INSIGHT: Why OCC MRM update is not a green light for community banks to relax on AML

Regulatory Watch News

• 

  Treasury Sanctions Government Officials, Nicaraguan Regime-Linked Gold Firms, and Individuals Involved in Seizing U.S.-Owned Property

  OFAC

  April 16, 2026

  WASHINGTON—Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned five individuals and seven companies that operate in Nicaragua’s gold sector of the Nicaraguan economy and help the Murillo-Ortega dictatorship generate money and maintain political control in Nicaragua.  Those targeted today include Nicaraguan entities and individuals involved in the forceful seizure of U.S.-owned property in Nicaragua; Nicaragua’s Vice Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Mines; Nicaraguan entities that have assumed gold concessions previously held by sanctioned parties; and two sons of Rosario Murillo and Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua’s co-presidents, who serve as officials in the Nicaraguan government.

• 

  Update to UK Sanctions List: Afghanistan Regime and Global Human Rights Regime

  UK Government

  April 16, 2026

  Today, 16 April, the UK government varied 1 entity and 2 individuals under the Afghanistan sanctions regime and corrected 1 entity under the Global Human Rights regime Entities Varied:

  Name	Unique ID
  HAJI KHAIRULLAH HAJI SATTAR MONEY EXCHANGE	AFG0001

    Individuals Varied:

  Name	Unique ID
  Khalil Ahmed HAQQANI	AFG0118
  Abdul Rauf ZAKIR	AFG0130

    Entities Corrected:

  Name	Unique ID
  BSQUARE TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD	GHR0183

   

• 

  AMLA consults on group-wide requirements and business-wide risk assessment

  AMLA

  April 16, 2026

  Obliged entities have an obligation to identify risk of money laundering or terrorist financing across their operations. A business-wide risk assessment is key for determining the entity’s risk exposure and ensuring it has adequate AML/CFT controls. The draft Guidelines under AMLR Article 10(4) set out minimum expectations for all obliged entities, across the financial and non‑financial sectors, while allowing for proportionality based on the entity’s size, business model and risk profile. They support entities in making informed, risk-based decisions on how to manage their specific risk exposure.