Financial Crime World

Germany’s Financial Intelligence Unit Seeks to Tackle Rising Financial Crime Threats

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Berlin, Germany - 2022 Annual Report Highlights

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in Germany has published its annual report for 2022, showcasing a significant increase in the number of analysis reports submitted to relevant authorities and international inquiries received.

Key Findings from the 2022 Annual Report

Analysis Reports Submitted

  • Nearly 38,000 analysis reports on money laundering, terrorist financing, and other crimes were submitted to state criminal police offices and public prosecutors.
  • This marks a 31% increase from the previous year, attributed to increasing societal and political attention to combating financial crime.

International Collaboration

  • Over 1,300 inquiries were received from foreign FIUs.
  • Nearly 30,900 spontaneous reports were sent by the FIU, more than doubling the previous year’s figure.

National Response

  • The unit responded to a record high of over 5,100 inquiries, with 319 relating to crimes relevant to state security, sanctions violations, or terrorist financing.

Notable Statistics

  • Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs):
    • 337,186 SARs were received, representing a 13% increase from the previous year.
    • Approximately 97% of these reports came from the financial sector.
  • EU Sanctions:
    • The FIU prioritized reviewing reports to identify potential sanction evasions and informed relevant authorities promptly.

Challenges and Future Plans

Automation of Analysis Processes

The rising volume of reports has presented challenges for the FIU, but it plans to address these through increased use of automated analysis processes.

Message from the Head of the German FIU

“The 2022 annual report of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in Germany highlights several key aspects of our current and future work,” said Daniel Thelesklaf, Head of the German FIU. “We continue to face challenges due to the increasing volume of reports, but we are committed to adapting our processes to effectively meet these challenges.”

Focus on Risk-Based Analysis

The report emphasizes the importance of risk-based analysis practice, focusing on complex issues and using the “Follow-the-money” approach to uncover particularly cross-border and complex money laundering cases.

“We play a crucial role in protecting the integrity of the German financial system, working closely with national and international partners to prevent its misuse by criminals,” Thelesklaf added.