[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 165 (Friday, August 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44347-44349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21178]



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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
[Docket No. R-0891]


Privacy Act of 1974; Amendment to an Existing System of Records

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Amendment to an existing system of records.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (Privacy Act), the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is publishing 
amendments to the existing system of records called FRB-Supervisory 
Tracking and Reference System (BGFRS-21) (the Tracking System). This 
amendment reflects the Board's ongoing review of its existing systems 
of records pursuant to Appendix I to OMB Circular No. A-130-Revised, 
which has resulted in minor changes in nearly all elements of the 
system of records. In addition, the changes reflect a new inter-agency 
suspicious activity reporting process, combining the criminal referral 
and suspicious financial transactions reporting requirements of the 
Federal banking agencies and the U.S. Department of the Treasury 
(Treasury), and involving the use of a new computerized database 
maintained by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), 
Department of the Treasury, on behalf of the Federal banking agencies 
and Treasury.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 2, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elaine M. Boutilier, Senior Counsel, 
Legal Division, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 
Washington, DC 20551, (202) 452-2418. For users of the 
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) only, contact Dorothea 
Thompson (202-452-3544).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4) 
(Privacy Act), requires each agency to publish a notice of the 
establishment of or revision to each system of records maintained by 
the agency. The Office of 

[[Page 44348]]
Management and Budget (OMB) has oversight authority over agency 
implementation of the Privacy Act. In this capacity it offers guidance 
to agencies through OMB Circulars. In a recent revision to its Appendix 
I to OMB Circular No. A-130 (58 FR 36068, July 2, 1993), OMB stated 
that each agency should regularly review the routine use disclosures 
associated with each system of records, as well as each system of 
records for which it has promulgated exemption rules. As part of this 
ongoing review, the Board is amending its existing system of records 
entitled FRB-Supervisory Tracking and Reference System (BGFRS-21), for 
which it has promulgated exemption rules pursuant to exemption (k)(2) 
of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2).
    Certain of the changes to the system reflect an agreement between 
FinCEN and the Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift 
Supervision, and the National Credit Union Administration (the Federal 
Financial Regulatory Agencies) to store Suspicious Activity Reports 
(SAR) in electronic form in a database maintained by FinCEN and located 
in Detroit, Michigan. The SAR is being adopted by all Federal Financial 
Regulatory Agencies as a replacement for the Criminal Referral Form, 
which has been used by financial institutions to report suspected 
criminal activity by individuals to the banking agencies and the 
Federal law enforcement authorities (see Board, OCC and OTS proposed 
rulemakings at 60 FR 34481, July 3, 1995; 60 FR 34476, July 3, 1995; 
and 60 FR 36366, July 17, 1995; respectively); and by Treasury to 
implement suspicious financial transaction reporting rules. Information 
from the Criminal Referral Form has always been included in the 
existing Tracking System, and similar information will continue to be 
collected by the SAR. In addition to reports of suspected criminal 
activity, the SAR will also allow a bank to report suspicious financial 
transactions under Federal money laundering statutes, pursuant to 
Treasury regulations (31 CFR part 103). This information, which may 
include financial transactions by individuals, will be included in the 
Tracking System. Only the information collected by the SAR, and its 
status updates, will be located in the database maintained by FinCEN; 
all other information in the Tracking System will be located at the 
Board.
    Pursuant to the inter-agency agreement between FinCEN and the 
Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies, FinCEN will manage a 
computerized database containing the SAR and status updates, which is 
information currently collected and/or maintained separately by each of 
the Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies. With regard to this 
database, only those records that are generated under the jurisdiction 
of the Board are considered to be Board records for purposes of the 
Privacy Act. Access to and use of these Board records by other agencies 
will continue to be governed by the routine uses in the Board's 
Tracking System.
    Accordingly, the ``Routine Uses'' element is being amended to 
reflect the sharing among bank regulatory agencies and law enforcement 
agencies of the information collected by the SAR and the status 
updates. Additionally, the ``Safeguards'' element is amended to add 
that on-line access to the computerized database maintained by FinCEN 
is limited to authorized individuals who have been specified by each 
Federal Financial Regulatory Agency and Treasury, and who have been 
issued a nontransferable identifier or password.
    Other amendments reflect organizational changes and are not 
significant. The exemption for this system of records continues to be 
(k)(2), because the information consists of investigatory material 
compiled for law enforcement purposes.
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(r), a report of this amended system 
of records is being filed with the President of the Senate, the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, and the Director of OMB. This amended 
system of records will become effective on October 2, 1995, without 
further notice, unless the Board publishes a notice to the contrary in 
the Federal Register.
    Accordingly, the Board has amended the system of records entitled 
FRB-Supervisory Tracking and Reference System as follows.
BGFRS--21
    FRB--Supervisory Tracking and Reference System.
    Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation (Enforcement and 
Special Investigations and Examinations Sections), Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System (Board), 20th and C Streets NW, 
Washington, DC 20551. Computerized records of Suspicious Activity 
Reports (SARs), with status updates, are managed by the Financial 
Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Department of the Treasury, 
pursuant to a contractual agreement, and are stored in Detroit, 
Michigan. Authorized personnel at the Board and the Federal Reserve 
Banks have on-line access to the computerized database managed by 
FinCEN through individual work stations that are linked to the database 
central computer.
    Directors, officers, employees, agents and persons participating in 
the conduct of the affairs of entities regulated by the Board who have 
been involved in suspected criminal activity or suspicious financial 
transactions and referred to law enforcement officials; and other 
individuals who have been involved in irregularities, violations of 
law, or unsafe or unsound practices referenced in documents received by 
the Board in the course of exercising its supervisory functions.
    Inter- and intra-agency correspondence, memoranda and reports. The 
SAR contains information identifying the financial institution 
involved, the suspected person, the type of suspicious activity 
involved, and any witnesses.
    12 U.S.C. 248(a), 1820(d) and 1818 (for state member banks); 12 
U.S.C. 1844 (for bank holding companies and their subsidiaries); 12 
U.S.C. 622 and 625 (for Edge and Agreement corporations); 12 U.S.C. 
3105 (for U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks).
    The overall system serves as a central Board repository for 
investigatory or enforcement information related to the Board's 
responsibility to examine and supervise entities regulated by the 
Board.
    The system maintained by FinCEN serves as the database for the 
cooperative storage, retrieval, analysis, and use of information 
relating to Suspicious Activity Reports made to or by the Board, the 
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the 
National Credit Union Administration (collectively, the Federal 
Financial Regulatory Agencies), and FinCEN to various law enforcement 
agencies for possible criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings 
based on known or suspected violations affecting or involving persons, 
financial institutions, or other entities under the supervision or 
jurisdiction of such Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies. 

[[Page 44349]]

    Information in these records may be used to:
    (1) Provide information or records to any appropriate governmental 
department or agency or self-regulatory organization charged with the 
responsibility of administering law or investigating or prosecuting 
violations of law or charged with enforcing or implementing a statute, 
rule, regulation, order, policy, or license;
    (2) Provide the Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies and FinCEN 
with information relevant to their operations;
    (3) Disclose information to third parties during the course of an 
investigation to the extent necessary to obtain information pertinent 
to the investigation;
    (4) Disclose information, when appropriate, to foreign governmental 
authorities in accordance with law, and formal or informal 
international agreements;
    (5) Disclose certain records, in the event of litigation or 
enforcement action, to the appropriate court, magistrate, or 
administrative tribunal; or to counsel or witnesses for the 
presentation of evidence in the course of discovery, to the extent 
permitted by law; and
    (6) With regard to formal or informal enforcement actions, release 
information pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 1818(u), which requires the Board to 
publish and make available to the public final orders and written 
agreements, and modifications thereto.
    The records will be maintained in electronic data processing 
systems and in paper and card files.
    Computer output, file folders, and card files are retrievable by 
indexes of data fields, including name of financial institution, 
Federal Reserve Bank District, and individuals' names.
    Paper records and word processing discs are stored at the Board in 
lockable metal file cabinets. The database maintained by FinCEN 
complies with applicable security requirements of the Department of the 
Treasury. On-line access to the information in the database is limited 
to authorized individuals who have been designated by each Federal 
Financial Regulatory Agency and FinCEN, and each such individual has 
been issued a nontransferable identifier or password.
    Records are maintained indefinitely.
    Deputy Associate Director (Enforcement and Special Investigations 
and Examinations Sections), Division of Banking Supervision and 
Regulation, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and 
C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20551, (202) 452-2620.
    Inquiries should be sent to the Secretary of the Board, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20551.
    Same as ``Notification procedure'' above.
    Same as ``Notification procedure'' above.
    Information received by the Board from various sources, including, 
inter alia, law enforcement and other agency personnel involved in 
sending inquiries to the Board, documents received by the Board in the 
course of executing the Board's supervisory responsibilities, and 
reports and forms filed by individuals to whom the records pertain. The 
information maintained by FinCEN is compiled from SAR and related 
historical and updating forms compiled by financial institutions, the 
Board, and the other Federal Financial Regulatory Agencies for law 
enforcement purposes.
    This system is exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a (c)(3), (d)(1), (d)(2), 
(d)(3), (d)(4), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (H), and (I), and (f) of the Privacy 
Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2).

    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, August 22, 1995.
William W. Wiles,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 95-21178 Filed 8-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P