Which statement best reflects penalties for unauthorized disclosure of a SAR?

• A. Civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation
• B. Criminal penalties up to $250,000
• C. Prison term up to five years
• D. Unauthorized disclosure carries no penalties

Answer: (A)

Penalties for unauthorized SAR disclosure are civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation. This cap reflects the level of accountability for sharing sensitive financial intelligence and is the standard remedy applied for each improper disclosure. In many AML training contexts, this per-violation civil penalty is the primary remedy you should remember. There are also criminal penalties that can apply in willful cases, including fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment up to five years, but those are separate avenues reserved for more deliberate misconduct. The key point is that the general, per-disclosure penalty most often cited is the civil penalty up to $100,000 per violation.