persons. However, you need not obtain and verify SoW or SoF for every beneficial owner where they have nothing to do with the “customer’s” SoW or SoF. 119.To help you verify information about SoW and SoF, you may be able to use publicly available information on the internet, or other commercially available databases. However, in many situations, it will be necessary for your customer to provide you with documents issued by third parties that support their financial position. In higher risk circumstances, it may be necessary to seek further information, either from your customer or directly from the relevant third party. 120.You must76 develop an understanding of the size and nature of your customer's overall wealth and, importantly, how it was acquired. This does not require you to verify their entire financial history or identify every asset that they hold. They may have multiple income streams and assets making this extremely difficult. 121.It may be useful to establish the different categories of income or assets that make up their total wealth. Examples could include their various investments, salary, family income or different types of commercial activity. Where there are multiple categories or income streams, you should
focus your verification on the larger of them, as well as 74 Regulation 15H AML/CFT (Requirements and Compliance) Regulations 2011 (effective 1 June 2024) 75 Section 23 76 Sections 23(1)(a) and 24(1)(b)
those that are the most complex or obfuscated. Once categorised and examined, it should be easier to understand your customer's overall level of wealth. 122.It is not expected that every part of the SoW will be accounted for. However, you must be satisfied that the nature and size of your customer’s wealth matches what you know about them. How do you determine SoF? 123.Verifying your customer's funds should be a more granular process. The information, data, or documents that you use should be specific to the business relationship or to their activities and transaction behaviour. This is important when your verification relates to a specific transaction, or sequence of transactions, that your customer is involved in. This also applies to any occasional transaction or activity that you conduct for a customer. What documents can verify SoW or SoF? 124.When you verify SoW and/or SoF information, you should use data or documents issued by a credible and reliable source such as a multi-national company, a reputable third-party commercial provider, or a government department from a lowrisk country with sufficient AML/CFT measures. 125.The types of data and documents that you use for verification will vary depending on the circumstances and the information that the customer provides to you. The following documents, data, or information could be considered reliable and independent:
reliable documents you obtain should be. For instance, we would expect certified copies or originals to be sighted, or verification via other reliable measures such as disclosure registers, for higher risk customers. However, in other circumstances such as in low risk situations or if the original document was only ever signed electronically, you may be able to rely on a copy received by email. You may also need to exercise caution with documents signed by relationship managers that have a vested interest in on-boarding or retaining a customer. In addition, you should be wary of documents that appear fraudulent or altered. Additional notes regarding SoW and SoF 128.You are, of course, able to conduct your own research to supplement the information and documents that your customer provides you regarding their SoW and/or SoF. This could be at on-boarding, during ongoing CDD or prior to submitting an SAR. Sources could include:
customer for further information about it, such as to explain who the beneficiary is, their relationship to this person and the reason for the transaction. 133.If the explanation provided is not adequate, it may be necessary to require documentation from the customer (for example an invoice) to corroborate the information they have provided. Another control in your AML/CFT programme could be to obtain approval from your senior management to proceed with the transaction. 134.In other situations, such a decision to on-board a customer assessed as higher risk, it may be necessary to conduct an enhanced level of monitoring for the duration of that business relationship. This could include much more regular reviews and scrutiny of transactions and activities. Again, you could implement a control that senior management approval is obtained to establish or continue the business relationship. 135.Note the four additional enhanced CDD measures in regulations is a non-exhaustive list. There may be other enhanced measures you can take that are more appropriate and/or necessary to mitigate the ML/TF risks faced by your business. 136.Your additional enhanced CDD measures, and the circumstances in which you utilise them, should be detailed in your AML/CFT programme.
Part 5: Enhanced CDD and suspicious activity reporting
137.The relationship between enhanced CDD, the prohibitions if CDD cannot be conducted (see paragraphs [53] to [55] above) and suspicious activity reporting (including timeframes) is one of nuance that needs to be managed. 138.This is particularly so when enhanced CDD is triggered within a business relationship, such as by a particular transaction, pattern of transactions, or other high-risk situation.78 This includes for existing customers (pre-Act customers), for whom there is also a specific requirement to conduct enhanced CDD when the reporting entity becomes aware a SAR must be reported.79 139.It is important to remember that:
Enhanced CDD – This is a key part of determining whether there are grounds to
submit a SAR. It enables you to differentiate between an activity that appears highrisk, but is actually legitimate, versus an activity or transaction that requires a SAR. Enhanced CDD also ensures that any resulting SAR can be of the highest quality and use to law enforcement agencies. Note: In some circumstances, the requirement for enhanced CDD will be identifiable upfront and prior to the transaction. In other circumstances, the requirement for enhanced CDD may only be identifiable post-transaction (for example if transaction monitoring software detects a sequence of transactions as unusual requiring examination). Similarly, it may not always be practicable to complete enhanced CDD prior to submitting the SAR.80
Prohibitions – A purpose of the Act is to deter ML/TF. The prohibitions in the Act if
CDD cannot be conducted (including enhanced CDD) are preventive. 81
Non-disclosure – The non-disclosure provisions prevent disclosure of a SAR and
any information that will identify, or is reasonably likely to identify, the existence of a SAR, or a person that has handled, prepared or made a SAR.82 140.There is no exemption from conducting enhanced CDD on the basis that it could inadvertently ‘tip off’ the customer of a pending law enforcement interest in them (i.e. that a SAR is going to be submitted). The only exception to this is if a person is subject to a Commissioner’s order, a production order, or a chief executive of Customs order, for which there is an exemption in place.83 141.Conducting enhanced CDD in high-risk circumstances could include asking your customer further questions about their activity or transactions, the source of funds and confirming the nature and purposes of the business relationship. Depending on the 78 Section 22(1)(c) or (d) 79 Section 22A. Note that section 22(1)(c) or (d) also applies to existing customers. 80 Enhanced CDD, once completed, may necessitate an update of the original SAR or submission of a further SAR. 81 Section 37 82 Section 46 83 Regulation 24AC AML/CFT (Exemptions) Regulations 2011. Note: members of the Financial Crime Prevention Network also have an exemption from enhanced CDD in certain circumstances under Part 17 of the AML/CFT (Class Exemptions) Notice 2018.
situation, you may also need (to take reasonable steps) to obtain documents from the customer to verify the source of funds information. 142.Such enquiries, when conducted properly and in good faith, do not constitute ‘tipping off’. Indeed, it may be the case that after conducting enhanced CDD you determine that your customer’s activity is not suspicious, and a SAR will not be required. 143.Maintaining clear and logical records of decisions made, by whom, and the reasons for them will help you demonstrate your appropriate handling of unusual or suspicious activities. 84 Section 51(1)(c)
Part 6: Enhanced CDD and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)
144.A PEP is a person who in the last 12 months has held a prominent overseas function. The term PEP includes their relatives and close associates, which are sometimes called RCAs. It also includes people who have beneficial ownership of legal entities or arrangements existing to benefit PEPs. 145.You must as soon as practicable after establishing a business relationship (or occasional activity or transactions) take reasonable steps to determine if your customer, or their beneficial owner, is a PEP.85 146.You must ensure that you have adequate and effective procedures, policies, and controls to identify customers that are PEPs. This will depend on the size, nature and complexity of your business and the likelihood of having a PEP as a customer. 147.You must conduct enhanced CDD on a customer who is a PEP.86 In addition, your senior management (if applicable) must approve continuing the business relationship with a PEP.87 You must obtain and take reasonable steps to verify the PEP’s SoW or SoF.88 148.According to the level of risk involved, it may be appropriate, as part of your enhanced CDD, to use internet/media searches and publicly available reports to check if your customer is a PEP, especially when they are from a country with high levels of bribery, corruption, and organised crime. With larger or more complex businesses, you may want to consider using the services of a third-party provider and commercially available databases to screen for PEPs. 149.For ongoing CDD and account monitoring of a higher risk PEP, you may need to undertake ongoing media monitoring or increase transaction monitoring activity. You may wish to conduct more frequent enhanced CDD reviews and submit quicker, more thorough SARs. 150.Key enhanced CDD questions to consider are:
Part 7: Table of Abbreviations and Acronyms
AML/CFT Anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism AML/CFT supervisors The Department of Internal Affairs, the Financial Markets Authority, and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand The Act AML/CFT Act 2009 CDD Customer due diligence FATF Financial Action Task Force FIU New Zealand Police Financial Intelligence Unit IVCOP Amended Identity Verification Code of Practice 2013 ML Money laundering PEP Politically exposed person Programme AML/CFT programme RBA Risk-based approach RCA Relative and close associate Risk assessment AML/CFT risk assessment SAR Suspicious activity report SoF Source of funds SoW Source of wealth STR Suspicious transaction report TF Terrorism financing
Revision History
Dec 2017 Original Version
Mar 2019 Updated Version
Sep 2020 • Structure table moved to front of document.
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Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand — original document · Summary generated with machine assistance and reviewed before publication; the authoritative text is the regulator's original document. How RegAlert works