The Effects of Money Laundering on Economic Development

A Presentation by Winnie Tat Sarah He Ying Icee Paramio

Agenda
What is Money Laundering? Link to Economic Development Effects on Economic Development Financial Sector Real Sector External Sector Anti-Money Laundering Efforts Conclusion

Sources : THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MONEY LAUNDERING ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, by: Brent L. Bartlett for the Asian Development Bank www.fatf-gafi.org www.fincen.gov www.treas.gov/ofac

What is Money Laundering?

Is the movement of illicit funds for the purpose of concealing the true source, ownership or use of the funds
Monetary proceeds derived from criminal activity are transformed into funds with an legal source Money laundering provides the fuel for drug dealers, terrorists, arms dealers and other criminals to operate and expand their enterprises.

Statistics - Money Laundering

In 1996, the aggregate size of money laundering in the world may be between 2% and 5% of the worlds gross domestic product. Estimated the size of the money laundering is over $500 billion annually. Using 1996 statistics, money laundering ranged between US Dollar (USD) 590 billion and USD 1.5 trillion.

Washing Dirty Money

Placement
physically moving and placing the funds into financial institutions or the retail economy

Layering
multiple and sometimes complex financial transactions are conducted to further conceal their illegal nature

Integration
illicit funds re-enter the economy disguised as legitimate business earnings (securities, businesses, real estate)

Dirty Money Flows

Domestic
Returning

Inbound Outbound

Flow-through

Link to Economic Development

It will distort the economic data and complicate governments efforts to manage economic policy. It will have adverse consequences for interest and exchange rate volatility, particularly in dollarized economies.

Link to Economic Development (cont.)

It will affect income distribution. It can deter the legal transaction by contamination. It can increase the potential for destabilizing and economically inefficient movements. Reduce the annual GDP.

The Financial Sector

Money laundering erodes financial institutions
by increasing the probability individual customers will be defrauded by corrupt individuals within the institution by increasing the probability that the institution itself will become corrupt or even controlled by criminal interests, again leading to customers being defrauded by increasing the risk of financial failure faced by the institution as a result of the institution itself being defrauded.

The Financial Sector

Money laundering weakens the financial sectors role in economic growth
Strong developing-country financial institutions are critical to economic growth Confidence and reputation play a special role in developing economies financial systems

sound financial systems are essential for private

entrepreneurs to emerge, for business to flourish, and for local people and investors from abroad to find the confidence to invest, and create wealth, income, and jobs

private investors are more reluctant to commit funds

to obtain ownership in enterprises cited for corruption

The Financial Sector

Anti-money laundering reforms support financial institutions through enhanced financial prudence
Strong correspondence between anti-moneylaundering policies and financial good-governance rules Private institutions and associations often adopt parallel rules The cost burden of anti-money-laundering policies on financial institutions must be assessed in context

The Real Sector

Money laundering depresses growth

The Real Sector

Money laundering:
distorts investment and depresses productivity facilitates corruption and crime at the expense of development can increase the risk of macroeconomic instability

The Real Sector : Crimes

Criminal organizations can transform productive enterprises into sterile investments. An efficient money-laundering channel is a key "input" to crime because the financial proceeds from crime are less valuable to the criminal than are laundered funds The less expensive the money-laundering "input" to crime, the more "productive" the criminal element will be.

ML, Crime & Corruption

MC = Cost of committing crime

C o s T

MR = Crime opportunities

Quantity of Crime

The External Sector

Money laundering diverts capital away from development

The External Sector

Outbound capital flows: facilitating illicit capital flight Inbound capital flows: depressing foreign investment Trade: distorting prices and content

The External Sector

Illicit capital flight worsens scarcity of capital in developing countries The costs of capital flight are well known: they include a loss of productive capacity, tax base and control over monetary aggregates - imposing a substantial burden on the public and rendering policymaking more difficult - International Monetary Fund

The External Sector

Inward capital flows: depressing foreign investment Such allegations or actions can, through reputational effects affect the willingness of economic agents, particularly those outside the country, to conduct business in a given country with adverse consequences. - International Monetary Fund

The External Sector

Trade: distorting prices and content The exchange rate differential reflected a premium that purchasers of foreign exchange were willing to pay to falsify import documents so that they could evade customs duties, or to make transfers that were otherwise restricted or illicit. - International Monetary Fund

AML Efforts
Creating anti-money laundering regulatory and enforcement organizations in countries and regional groupings
Financial Action Task Force (FATF), UN, Egmont Group Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001

Cooperation between national governments

Conclusion
Money laundering threatens economic development. The international financial community should strongly support anti-laundering efforts, and cooperate to share information, and regulatory and enforcement actions. Developing countries should impose antilaundering laws to improve the credibility of not only its financial sector, but its governance as well.

Questions or Comments? Thank you!