Introduction to Anti-Money Laundering Law & Compliance: An International and Regional Perspective

About this course

Additional course information

• Further course description, study trips and more

  The course will incorporate international and regional perspectives, taught by subject matter experts from various regions who will engage participants in seminar-style sessions and working groups to discuss pertinent laws and compliance frameworks. Upon completion of the course, students will possess the requisite knowledge and tools essential for compliance with AML regulations, comprehending the pivotal role such compliance plays within the broader ethical framework of the legal profession. Furthermore, the course aims to prepare students for a career as Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officers, addressing the current shortage in this profession.

  Excursions constitute an important component of this course, offering a unique academic experience. Presently, no international court exclusively addresses financial crimes; nevertheless, a discernible trend within international courts indicates a proclivity to integrate explicit mandates with global initiatives combatting money laundering. As part of this enriching program, we will coordinate visits to two prominent courts that have been at the forefront of mainstreaming AML issues: a morning session at the International Criminal Court, including a visit to the Office of the Prosecutor, and an afternoon discussion at the International Court of Justice focusing on the ongoing AML case, Equatorial Guinea v. France.

  As an added highlight, one of the course instructors will launch a book on AML compliance in the legal profession, enhancing the scholarly depth of the course.

• Forms of tuition and assessment

  Students will be taught through Seminars (5 x 3-hour seminars); Working groups ( 4 x 2-hour working groups); Study visits (The Hague: International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court).

  The course will be assessed through simulations where students will collaborate in groups to dissect a case study and subsequently present their findings on Day 4.

• About the course coordinator

  Prosper Simbarashe Maguchu is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. He is assistant professor of law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Maguchu is known for staying abreast of developments in the field of AML/CTF. His forthcoming book on AML/CTF compliance is the first textbook on the subject from a global and regional perspectives. He also published an agenda-setting body of work on AML/CTF in peer-reviewed journals as well as several book chapters.

  In addition, Maguchu teaches AML/CTF compliance as a guest lecturer at several universities in Africa, Europe and Asia. In the process, he has initiated and developed new course syllabuses on AML/CTF for undergraduate courses and professional bodies.

• Learning objectives

  By the end of this course students will be able to:

  • Understand the structure and nature of international AML law;
  • Distinguish different sources of the legal basis for AML compliance;
  •  Explain the role of legal practitioners in AML compliance;
  • Identify the main AML compliance methods; and
  • Design AML compliance programs

• Preliminary Syllabus

  Here you can download the preliminary course syllabus for 2024.

  ^{*Please note that it is a preliminary syllabus and that it might be subject to some change before the course starts.}