Casting aspersions about the art market is a popular pastime. And no doubt there is much about the commercial art world that invites this criticism, not least a tendency towards secrecy (or discretion, depending whom you ask). Sometimes these criticisms lean into suggestions of rampant criminality or money laundering, for which there is actually scant support. That is to say, there is a common suggestion that the lack of a single regulatory scheme over the art market (which is not to say it is unregulated, another misconception) is evidence of participation by dealers or collectors in illicit activity. In fact, as we have written before, the far greater risk is of being used by bad actors trying to launder money through art transactions. For this and other reasons, we were proud to assist in drafting the Responsible Art Market initiative U.S. country guide and the more recent toolkit that was launched in January.
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Topics:
OFAC,
Christie's Inc.,
Responsible Art Market initiative,
Money laundering,
AML Program,
Know your customer,
H.R. 5886,
Luke Messer,
Office of Foreign Asset Control,
Illicit Art and Antiquities Trafficking Protection,
KYC
I was pleased to attend last week in Geneva “Building an Art Market for the Future—Guidelines for Countering Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Threats” hosted by the Fondation pour le Droit d’Art (Art Law Foundation) and the Art Law Centre of the University of Geneva. The conference was the official launch of the Responsible Art Market initiative, and offered valuable, market-focused discussion about the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing in the art market. Refreshingly, the day’s panel discussions focused on best practices and goals, rather than the oft-heard lamentations about problems with the art market. The implicit point that came through was a powerful one: as both private sellers and law enforcement speakers explained, art dealers are not engaged in large-scale shadowy financial dealings. But art dealers and buyers are at serious risk of being used by criminals engaged in money laundering, which can have serious consequences. Because willful blindness is no defense, the conference and the initiative provided valuable practical advice.
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Topics:
Pierre Gabus,
Anne Laure Bandle,
Art Dealers Association of Switzerland,
Art Law Foundation,
Geneva,
Sandrine Giroud,
Luxembourg,
Switzerland,
Art Law Centre,
University of Geneva,
AML,
Terrorist financing,
Sylvia Furrer Hoffmann,
Ricardo Sansoletti,
Ursula Cassani,
Simon Studer,
Mathilde Heaton,
Fondation pour le Droit d’Art,
Jean-Bernard Schmid,
Rakhi Talwar,
Ralph Wyss,
Responsible Art Market initiative,
Money laundering,
Stiftung Kunsthalle,
Bern,
Deloitte
