A PEP API to maximize efficient sanctions list checks
Screen individuals associated with a business through Middesk’s PEP API, ensuring they aren’t sanctioned on OFAC lists.
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What is a PEP API?
A PEP API integrates with your Know Your Business (KYB) platform to automatically screen businesses for individuals identified as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs). This includes whether an individual (and their family members or close associates) are subject to any applicable sanctions.
Businesses can use this information to assess risk associated with entering into a B2B relationship. With automated PEP screening via an API, you get up-to-date information on whether an individual is classified as a PEP so that you can onboard businesses with confidence.
How the PEP API works
Step 1
All you need to start is an API key, along with the name and address of the businesses you want to check.
Step 2
Our Verify package automatically screens against all OFAC lists, as well as several other key U.S. sanctions lists.
Step 3
We’ll return whether or not there were any list hits, as well as details for which entities were on which lists and how many total hits there were.
Step 4
Your report will also include other information we can verify about the business, and we’ll keep you up to date if information is added or changed.
Information you can get using our PEP API
Beyond screening PEPs on U.S. watchlists, our Verify product provides a series of other details that help you verify businesses and the individuals associated with them.
Middesk Business Verification Data Sources
Data You Can Access
What Do You Need to Know?
Watchlist screening
Is the business, anyone associated with it, or the country in which it operates on an OFAC sanctions list or any other U.S. or global watchlist? Is anyone associated with the business (or their family and close associates) a politically exposed person (PEP)? If so, does their status restrict or prevent you from doing business with them?
People associated with the business
Who ultimately controls—or stands to benefit—from the business? Is their personal identifying information accurate? Are they on any watchlist that would indicate that they are a business risk?
Industry classification
What type of business does the company conduct? Are there any apparent restrictions or prohibitions on the type of business they do that you should be aware of when onboarding them?
Business verification information
Does the business’ basic identifying information match the details I have? Does this match what the proper authorities have (such as OFAC watchlists) on file?
Liens, litigations, & bankruptcy
Has the business filed for bankruptcy previously, or is currently doing so? What financial risk does this business pose to your company in a B2B relationship? Has the company previously been in legal trouble, or is it currently? Does another entity currently have any legal claim to its property that may impact my business relationship with the company?
Ongoing monitoring
Do I have an automated way of getting notified if a person associated with the business becomes a PEP or ends up on a watchlist?
Business documentation
Can I find valid formation documents—and other business documents—on file with regulators? Is the business legally allowed to exist in the jurisdiction it operates in? Does the business have the right licence based on the type of business it does?
EIN / TIN (Business Tax ID)
Is the company registered with the IRS and other tax authorities?
Web presence analysis
Does their website or online footprint show any indicators that someone associated with the business could end up on a PEP list, or become involved in any sanctioned or criminal activity?
Applications for our PEP API
Many industries can benefit from using a PEP API that helps them avoid extending financial resources to entities on U.S. watchlists.
Fintechs
Fintechs excel at providing users a fast, convenient, simple experience. But this shouldn’t come at the cost of security or regulatory compliance. Using our PEP API, fintechs can ensure individuals are adequately screened against watchlists while still retaining the market agility that gives them an edge.
Insurance
Insurance companies need to ensure they aren’t extending financial instruments to individuals or companies that are perpetrating fraud. By screening for PEPs using an API, insurance companies can be confident their policies aren’t being used to launder money or otherwise commit financial crimes.
Commercial banking
With a plethora of business customers, banks need to be diligent about who they conduct business with so they aren’t unwittingly extending financial resources to criminals. Our PEP API screens businesses—and individuals associated with those businesses—against major U.S. watchlists to ensure you’re safe to do business with them.
Lenders
Lenders need to be careful about who they extend capital to—not only to mitigate their own risk, but also to maintain compliance with U.S. and international laws. Our PEP sanctions list API provides details about who’s associated with the business looking to borrow from you.
Marketplace
Sanctioned entities often target online need to commit fraud and launder money with impunity. Marketplace administrators can obtain consumer trust—and maintain their reputation—by screening businesses they allow to operate. A PEP API helps marketplaces screen watchlists and ensure safety.
Payments platforms
Money movers need to adhere to strict AML and CTF compliance regulations to make sure they aren’t facilitating money laundering or other financial crimes. With our PEP list API, payment processors can check whether individuals associated with are PEPs so they can conduct proper screening.
Make PEP compliance screening simple and fast with our PEP API
Check entities against all OFAC lists
Our PEP API screens entities across all OFAC watchlists (including the SDN, FSE, and CAPTA lists) to check if the business—or individuals associated with it—have any sanctions against them.
Get daily PEP status updates
Our PEP API refreshes data daily by checking official OFAC watchlists. This means that you always have current, relevant data so you can focus on verifying companies that you do business with.
Expand coverage with all U.S. watchlists
Our Verify solution screens all OFAC lists, as well as several other key U.S. sanctions lists. With complete coverage, you ensure that you’re able to identify PEPs and effectively manage risk of engaging in B2B relationships. This helps you prevent financial crimes and protect your reputation.
Save time with bulk screening
Save manual work with an API that automatically screens your list of businesses against OFAC and other U.S. sanctions lists. Return business verification information all at once so you can quickly and efficiently make decisions about B2B relationships during onboarding.
Start building with our easy-to-integrate PEP API
What makes Middesk’s PEP API unique?
Covers all OFAC & U.S. watchlists
Middesk doesn’t just have a PEP API that screens for related individuals. Our API screens against all OFAC sanctions lists, as well as a series of other U.S. sanctions lists by the BIS and State Department.
Fresh data daily
Middesk pulls fresh data daily—directly from official U.S. government sources. You’ll know immediately if a business (or individual associated with a business) has been added to an OFAC list.
Flexible search parameters
Our PEP search API includes tools like fuzzy name matching, date of birth filtering, and watchlist filtering, enabling you to get more results and less false positives and negatives.
More than sanctions screening
Our Verify product includes more than just PEP watchlist hits. It connects businesses with a wealth of business verification information so they can streamline business onboarding decisions.
How Bill introduced significant automation and efficiency to onboarding workflows
“With Middesk, we’ve introduced significant automation and efficiency into our onboarding flows. We can now compliantly auto-approve over 50% of new applicants, eliminate the risk of onboarding bad actors, and convert good customers faster using their technology."
How Checkr acquired a new customer segment by automating regulatory compliance with Middesk
"Middesk has taken the brunt of the compliance workload off of our customer support team so they can continue helping our customers with timely resolutions to any issue they encounter with their background checks."
How Radius Bank finds more hours in the day with Middesk
“Every minute we’re able to save in processing loans is a minute faster than a small business will have access to the capital they need. With Middesk, what ordinarily would have taken us hours to do is now taking us minutes. We take pride in partnering with technology companies that help us serve our customers better.”
How Novo redefines its KYB process with Middesk’s verification product
“Middesk's market-leading methods challenge the established legacy approach to verification. Their product has unlocked significant efficiency, enhancing the onboarding experience for small businesses to access Novo. Middesk’s ground-up approach to product development played an integral part in increasing confidence in KYB, both internally and with partners.”
Driving team efficiency and performance with Clearco
“Middesk's Lien Search product has allowed my team to focus on value-add activities like making deals rather than tedious tasks like sifting through UCC portals. My team is faster and happier with getting business owners the capital they need to grow their businesses.”
Leveling up Plaid’s onboarding process with seamless KYB
“When a customer signs up for Plaid, they want to start building on our APIs right away. Middesk has been a critical partner enabling us to quickly and seamlessly onboard new customers.”
Frequently Asked Questions about PEP APIs
As a U.S. government agency, OFAC has the authority to place restrictions and prohibitions on dealings between U.S. citizens and companies with entities determined to be threats to U.S. national security or foreign policy. When onboarding business, organizations are required to conduct adequate KYB checks. This ensures they comply with U.S. law and protect U.S. national interests and security.
Our OFAC sanctions list data comes directly from OFAC’s Consolidated Sanctions List, an aggregated list of all entities on each of OFAC’s individual sanctions lists. We also pull data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, BIS, and the State Department so that you get all the details you need to verify a business in a single place.
Manual OFAC screening poses a few main problems.
OFAC’s search system doesn’t include advanced fuzzy matching, date-of-birth filtering, or specific list filtering, making it much harder to actually find the information you want. One typo (from an alternative spelling, nickname, or alias) and you may never find what you need, even though it exists.
Beyond this, you’ll need to screen each business customer — and the people associated with them — on an individual basis. This is extremely time-consuming, if not impossible when dealing with large volumes of clients that need to be onboarded quickly.
All you need is an account here with us at Middesk, our Verify product, and an API key. It’s so easy we can get you set up in a few minutes!
At minimum, you need the business’s official name and registered address. However, additional information—such as a particular individual you’re interested in—about the business can help you narrow your search, ensure the accuracy of the results, and minimize false positives and negatives.
Simply set up a “Business” file or update an existing one, fill in the required business information, and place an “Order” request for “Watchlist”. Middesk will do the rest, finding results in minutes.
Auto-screen businesses and associated people against PEPs
Try our PEP API as part of our Verify package
