FATF identified a number of countries with strategic deficiencies including Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Syria, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Yemen.

https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/high-riskandnon-cooperativejurisdictions/documents/public-statement-february-2017.html

Summary of what was discussed at the Plenary Meeting of the FATF that was held on February 22 – 24 in Paris. Topics included terrorist financing, improving transparency and beneficial ownership, recent FATF work on de-risking, mutual evaluation report of Sweden, jurisdictions that may pose a risk to the international financial system, Brazil’s progress on addressing deficiencies, and the forum of the heads of FATF Financial Intelligence Units.

https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/fatfgeneral/documents/outcomes-plenary-february-2017.html

Guidance addressing the OCC’s expectations for compliance with provisions of the interagency rule establishing initial and variation margin requirements for non-cleared swaps and non-secured security based swaps that is applicable on March 1, 2017.

https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2017/bulletin-2017-12.html

The NCUA approved one item at its second open meeting of 2017 regarding the recommendation for the current maximum loan interest rate for loans made by federal credit unions to remain at 18% until September 10, 2018. Other items discussed were the share insurance fund remained stable in 2016.

https://www.ncua.gov/newsroom/Pages/news-2017-jan-ncua-seeks-comments-alternative-capital.aspx

The NCUA released online updated questions and answers about the Corporate Resolution costs and projected future Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Fund assessments.

https://www.ncua.gov/newsroom/Pages/news-2017-feb-corporate-system-resolution-costs-show-continued-improvement.aspx

FinCEN renewed the existing Geographic Targeting Orders that temporarily requires US title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies used to pay all cash for high-end residential real estate in six major metropolitan. The renewed GTO included the counties in the following major US geographic areas New York City, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Diego, and Bexar County in Texas.

https://www.fincen.gov/news/news-releases/fincen-renews-real-estate-geographic-targeting-orders-identify-high-end-cash

OFAC updated the SDN List by adding two individuals and an entity to the list and making a number of deletions.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20170223.aspx

OFAC is now offering a compressed version of its SDN.xml that compresses the file by approximately 92%. The file can be found on OFAC’s website.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20170222.aspx

The ECOA will replace the prepaid account rules during its next consumer compliance webinar. Prepaid account rules will be discussed in depth on a later date at a future webinar. Registration is available on the NCUA’s website.

https://www.ncua.gov/newsroom/Pages/news-2017-feb-equal-credit-opportunity-act-feb-28-consumer-compliance-webinar.aspx

The FATF held a roundtable on FinTech and RegTech to discuss the how technology based innovations are changing the financial industry and how FATF can become proactive in establishing the development of standards, guidance and best practices for the associated risks.

https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/fatfrecommendations/documents/fintech-february-2017.html