The Anti-Money Laundering Act whistleblower program offers potentially stratospheric cash awards to whistleblowers who report illegal money laundering schemes and for individuals or entities evading sanctions.
Like SEC, IRS, CFTC, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act whistleblower programs, the Anti-Money Laundering Act authorizes payments to anti-money laundering whistleblowers totaling up to 30% of any monies recovered in a successful settlement or verdict. With the support of an experienced anti-money laundering lawyer, money laundering whistleblowers can stay anonymous and maximize awards.
Authorizes payments to whistleblowers totaling up to 30% of any monies recovered in a settlement
Recent revisions to the AMLA have strengthened the award provisions for whistleblowers.
Specifically, whistleblowers are now entitled to a minimum amount of at least
10% of the sanctions collected as a result of a successful whistleblower’s tip.
Money Laundering and Sanctions
Whistleblower Reward Eligibility
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Bank Money
Laundering
Financial institution owners use banks to clean dirty money. For example, a stock trading company owner moves dirty money from their company to another via currency exchanges.
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Layering
Putting dirty money through various layers of transactions and transfers overseas. This is common in cryptocurrency fraud and tax evasion schemes.
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Cash Business
Money Laundering
Using businesses or starting a business for the purpose of cleaning dirty money.
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Real Estate
Money Laundering
Buying real estate with dirty money, then rapidly selling the real estate to a third party and depositing the money from the sale in a valid bank account.
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Trade-Based
Money Laundering
Disguising the movement of dirty money from one account to another as a trade transaction, often by multi-invoicing, over- or under-invoicing, or falsely representing goods and services.
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Smurfing or Structuring
Dividing dirty money up and depositing the smaller amounts into various accounts.
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Gambling or Casino
Money Laundering
Dividing dirty money up and depositing the smaller amounts into various accounts.
In addition to the $1 million requirement for AML whistleblower eligibility, the whistleblower must be the original source of information and must provide that information to Treasury, the Justice Department, or an employer by following a specific reporting process.
Non-U.S. citizen whistleblowers located anywhere in the world are eligible for anti-money laundering whistleblower rewards.
“Any individual who provides… information relating to a violation… to the employer of the individual…, including as part of the job duties of the individual… or to the Secretary or the Attorney General.”
Those who are not eligible for AMLA whistleblower awards include bank regulators, law enforcement officials, and those criminally convicted for actions related to the violation. Making a false statement or report to authorities will also void any reward.
For a confidential (anonymous first call if you wish), no-cost evaluation to see if your information qualifies for the AMLA whistleblower program
Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Protections
Like the other whistleblower reward laws, employers are prohibited from retaliating against workers.
Under the Anti-Money Laundering Act:
“No employer may, directly or indirectly, discharge, demote, suspend, threaten, blacklist, harass, or in any other manner discriminate against a whistleblower in the terms and conditions of employment or post-employment because of any lawful act done by the whistleblower [in reporting AML violations].”
Victims of retaliation are entitled to job reinstatement, double
back pay with interest, attorney’s fees, and other damages.
AML Whistleblower Law Allows Anonymous Filing
The AMLA also has strict confidentiality provisions to protect whistleblowers who wish
to remain anonymous and keep their identities confidential.
Other Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Programs
- FIRREA Whistleblower Program
- IRS Whistleblower Program
- SEC Whistleblower Program
In addition to the AMLA, other whistleblower reward programs may
authorize awards for reporting money laundering, including:
Contact us to see if you have a case.
The anti-money laundering whistleblower lawyers at
Katers & Granitz are available now at
AML Experience That No Legal Team Can Match
Many law firms offer to take whistleblower cases. Most just “file and forget,” hoping the government takes over. Those lawyers don’t have the necessary experience to properly investigate and present anti-money laundering whistleblower cases.
We know precisely what prosecutors look for—preparing and delivering well-investigated, optimally presented, prosecution-ready cases. More importantly, we follow up and continue working on these cases long after filing a claim.