Doha, Qatar: The QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) announced yesterday that it has taken disciplinary actions against two (2) Directors of Horizon Crescent Wealth LLC (HCW) for contraventions relating to the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorist Financing Rules 2010 (AML/CFTR).

In 2019, the QFCRA took disciplinary action against HCW. HCW is licensed as a Trust Administrator and as such is a designated non-financial business or profession (DNFBP), subject to AML/CFTR. The QFCRA fined HCW QAR 30,000,000 for serious legal and regulatory breaches of the AML/CFTR, QFC Law No. 7 of 2005 and the Financial Services Regulations.

Following this, the QFCRA commenced an investigation into the role played by its Directors in the firm’s contraventions. As a result, the QFCRA took disciplinary action against two Directors of HCW for their failures in operating HCW. Patrick Baeriswyl who held the senior executive function of HCW was fined QR728,000 ($200,000) and Jean Marc Mantegani, who was also the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) of HCW, was fined QAR 1,092,606 ($300,000). Both Baeriswyl and Mantegani were prohibited from carrying out any functions for firms in the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) indefinitely.

The action taken by the QFCRA against Baeriswyl and Mantegani, emphasises the standards required of a licensed firm and its senior management to ensure effective compliance with QFCRA rules, including those rules required to ensure that firms have effective systems and controls in place to combat illicit finance.

Both Baeriswyl and Mantegani appealed the QFCRA’s decision to impose financial penalties and a prohibition.

The QFC Regulatory Tribunal upheld the financial penalties and the prohibition imposed by the QFCRA and dismissed their appeals.

The Tribunal’s decision related to Baeriswyl and Mantegani can be found on the Court’s website. The Tribunal’s decision is subject to appeal to the Appellate Division of the QFC Court. The QFCRA has also issued public statements regarding Baeriwsyl and Mantegani, which are available on its website.

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