The Western Union Company Rotten Score Breakdown

Western Union entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2017 and agreed to forfeit $586 million. The company admitted criminal violations including willfully failing to maintain an effective anti-money-laundering program and aiding and abetting wire fraud. DOJ said that between 2004 and 2012 Western Union processed hundreds of thousands of transactions for agents and others involved in international consumer-fraud schemes. According to DOJ, Western Union knew that some of its agents were involved in or facilitating fraud-related transactions but failed to take adequate corrective action. The schemes included fraudsters who contacted victims while falsely posing as relatives in need of emergency money, promising prizes or employment opportunities, or operating other forms of consumer fraud. Western Union admitted that its anti-money-laundering compliance program failed to adequately address the risk posed by agents involved in fraud. The company agreed to forfeit $586 million. The forfeited funds were subsequently made available to compensate victims of fraud schemes involving Western Union money transfers. Primary source: U.S. Department of Justice — Western Union Admits Anti-Money Laundering and Consumer Fraud Violations and Forfeits $586 Million: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/western-union-admits-anti-money-laundering-and-consumer-fraud-violations-will-forfeit