The recent leak of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) report speculating that our nation's credit unions are at risk of financial harm raises many questions but provides few answers.
The report has not been released to the general public. Other than the initial story in the Wall Street Journal and follow-ups on that article by the credit union trade publications, the only other entity, other than FinCEN, to see the report has been the NCUA. An agency spokesperson acknowledged having the February report since early in the year. The NCUA has not publicly addressed or released any of its content.
As with any report that is leaked or held captive by an agency of the federal government, it allows for speculation about what it might say and raises concern about issues that need be addressed. Both FinCEN and the NCUA bear responsibility to either acknowledge that serious areas of concern exist or assure the credit union industry that issues raised are under control.
The use by the Wall Street Journal of the words in the report, "criminal groups and drug trafficking organizations may be actively targeting vulnerable credit unions to access the formal financial system," raises red flags and calls for comment and explanation by the federal credit union regulator. The NCUA needs to assure credit unions that the share insurance fund is not at risk for potential losses and that they are properly monitoring currency transactions and suspicious activity.
It is equally important for the NCUA to inform the credit union industry about how the FinCEN analysis was conducted, what documentation was reviewed and the conclusions that were reached. The report can no longer be labeled confidential. It is in the hands of a national newspaper. Before any more is written, before there is any more speculation, the NCUA must speak.
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