How should a compliance officer respond to law enforcement agencies' request for information on a customer undergoing an investigation?
Correct Answer: A
A compliance officer should cooperate with the law enforcement inquiry as much as possible, but also ensure that the request is valid, lawful, and does not violate any confidentiality or privacy obligations. Therefore, the compliance officer should collaborate with the FI's designated department, such as the legal counsel, the senior management, or the board of directors, to determine the appropriate course of action to comply with the request12. The compliance officer should also ensure that all communication, written and oral, is funneled through a centralized place, and that the FI maintains a record of the request and the response12.
References:
* 1: Requests by Law Enforcement for Financial Institutions to Maintain Accounts, FinCEN, 2014
* 2: Best Practices for Compliance and Enforcement-Related Information Requests, EPA, 2018 Reference: https://www.acams.org/en/resources/aml-glossary-of-terms