The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017

Criminal offence

86.—(1) A person who contravenes a relevant requirement imposed on that person is guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on summary conviction—

(i) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, to a fine or to both;

(ii) in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, to a fine, or to both.

(2) In deciding whether a person has committed an offence under paragraph (1), the court must decide whether that person followed—

(a) any guidelines issued by the European Supervisory Authorities in accordance with Article 17, 18.4 and 48.10 of the fourth money laundering directive or Article 25 of the funds transfer regulation; and

(b) any relevant guidance which was at the time—

(i) issued by the FCA; or

(ii) issued by any other supervisory authority or appropriate body and approved by the Treasury.

(3) A person is not guilty of an offence under this regulation if that person took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing the offence.

(4) Where a person has been convicted of an offence under this regulation, that person is not also to be liable to a sanction under Chapter 2 of this Part.