In any business, particularly in the financial sector, the integrity of your team is paramount. However, external pressures can sometimes push employees towards unethical behaviors.

Through a personal experience as a loan officer, I encountered a situation that highlights the complex interplay between maintaining ethical standards and external pressures to compromise those standards.

The Temptation to Cheat

It's an unfortunate reality that some external parties may attempt to persuade your employees to engage in dishonest activities.

This story begins with what seemed like a fortunate opportunity: a referral from a top-producing real estate agent, Richard, involving the purchase of an $800,000 house by a local art gallery owner. The buyer had good credit and was ready to put down 20%, but there was a catch.

A Red Flag in the Loan Process

The application process revealed a significant red flag: the buyer refused to disclose the source of the $160,000 down payment, insisting that the information was confidential. Despite attempts to explain the necessity of disclosing asset information for the loan process, the buyer remained adamant that the details were unnecessary.

The Fallout of Integrity

Richard, displeased with my insistence on transparency, withdrew the loan application and found a broker willing to overlook these discrepancies, likely through the use of falsified documents. This situation not only lost me a potential deal but also damaged my reputation within the real estate community, as Richard began to question my willingness to "play the game."

A Lesson in Money Laundering Awareness

This scenario serves as a critical reminder of the potential for money laundering in the real estate sector. The refusal to disclose a large sum of money for a down payment is a classic sign of money laundering, which should have merited a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR).

While there was no concrete evidence of money laundering, the situation certainly raised enough suspicion to warrant further investigation.

The Importance of Savvy Management

This experience underscores a crucial management lesson: the pressure to produce results can sometimes lead to unethical behavior. It's the responsibility of senior management and the board to protect the company from such exposures.

This includes considering whether Know Your Customer (KYC) practices should extend beyond direct employees to those who can influence them, even if not legally required.

Implementing Protective Measures

• Understanding External Influences: Recognize that external pressures can impact your employees' ethical decisions.
• Enhanced Diligence: Apply increased scrutiny to transactions referred by individuals who have previously encouraged unethical behavior.
• Maintaining Integrity: Ensure that your team understands the importance of adhering to ethical standards, even under pressure.

The challenges of balancing ethical integrity with external pressures are not unique to any one industry.