Overview#
A federal task force unravels a laundering network only to discover that the proceeds flowed through three shell companies in two jurisdictions, were partly converted to cryptocurrency and run through a mixer, then re-emerged as an invoice from a legitimate-looking import business. Each layer was designed to break the paper trail between criminal origin and apparent legitimacy. Following the money through that structure requires simultaneous analysis across banking, corporate registries, and blockchain data, which is exactly what Argus Money Laundering Intelligence provides.
The platform transforms financial crime investigation by integrating multi-source intelligence, advanced pattern detection, and investigative workflows into a unified system. By analysing transactions, corporate structures, beneficial ownership, trade data, and cryptocurrency movements simultaneously, it identifies laundering patterns that would be invisible when examining any single data source.
Money laundering enables virtually every form of serious organised crime by converting illicit proceeds into apparently legitimate assets. The platform provides investigators with the tools to follow the money through complex laundering schemes, building the evidence needed to prosecute financial crimes and seize criminal assets.
Open Standards#
- FATF 40 Recommendations (AML/CFT): The platform's detection typologies, SAR/CTR workflows, and risk-based monitoring are aligned with the Financial Action Task Force's Forty Recommendations framework for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, including FATF red-flag indicators for correspondent banking and beneficial ownership.
- STIX 2.1 / TAXII 2.1 (OASIS): Financial crime indicators and threat intelligence are ingested and exchanged using Structured Threat Information Expression 2.1 bundles, distributed via Trusted Automated eXchange of Indicator Information 2.1 feeds, enabling interoperability with external financial intelligence units and threat-sharing platforms.
- FollowTheMoney (FtM) data model: Bulk sanctions and financial entity data is consumed in the FollowTheMoney newline-delimited JSON format, which OpenSanctions uses to represent legal entities, their properties, and relationships across all major sanctions lists.
- GLEIF Legal Entity Identifier (ISO 17442): Corporate and financial institution entities are resolved and de-duplicated using Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) LEI records, enabling unambiguous cross-jurisdictional identification of legal entities in multi-bank and correspondent-banking investigations.
- OpenSanctions consolidated screening (OFAC SDN, UN Security Council, EU Consolidated List, UK HMT): Real-time and batch entity screening is performed against authoritative multilateral sanctions lists as distributed through OpenSanctions, covering OFAC Specially Designated Nationals, UN Security Council resolutions, EU restrictive measures, and UK sanctions.
- GraphQL (June 2018 specification): All query, mutation, and subscription access to transaction data, blockchain analysis results, entity profiles, and SAR workflows is exposed through a typed GraphQL API, enabling consistent integration with investigative front-ends and partner systems.
- ISO 8601 (date and time representation): All transaction timestamps, blockchain block times, SAR filing deadlines, and audit trail records use ISO 8601 UTC-anchored datetime strings to ensure unambiguous temporal ordering across jurisdictions and systems.
Last Reviewed: 2026-02-23 Last Updated: 2026-04-14
Key Features#
Pattern Detection#
- Multi-source intelligence integration analysing transactions, corporate structures, and ownership simultaneously
- Advanced pattern detection for structuring, layering, integration, and trade-based money laundering schemes
- Transaction monitoring identifying suspicious patterns across banking, wire transfer, and payment channels
- Behavioural analysis detecting changes in transaction patterns that indicate new laundering activity
- Typology matching against known laundering methods with customisable detection rules
- Machine learning models that adapt to emerging laundering techniques and reduce false positives
- Threshold monitoring with intelligent aggregation across related accounts and entities
Ownership and Corporate Analysis#
- Beneficial ownership analysis revealing ultimate controlling persons behind complex corporate structures
- Shell company network identification mapping corporate hierarchies and nominee arrangements
- Corporate registry data integration for cross-jurisdictional entity research
- Nominee and proxy identification through pattern analysis of directors, shareholders, and signatories
- Trust and foundation transparency analysis for complex wealth structures
- Correspondent banking risk assessment mapping high-risk relationships and transaction corridors
- Regulatory registry cross-referencing for entity verification across multiple jurisdictions
Specialised Detection#
- Cryptocurrency laundering detection including mixer identification, chain-hopping, and privacy coin analysis across 15+ blockchain networks
- Trade-based money laundering detection through invoice analysis, pricing anomalies, and phantom shipment identification
- Real estate laundering detection analysing property transactions, pricing anomalies, and ownership structures
- Hawala and informal value transfer system detection through financial pattern analysis
- Professional enabler identification flagging lawyers, accountants, and agents facilitating laundering
- Geographic risk mapping showing high-risk jurisdictions and correspondent banking relationships
- Placement detection monitoring cash-intensive businesses and structuring activity near reporting thresholds
- Integration phase identification tracking acquisition of legitimate assets with suspected illicit funds
- Virtual currency exchange monitoring for fiat-to-cryptocurrency conversion patterns
- Funnel account detection identifying accounts used as intermediaries in layering schemes
Regulatory and Asset Recovery#
- Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) generation with automated narrative, evidence packaging, and regulatory submission
- Currency Transaction Report (CTR) management with automated threshold monitoring and filing
- Asset forfeiture support with asset tracing, seizure documentation, and forfeiture proceeding management
- Cross-jurisdictional investigation coordination connecting investigators across institutions and borders
- Compliance programme management with risk assessments, policy enforcement, and examination preparation
- OpenSanctions integration for real-time screening against OFAC, EU, UN, and UK sanctions lists
Use Cases#
Money Laundering Investigation. Trace illicit funds through complex laundering schemes involving multiple banks, jurisdictions, and financial instruments, building cases that document the placement, layering, and integration of criminal proceeds. Quantify the scope of laundering for prosecution and forfeiture.
Beneficial Ownership Investigation. Penetrate complex corporate structures to identify the ultimate beneficial owners behind shell companies, nominee arrangements, and multi-layered holding structures used to conceal criminal ownership. Document ownership chains for regulatory action and prosecution.
Trade-Based Laundering Detection. Analyse trade transactions for pricing anomalies, phantom shipments, and invoice manipulation schemes that disguise money laundering as legitimate international commerce. Coordinate with customs and trade compliance agencies for enforcement.
Cryptocurrency Laundering Analysis. Trace cryptocurrency transactions through mixers, tumblers, and chain-hopping techniques, connecting blockchain activity to real-world identities and traditional financial systems for prosecution. Support seizure and forfeiture of cryptocurrency assets.
Integration#
- Connects with banking and financial transaction monitoring systems for real-time analysis
- Integrates with corporate registry and beneficial ownership databases for entity research
- Links to trade data and customs systems for trade-based laundering analysis
- Works with cryptocurrency blockchain analysis platforms for digital asset tracing
- Supports regulatory reporting platforms for SAR and CTR submission
- Compatible with asset management systems for forfeiture proceeding tracking
- Feeds into compliance dashboards for organisational anti-money laundering programme oversight
- Supports mutual legal assistance treaty coordination for international investigation support
- Risk-based monitoring prioritising investigations by estimated laundering volume and impact
- Correspondent banking analysis mapping relationships and transaction flows between institutions
- Connects with real estate transaction databases for property-based laundering detection
- Integrates with trade finance platforms for trade-based money laundering investigation