The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) was passed by Congress in 1970 in an effort to better protect the United States financial system from money laundering and financing of criminal activities. For the past 50 years, BSA and AML professionals have been working tirelessly to protect our financial system around the clock. They are the first line of detection for money laundering and terrorist financing and play a vital role in uncovering criminal activity that poses threats to the United States and its citizens.
On October 26, 2001, after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, President Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) into effect, ultimately cementing the importance of BSA/AML professionals in protecting our financial system. It is a day that deserves to be recognized.
Abrigo is dedicated to support the BSA/AML industry and be an advocate for BSA/AML professionals. In 2017, we began a pursuit to create a national day dedicated to honoring those who work in the BSA/AML industry.
We started the journey by contacting state government offices. We told history, we petitioned for recognition, we were persistent with our message, and we were successful. October 26th is now, officially, a nationally recognized day honoring BSA/AML Professionals. Learn more about the day on the National Day Calendar about National Financial Crime Fighter Day.