Capital Briefs: Anti-Laundering Rules Stuck in Neutral

Government and banking industry officials made little progress this week on speeding the release of know-your-customer rules.

Officials from the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network discussed the content of the rules with bankers and other lenders Monday at a meeting of the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group. However, participants said the meeting broke no new ground.

The regulations, in the works for two years, will tell bankers how to verify the identity of their customers and the source of funds entering their institution. The advisory group was created in 1994 to help the agency craft anti-money-laundering rules.

In the wake of the Salinas money-laundering scandal, many bankers have grown impatient about the delay in releasing the guidelines. However, Fincen assistant director Roger Weiner said the agency can't rush such complex rules.

Among other things, agency officials are still debating how to apply the rules to the vast array of companies that will need to comply, including securities dealers, check cashers, and casinos.

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