By PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent
A leading fincrime expert has warned how AML and AFC content is being “diluted” after one of her articles appears to have been copied twice over.
A post by AML Intelligence columnist Sarah-Beth Felix appears to have been copied without attribution by the website ‘Flexi News’. This was then re-written by ‘Fincrime Central’ using AI.
Fincrime Central already landed in hot water earlier this month when it admitted fabricating a quote – using AI – from the ceo of Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Now it’s been revealed the site used AI in an earlier incident to re-write an opinion piece from Ms Felix, the respected CEO of Palmera Consulting. Today Ms Felix said the incident ended up “being like the telephone game”.
“The original content in the author‘s original expertise, tone, and operationalization gets further diluted and degraded with the layers of AI that are being used,” she said.
‘Flexi News’, a Cyprus based website, recently published an article called ‘FINRA Steps Up AML Enforcement Under Trump Administration With Focus on Investment Banking’.
This appears to have been based on an article written by Ms Felix and published on AML Intelligence on April 17.
Her article, available to read [HERE], is titled: ‘How FINRA is approaching regulation under the Trump administration’. She also published this in the form of a LinkedIn post, available [HERE].
Flexi News article
The ‘Flexi News’ article appears to have used Ms Felix’s article while mistakenly attributing it to FINRA, with some sections copied almost verbatim.
For example, the original AML Intelligence article said: “FINRA is wasting no time in keeping securities and investment banking firms accountable for having a reasonable AML program. Not effective, just reasonable. While that bar may seem on the floor, at least we are seeing an effective regulatory effort.”
While a passage from the Flexi News article said: “Importantly, FINRA isn’t asking for perfection – just reasonableness. “Not effective, just reasonable,” the update emphasized. While that may sound like a low bar, the tone suggests that at least regulators are demonstrating an ‘effective regulatory effort’.”
The Flexi News article is available to view below.
The ‘Flexi News’ article was then used by ‘Fincrime Central’, another site, to produce a separate AI-generated article titled: ‘FINRA strengthens AML enforcement in investment banking and M&A sector’.
The Fincrime Central article is available to view [HERE].
Neither publication referenced the original source material, although ‘Fincrime Central’ mentioned ‘Flexi News’ as a source.
Articles taken down
Both publications have now removed the articles. In a statement to AML Intelligence, ‘Flexi News’ said: “The article titled has been taken down from our website while we conduct an internal review.
“Should we find any unintended overlap, we will take appropriate steps to clarify or revise the content.”
The publication added: “While our editorial team regularly reads industry publications—including AML Intelligence and public LinkedIn posts – for research and context, all Flexi News articles are independently written by our staff or freelance contributors.
“We do not knowingly copy, paraphrase, or reframe content without attribution. If any article inadvertently mirrors the structure or tone of another, we are open to reviewing it and, if necessary, updating it with appropriate references.”
Asked if the Flexi News review has progressed in the month since the original article was published, the publication did not respond.
Fincrime Central response
The LinkedIn persona Frederic Kahn, who is behind ‘Fincrime Central’, said the article his website published appeared to “re-use” the original AML Intelligence article.
“It looks like, unknown to me, some of the wording was copied by Flexi-team and re-used by ChatGPT as I was using their article as a source,” he said.
“A few lessons for me about the use of AI.”
He added: “Measures already taken are: The article was removed from the website. So were the related LinkedIn posts. I am now less candid with what is produced by chatGPT.”
Mr Kahn said he was “more than apologetic” to Ms Felix, and said he would be “happy to express it directly”.
Ms Felix said the incident should serve as a warning for AFC and AML professionals to be careful with which news websites they use to source information.
“Of course we can’t stop AI, but people need to know that there are inaccuracies,” she said.
“If there’s not an author noted and it’s not from a reputable news site, then they shouldn’t be getting their news from that source.”
Flexi News has speedily gained 2,000 followers – mostly AFC professionals – on social media. The publication lists its head office as Nicosia, Cyprus.
Fincrime Central has 4,000 followers on social media. It is one of the first websites in the sector to be largely produced via AI. The publication lists its head office as Paris, France.
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