ICA TBML Specialist Cert study plan

Define trade-based money laundering and distinguish it from other laundering typologies in writing

Diagram the end-to-end trade finance flow for a letter of credit, from applicant to reimbursement

List the core trade documents (invoice, bill of lading, packing list, certificate of origin) and state the purpose of each

Explain how over- and under-invoicing, and over- and under-shipment, move value across borders

Categorize the main TBML typologies (invoice manipulation, multiple invoicing, falsely described goods, short/long shipping, carousel) with a worked example of each

Identify red flags for each typology and map them to the trade documents where they would appear

Explain how free trade zones, shell companies, and third-party intermediaries are used to obscure beneficial ownership

Practice reading a sample commercial invoice and B/L to spot inconsistencies

Trace how TBML links to sanctions evasion, terrorist financing, and fraud in a written case narrative

Summarize the FATF trade-based money laundering guidance principles in your own words

Describe the role of banks, freight forwarders, and customs authorities in detecting TBML

Draft a suspicious activity narrative from a trade-finance scenario

Explain the purpose and structure of an AML program (policies, controls, training, independent testing)

Define the three stages of money laundering and give an example of each

Describe the risk-based approach and how it drives control design

Outline the SAR/STR filing process, including timing and escalation

Compare FATF Recommendations to a national AML regime

Identify the predicate offenses and international standards relevant to financial crime prevention

Explain sanctions screening, PEP screening, and adverse media screening and how they differ

Describe fraud typologies (internal, external, cyber-enabled) and their AML overlap

Explain recordkeeping and reporting obligations and the consequences of non-compliance

Build a risk assessment for a trade-finance portfolio using country, customer, product, and channel factors

Map controls to identified risks and identify control gaps

Explain how transaction monitoring rules and thresholds are tuned for trade products

Describe the escalation path from alert to investigation to SAR

Apply the CDD process: identification, verification, and ongoing monitoring

Explain EDD triggers and what additional information EDD requires

Describe beneficial ownership identification and control-person determination

Explain how to handle PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, and correspondent banking relationships

Practice writing a customer risk rating rationale

Synthesize all four domains into an integrated case review from onboarding through transaction monitoring to SAR

Complete a timed practice exam and analyze every missed question by domain

Re-drill the weakest domain until practice scores stabilize

Review the red-flag matrix, CDD files, and risk assessment as a consolidated reference