If a financial institution wishes to close an account due to concerns about potential money laundering or other financial crimes, it is generally required to file a suspicious activity report (SAR) with the appropriate government agency. However, there may beinstances where the government requires the account to remain open for ongoing investigation purposes.

In such cases, the government must provide a written request under proper letterhead and authority to keep the account open. This document will serve as legal justification for the financial institution to maintain the account, even though it may pose a higher risk for money laundering or other financial crimes.