Background on the Situation
In recent years, the United States has become the leading country requesting anti-money laundering (AML) information from Mexico through the Secure Egmont Group (SEG), a global network of 177 financial intelligence units.
SEG’s Role
The SEG facilitates the exchange of information to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and related offenses among its members. The UIF (Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit) has been actively participating in this international collaboration.
Recent Trends and Developments
From January 1 to July 16, 2025, the UIF received 64 AML information requests from US authorities. The UIF has reportedly responded to these requests as part of its international commitments.
Omar Reyes Colmenares, recently appointed as the new UIF head by President Claudia Sheinbaum, signed a document acknowledging these requests from the US through the SEG.
On average, the US has submitted around 10 requests per month in 2025. This trend emerged following the US Treasury Department’s (via FinCEN) accusations against two Mexican banks (CI Banco and Intercam) and the Vector brokerage for allegedly enabling money laundering operations linked to fentanyl trafficking.
The Treasury Department’s sanctions, announced on June 25, were initially set to take effect at the end of July. However, due to two extensions, these measures will now be implemented starting October 20.
Between April and June, the US accounted for 57% of the total requests (16 out of 28) made by Mexico from January 16 to July 16, 2025.
International Collaboration Context
The US has consistently been the top requester of AML information from Mexico via the SEG since 2020. In that year, the US submitted 45 requests; in 2021, it was 37. The number of information requests increased significantly to 110 in 2022, then decreased to 90 in 2023, and rose again to 106 in 2024.
From 2020 to July 16, 2025, the UIF has received a total of 452 AML information requests from the US.
Recently, when Pablo Gómez was still heading the UIF, it was accused of withholding AML information from other countries. However, the UIF denied these allegations and stated that all relevant requests were answered promptly as part of international cooperation commitments.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is Omar Reyes Colmenares? He is the newly appointed head of Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF).
- What is the Secure Egmont Group (SEG)? It’s a global network of 177 financial intelligence units that facilitates the exchange of information to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and related offenses.
- Why has the US increased its AML information requests to Mexico? The US has been actively seeking more information related to money laundering investigations, particularly in the context of drug trafficking and financial institutions suspected of enabling such activities.
- What are the recent sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department? The US Treasury Department, through FinCEN, imposed sanctions on two Mexican banks (CI Banco and Intercam) and a brokerage firm (Vector) for allegedly facilitating money laundering operations linked to fentanyl trafficking.
- When will these sanctions take effect? The sanctions, initially set to begin at the end of July, will now be implemented starting October 20 due to two extensions.
