Human Trafficking & Smuggling: A National Priority
The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 required FinCEN to establish government-wide priorities for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. These were issued in 2021 and included the following:
- Corruption
- Cybercrime
- Terrorist Financing
- Fraud
- Transnational Criminal Organization Activity
- Drug Trafficking Organization Activity
- Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling
- Proliferation Financing
While these Priorities are due to be updated really any time now, we anticipate that human trafficking and smuggling will remain a priority for the foreseeable future. This means it is vitally important that everyone on your team has clarity and some understanding of this topic, especially the associated red flags so they can help detect and prevent this type of criminal activity.
Kevin explains more in the video.
Published 2026/07/16
Kevin Edwards
Kevin brings years of experience and a unique perspective on regulatory matters to our clients. A self-proclaimed geek and accredited CRCM, Kevin is also a recovering attorney with experience as in-house counsel for a large regional bank and one of the leading national title insurance providers. For reasons unknown, Kevin decided to leave the safety and serenity of his desk job to seek fortune and glory as a wandering adventurer. Like a bank compliance version of Kwai Chang Caine, The Man with No Name or Don Quixote, he now travels the land seeking to help those in need and righting compliance wrongs, wherever he may find them. Kevin lives in Sioux Falls with his two children, who are surprisingly normal after having endured their father’s vivid imagination for their entire lives. He won’t admit to having any hobbies, because apparently “Regulations never sleep.” (While he does say this in his Batman voice, we’re pretty sure he’s joking.) From the looks of his Facebook page, he likes the outdoors and spending time with his large extended family (who seem like relatively normal people).
