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Middle East.
The term “money laundering” derives from the fact that gangsters in the 1920s
commingled the proceeds of their illegal operations with the basically
untraceable proceeds from coin laundries operated by the ring, thus making
the funds appear as if they been derived legitimately. Although the term may
have started in the 20th century, the practice of disguising unlawful proceeds
traces its roots back to the dawn of banking itself. For example, when the
Roman Catholic Church in medieval times banned lending money at interest,
financiers developed methods to get around this restriction.
One of the biggest problems for AML initiatives in the Middle East is cultural
customs that accept deference to customers and anonymity. Accounts lacking
full identification details or with misleading information are not unusual in the
region. Verification of customer information is often difficult, if not impossible.
“Know your customer” is an element lacking at many Middle Eastern financial
institutions which follow local traditions of accommodating customers’
requests. Gathering customer information is generally a sensitive issue, as
customers may view banks’ requests for additional information as intrusive or
offensive. For example, it can be difficult for a bank to refuse to enter into or to
exit a relationship with a politically connected person. Doing so could mean
trouble for the staffer involved.