The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development issued a handbook that provides guidance designed to help tax examiners and tax auditors detect and deter money laundering: The Money Laundering Awareness Handbook for Tax Examiners and Their Auditors.
The purpose of this handbook is to raise the awareness level of tax examiners and auditors on money laundering, by providing guidance in identifying money laundering during the conduct of normal tax audits.
The handbook does not detail criminal investigation methods. But it does describe the nature of money laundering activities so that tax examiners and auditors can better understand how their contribution can assist criminal investigators in battling money laundering.
The handbook is rather basic. I focused on the section with specific indicators on real estate. It offered some typical examples of how money can be concealed in several different types of real estate transactions. The handbook failed to show how the illegal activities could be identified.
I suppose general awareness of ways to launder money is a good start.
Table of Contents:
- Money Laundering
- Role of Tax Examiners and Auditors
- Money Laundering Indicators for Individuals
- Tax Return Examination and Pre-Audit Indicators
- Audit Indicators
- Specific Indicators on Real Estate
- Specific Indicators on Cash
- Specific Indicators on International Trade
- Specific Indicators on Loans
- Specific Indicators on Professional Service Providers