In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("ANPR"), FinCEN asserted that "the systemic money laundering vulnerabilities presented by the U.S. real estate sector, and consequently, the ability of illicit actors to launder criminal proceeds through the purchase of real estate, threatens U.S. national security and the integrity of the U.S. financial system." FinCEN seeks comment on, among other things:

  • the geographic scope of additional regulations;
  • who should be subject to such regulations;
  • what types of real estate purchases should be subject to such regulations;
  • what information should be reported and retained; and
  • what an "appropriate" dollar-value threshold would be to trigger reporting requirements.

Comments on the notice must be received within 60 days of its publication in the Federal Register.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.