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Acams CAMS Exam - Topic 3 Question 114 Discussion

A compliance officer at a U.S. financial institution receives a grand jury subpoena requesting customer records related to an ongoing money laundering investigation involving a politically exposed person (PEP).What should the compliance officer do first?
B) Consult with the institution's legal counsel to assess validity and determine the appropriate response
A) Notify the customer and seek consent
C) Immediately provide records to the grand jury
D) File a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) describing receipt of the subpoena

Acams CAMS Exam - Topic 3 Question 114 Discussion

Actual exam question for Acams's CAMS exam
Question #: 114
Topic #: 3
[All CAMS Questions]

A compliance officer at a U.S. financial institution receives a grand jury subpoena requesting customer records related to an ongoing money laundering investigation involving a politically exposed person (PEP).

What should the compliance officer do first?

Show Suggested Answer Hide Answer
Suggested Answer: B

When a financial institution receives a grand jury subpoena, it is legally compelled to respond, but must do so in a controlled, lawful, and coordinated manner.

The first step is to consult with legal counsel to verify the subpoena's validity, scope, deadlines, and confidentiality requirements. Legal counsel ensures the institution responds accurately, protects privileged information, and complies with applicable laws.

Notifying the customer would constitute tipping off, which is prohibited. Immediate disclosure without legal review may result in over-disclosure or violation of customer privacy laws. Filing a SAR may be appropriate depending on the facts, but it is not the first step and must not reference the subpoena.

This approach aligns with U.S. AML, BSA, and law enforcement cooperation requirements.


Contribute your Thoughts:

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Carman
3 days ago
Filing a SAR is important, but not the first step here.
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Shad
8 days ago
Immediate action is risky; option C is not wise.
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Jody
14 days ago
Option A could lead to issues, better to get legal advice first.
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Carolynn
19 days ago
Notifying the customer could complicate things.
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Sophia
24 days ago
Definitely, they need to assess the validity of the subpoena.
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Chauncey
29 days ago
Agreed, option B makes the most sense.
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Suzi
1 month ago
I think the compliance officer should consult legal counsel first.
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Carin
1 month ago
B is the safest route, but what if the PEP is a big client?
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Valentine
1 month ago
I think D might be necessary too, right?
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Stephen
2 months ago
Surprised this is even a question, isn't it obvious?
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Cathrine
2 months ago
A is a bad idea, you can't just notify the customer.
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Malcom
2 months ago
Definitely B, always consult legal first!
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Sharan
2 months ago
I feel like immediately providing records could lead to serious issues, especially with a PEP involved. Consulting legal seems like the right move to start with.
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Galen
2 months ago
I practiced a similar question, and I believe that filing a SAR might be necessary, but it feels like it should come after consulting legal first.
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Cherelle
3 months ago
I'm not entirely sure, but I remember something about not notifying the customer in these cases. Maybe that's why option A isn't the best choice?
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Daryl
3 months ago
I think the first step should be to consult with legal counsel. It seems like the safest option to assess the situation properly.
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