I cannot say enough about this company and their website. While World Check is a pay service for running names against nearly every “bad guy list” in the world, their front page is FREE and continues to be an incredible wealth of information. There are numerous news updates, white papers, iBriefings, along with commentaries by Ken Rijock – a man who was convicted and served time for money laundering, now working on our side of the fence. Please make this site a regular visit to stay current with world events from an AML perspective.
THE WORLD FACTBOOK
This online reference of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States provides an incredible amount of information on countries: maps, geography, people, government, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues (eg, international disputes, refugees, trafficking in persons, illicit drugs, etc). The site is updated on a bi-weekly basis.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
CHIEFS OF STATE AND CABINET MEMBERS OF FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
Another online reference of the CIA, this provides listings, by government, of many of a country’s key players (PEPs) including the head of the central bank and ambassador to the US.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/index.html
THE ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING SPECIALISTS
If you are considering a career in AML, this, in my opinion, is the organization to belong to and is still the gold standard for its CAMS certification. Much of the site is restricted to members.
Many more links coming soon. And feel free to suggest links of your own.