FINCEN Archives - Cannabis Business Executive - Cannabis and Marijuana industry news

Banking on Cannabis: An Insider’s Guide to Banking With Marijuana-Related Businesses

By Alan Hanson There are many articles written about the issues surrounding banking Marijuana-Related Businesses (MRBs), but there are very few that discuss how banks can actually do this. And there are even fewer written by someone who has successfully helped…

Solving the Cannabis Banking Issue: De Novo Bank/Credit Union or Acquisition—What’s Possible?

I field a number of calls from people wanting to start or acquire a financial institution to solve the lack of access to banking for the cannabis industry. So, what is possible and what roadblocks might you expect to face?…

Cannabis Banking – REALITY CHECK

By Sundie Seefried Better Banked or Unbanked? So, true story here. Me and some of my staff attended a half day symposium on ‘the state of cannabis and banking’ in Colorado. The audience was composed of mostly bankers. This was…

Cannabis, Congress and Courage: Why Banks aren’t Banking Marijuana Businesses

By Jim Richards In January 2018, Attorney General Sessions “revoked Obama-era guidance that had effectuated a hands-off approach to state-legalized cannabis businesses.” This quote from an online National Law Journal article (see https://www.law.com/nationallawjournal/2018/09/11/feds-should-be-banging-the-drum-the-loudest-for-cannabis-industry-banking/?slreturn=20180812164053) and others like it, have been used…

Blowing Smoke: Marijuana Banking Scams

By Hilary Bricken What are the specific red flags to look for if you’re being pitched on a 'solution to the marijuana banking problem'? Of the many issues that prevent cannabis businesses from acting like regular businesses, their lack of…

Reading The Pot Leaves: What The Sessions Memo Means For Marijuana In The U.S.

This has spurred bipartisan support (and backlash) from Congress for federal legislation to let the states have full reign over marijuana. By HILARY BRICKEN Last week was an exciting and somewhat scary week for the marijuana industry. It started with…

Jeff Sessions Waives Sword of Damocles

By Steve Schain With Jeff Sessions threatening to singlehandedly crush $7.2 billion legalized marijuana industry spanning 30 states, generating millions in taxes and providing 10 of thousands of jobs, much confusion abounds. While unclear if merely a "knee jerk reaction"…

Marijuana Banking Takes Massive Leap Forward

July 14, 2017
Steven Schain
Compliance and Regulations, Policy & Legal
1 Comment

Last month witnessed a marijuana banking explosion. Spanning 29 states and generating $7.2 billion in 2016, the United States' legalized marijuana industry's greatest obstacle—banking—was significantly reduced by the Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) June 6,…

Cannabis Banking Issues: All Cash and Not A Lot of Protection

By Steven Schain Ever accidentally find $5.4 billion of cash in your back pocket? The cannabis industry did in 2015, after virtually no bank would accept legalized marijuana sales deposits. Instead, because the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act,…

The Fourth Corner Credit Union responds to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City lawsuit

By Mark Goldfogel With our appeal underway in the David vs.Goliath battle over cannabis banking, it’s time that The Fourth Corner Credit Union responds with our thoughts regarding Judge Jackson’s ruling in favor of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas…