According to the Basel Committee's principles on customer due diligence, banks must obtain the necessary information to establish the identity of their customers, beneficial owners, and any persons acting on behalf of their customers. This includes verifying the identity of the customer and the beneficial owners and assessing the customer's risk profile. Additionally, banks must conduct ongoing due diligence to ensure that the customer does not give rise to suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing [1].

According to the Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition) study guide, one of the best practices for hiring an AML officer is to do a thorough background check, including verifying the candidate's credentials, qualifications, references, and reputation1. This is because the AML officer plays a crucial role in ensuring the compliance and integrity of the financial institution, and therefore must have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience, and ethics to perform the job effectively and professionally. A background check can also help to identify any potential conflicts of interest, criminal records, or regulatory sanctions that may affect the candidate's suitability for the position1. The other options are incorrect because:
* B. Confering with the regulatory agency may not be necessary or appropriate, as the hiring decision is ultimately the responsibility of the financial institution, and the regulatory agency may not have any specific or relevant information or guidance on the candidate2.
* C. Hiring the individual, relying on the recommendation of the correspondent, may not be sufficient or prudent, as the correspondent may have different standards, expectations, or interests than the financial institution, and may not have conducted a comprehensive or objective assessment of the candidate3.
* D. Hiring the individual on a probationary basis may not be feasible or fair, as the AML officer role requires a high level of trust, authority, and responsibility, and the financial institution may not be able to evaluate the candidate's performance or potential in a short period of time4.
1: ACAMS, CAMS Certification Package - 6th Edition, Chapter 5, page 147
2: ACAMS, CAMS Certification Package - 6th Edition, Chapter 5, page 148
3: ACAMS, CAMS Certification Package - 6th Edition, Chapter 5, page 147
4: ACAMS, CAMS Certification Package - 6th Edition, Chapter 5, page 148

MSBs arevulnerable to financial crimedue to theircash-intensive natureandremittance services.
* Option D (Correct):Hesitation to provide beneficiary detailssuggestsanonymity concerns, a common money laundering tactic.
* Option E (Correct):Usingmultiple accounts under different namesis aknown structuring techniquetoevade detection.
* Option A (Incorrect):Exchanging foreign currency is normal, though higher-risk transactions require monitoring.
* Option B (Incorrect):Cash deposits are expectedin MSBs but needadditional risk factorsto be considered suspicious.
* Option C (Incorrect):Frequent small transfersmay be normal forremittance businesses.
Reference:FATF Red Flags for MSBs, Wolfsberg Group Risk-Based Approach for MSBs, FinCEN Guidance on MSB AML Programs.

The important fact to include in the STR is the recent change in the timing of deposits and withdrawals in the account, as this indicates a possible change in the customer's source and use of funds, and may suggest money laundering or other illicit activity. The customer's work history, the amount of his monthly retirement check, the fact that he is well known to the bank staff, and the fact that he has lived in the area and banked at this bank for 25 years are not relevant for the STR, as they do not explain the unusual pattern of transactions in his account.
CAMS Certification Package - 6th Edition | ACAMS, Chapter 4: Conducting and Supporting the Investigation Process, page 131 CAMS Certifications: How to Get CAMS Certified | ACAMS, CAMS Examination Preparation, page 8 ACAMS CAMS Certification Video Training Course - Exam-Labs, Video 4.2: Suspicious Transaction Reporting Exam CAMS: Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition), Question 97

According to the Basel guidelines on customer due diligence for banks, a trust is a legal arrangement whereby a person (the settlor or grantor) transfers the legal ownership of specific assets to another person or entity (the trustee) to hold for the benefit of a third person or persons (the beneficiaries)1. The Basel guidelines recommend that banks should identify and verify the identity of the following parties to determine the true nature of the trust relationship:
* The trustee, who is the person or entity that has the legal authority and duty to manage the trust assets and distribute them to the beneficiaries according to the trust deed2. The trustee may also be the settlor, the beneficiary, or both, depending on the type and structure of the trust3.
* The beneficiaries, who are the persons or entities that have a beneficial interest in the trust assets or income, either presently or in the future4. The beneficiaries may be named individuals, classes of persons, or charitable causes.
* The settlor or grantor, who is the person or entity that creates the trust and transfers the legal ownership of the assets to the trustee. The settlor or grantor may also retain some rights or powers over the trust, such as the ability to appoint or remove trustees, beneficiaries, or protectors.
The other three options are incorrect because:
* Respondents are not trust parties, but rather financial institutions that maintain correspondent banking relationships with other financial institutions. Respondents are not relevant for the identification of the trust relationship, but rather for the due diligence of the correspondent banking relationship.
* Payees are not trust parties, but rather persons or entities that receive payments from the trust or other sources. Payees are not relevant for the identification of the trust relationship, but rather for the monitoring of the transactions and activities of the trust.
* Trust administrators are not trust parties, but rather persons or entities that provide administrative services to the trust, such as accounting, record-keeping, or tax compliance. Trust administrators are not relevant for the identification of the trust relationship, but rather for the assessment of the risk and complexity of the trust.
1: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Customer due diligence for banks, October 2001, 4, p. 17 2:
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Customer due diligence for banks, October 2001, 4, p. 17 3:
ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5,p. 111 4: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Customer due diligence for banks, October 2001, 4, p. 17 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 111 : Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Customer due diligence for banks, October
2001, 4, p. 17 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 111 : Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Customer due diligence for banks, October 2001, 4, p. 10 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 112 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 112