“EXPOSING EMERGING THREATS"  !!    

FROM A
DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW by Monte Friesner >

Financial Crime Consultant for WANTED SA >

Sunday November 07, 2010 >

Since "From a Different Point of View" first appeared on WANTED SA, we have regularly featured extensive coverage of what we refer to as Emerging Threats. Perhaps it is appropriate here to detail exactly why this topic is an important component of the information you read here daily; how it is created; to what use it is intended both for newer readers and to explain why you should consider it in the context through which it is offered. 

For the past 14 years I have dedicated my resources, knowledge and expertise to expose Emerging Threats, Blackmailer, Extortionists, Fraud Artists, Drug Traffikers,Money Launderers and various other White Collar Criminal who use the disguise of noble professionals in order to prey on the innocent.

Please allow me to explain how these articles are created:

• First, for those of you who have never read my biography; I am not strictly speaking a journalist, but a Financial Crime Consultant whose decade of practical experience, as a Banking Lawyer engaged in White Collar Crime including Money Laundering for various high profile clients; such as, banks, individuals and corporations. Frankly gives me a unique perspective on how Money Launderers analyze, and create, targets of opportunity for their illicit activities. Having sought out, and found, emerging money laundering possibilities myself for ten years, I understand both the strategies and the tactics involved. I am not priding myself but actual being humble in being useful to society with my knowledge and expertise
• I am constantly monitoring the financial, political, social, technological and legal worlds, for I know that active money launderers are trolling the same information, looking for new places, methods or things which will facilitate opportunities to move the proceeds of crime. 
• Active money launderers, who are generally professionals themselves, with extensive experience in the financial, legal and accounting fields, extract such useful gems from print media, the Internet, news events, and similar sources. They then initiate actions which seek to take advantage of these newly-discovered opportunities, which often turn on the intersection of unrelated events that they alone can correlate or associate.
• I write about those important emerging threats that I personally find through routine investigation, or through facts which are pointed out to me by our readers, and corroborated by me after diligent enquiry.
• Emerging Threats articles often touch upon external threats to Jurisdictions that surface due to outside forces or events which impact those jurisdictions. These money laundering or financial crime threats often arise without regard to the fact that the jurisdiction I am covering has extensive AML/CFT laws, and effective Law Enforcement and Regulatory Efforts. The threat occurs due to some outside factor, which I extrapolate and analyze in the context of an AML/CFT threat.
• Often, readers in those specific jurisdictions mistake the appearance of this new threat for a shortcoming in their domestic AML regimes; that is never our intention. Even the countries with the strongest AML/CFT have been the subject of Emerging Threats articles, where the facts warrant us warning our readers that there may, potentially, be a new threat. Please do not take these issues, as a personal attack on your Jurisdiction, but rather, as a warning that there may be a problem, in the future, due to my perspective on a new issue or fact that presents itself as a possible criminal opportunity. We do not malign any Jurisdiction by pointing out problems; we seek solutions through awareness.
• Also, readers who react negatively to an article pointing out a potential trouble spot that could impact their jurisdiction often dispute that such a threat does, or could, exist. Please bear in mind that I am basing those conclusions on my hard personal experience as a money launderer, and I know that compliance officers who are unaware of new and unusual money laundering technique or strategy often miss it entirely in the routine performance of their duties.
• A recent Emerging Threats article resulted in readers complaining that such an issue would not occur in their Jurisdiction, because I failed to understand the local AML regime, and the facts. The threat, which was external, has come about due to a strengthening of a certain US law when paired with political events overseas. Whilst I understand their wish to protect the reputation of their Jurisdiction; it was not impugned by the article. It merely detailed a possible threat that compliance officers in the global financial structure should consider. Don't shoot the messenger if you do not like the message, for it is for your benefit that it was written. Consider the message. 
• It is my considered opinion, based upon my experience; it is in the best interests of all our readers to expose them to my perspective, for it is all about reducing risk levels. I trust that this has resulted in a better understanding of how we write about Emerging Threats, and why.

The facts and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and not those of WANTED SA. WANTED SA does not warrant the accuracy of any facts and opinions stated in this article; does not endorse them, and accepts no responsibility for them.