PEP Screening Check (Individual) - Parcha API Documentation

The PEP Screening check identifies whether an individual is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) or is associated with PEPs. PEPs are individuals who hold or have held prominent public positions and may present higher risk for corruption or bribery.

Overview

The check examines:

Current and former government officials
Senior political party members
High-ranking military officers
Senior executives of state-owned enterprises
Important judicial or regulatory figures
Close associates and family members of PEPs (RCAs)

What is a PEP?

According to FATF recommendations, a Politically Exposed Person is an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function. This includes:

Domestic PEPs: Prominent public functions in your own country
Foreign PEPs: Prominent public functions in a foreign country
International Organization PEPs: Senior positions in international organizations
Relatives and Close Associates (RCAs): Family members or known close associates of PEPs

Running the Check

API Endpoint

POST https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob

Important: You must use your own agent key, not a default or public agent key. Your agent key can be found in the Parcha dashboard under your agent’s settings, or in the “Test API Integration” dialog.

Request Parameters

agent_key

string

required

Your KYC agent key from the Parcha dashboard. This is unique to your organization and agent configuration.

kyc_schema

object

required

The individual information for screening using the KYC Schema.

Show KYC Schema Properties

string

required

A unique identifier for this KYC case.

self_attested_data

object

required

first_name

string

required

Individual’s first name.

last_name

string

required

Individual’s last name.

middle_name

string

Individual’s middle name.

date_of_birth

string

Date of birth (YYYY-MM-DD format).

country_of_nationality

string

Country of nationality (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2).

country_of_residence

string

Country of residence (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2).

address

object

Residential address information.

check_ids

array

Optional. To run only this specific check, include ["kyc.pep_screening_check_v2"]. If omitted, all checks configured in your agent will run.

Example Request

curl -X POST 'https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{
  "agent_key": "your-kyc-agent-key",
  "kyc_schema": {
    "id": "pep-check-001",
    "self_attested_data": {
      "first_name": "John",
      "last_name": "Smith",
      "middle_name": "Robert",
      "date_of_birth": "1975-06-15",
      "country_of_nationality": "US",
      "country_of_residence": "US",
      "address": {
        "city": "Washington",
        "state": "DC",
        "country_code": "US"
      }
    }
  },
  "check_ids": ["kyc.pep_screening_check_v2"]
}'

import requests

api_key = 'YOUR_API_KEY'
url = 'https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob'

headers = {
    'Authorization': f'Bearer {api_key}',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}

data = {
    'agent_key': 'your-kyc-agent-key',  # Replace with your actual agent key
    'kyc_schema': {
        'id': 'pep-check-001',
        'self_attested_data': {
            'first_name': 'John',
            'last_name': 'Smith',
            'middle_name': 'Robert',
            'date_of_birth': '1975-06-15',
            'country_of_nationality': 'US',
            'country_of_residence': 'US',
            'address': {
                'city': 'Washington',
                'state': 'DC',
                'country_code': 'US'
            }
        }
    },
    'check_ids': ['kyc.pep_screening_check_v2']  # Optional: run only this check
}

response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

import axios from 'axios';

const apiKey = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
const url = 'https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/startKYCAgentJob';

const data = {
  agent_key: 'your-kyc-agent-key',  // Replace with your actual agent key
  kyc_schema: {
    id: 'pep-check-001',
    self_attested_data: {
      first_name: 'John',
      last_name: 'Smith',
      middle_name: 'Robert',
      date_of_birth: '1975-06-15',
      country_of_nationality: 'US',
      country_of_residence: 'US',
      address: {
        city: 'Washington',
        state: 'DC',
        country_code: 'US'
      }
    }
  },
  check_ids: ['kyc.pep_screening_check_v2']  // Optional: run only this check
};

axios.post(url, data, {
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  }
})
.then(response => console.log(response.data))
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

Initial Response

{
  "id": "job-abc123",
  "status": "PENDING",
  "created_at": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z",
  "agent_id": "your-agent-key",
  "input_payload": {
    // Original request payload
  }
}

Retrieving Check Results

Once the job is complete, retrieve the results using the job ID with the getJobByID endpoint. Make sure to include the include_check_results=true parameter to get the full check results.

GET https://api.parcha.ai/api/v1/getJobByID?job_id=job-abc123&include_check_results=true

Check Process

The PEP screening check follows these steps:

Database Search
- Searches PEP databases from multiple vendors
- Queries government watchlists
- Checks historical PEP records
- Includes RCA (Relatives and Close Associates) matching
Match Analysis
- Evaluates name similarity
- Compares date of birth (if available)
- Analyzes location data
- Reviews position and role information
Classification
- Identifies PEP type (domestic, foreign, international org)
- Determines current vs. former PEP status
- Identifies RCA relationships
- Assesses PEP tier (senior, mid-level, etc.)
Risk Assessment
- Evaluates match confidence (strong, partial, weak)
- Determines required action (deny, review, approve)
- Considers jurisdiction risk
- Factors in position sensitivity

Check Results

Response Structure

{
  type: "PEPScreeningCheckResult";
  passed: boolean;
  matches: Array<PEPMatch>;
  total_matches: number;
  screening_date: string;
}

type PEPMatch = {
  name: string;
  match_rating: "strong_match" | "partial_match" | "weak_match" | "false_positive";
  match_score: number;
  pep_type: "domestic_pep" | "foreign_pep" | "international_org_pep" | "rca";
  pep_status: "current" | "former";
  position: string;
  date_of_birth?: string;
  country: string;
  organization?: string;
  start_date?: string;
  end_date?: string;
  pep_tier?: string;
  relationship_type?: string;
  related_pep?: string;
  source: string;
  last_updated?: string;
}

Example Results

{
  "type": "PEPScreeningCheckResult",
  "passed": true,
  "matches": [],
  "total_matches": 0,
  "screening_date": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z"
}

{
  "type": "PEPScreeningCheckResult",
  "passed": true,
  "matches": [
    {
      "name": "John Robert Smith",
      "match_rating": "partial_match",
      "match_score": 82,
      "pep_type": "domestic_pep",
      "pep_status": "former",
      "position": "State Senator",
      "date_of_birth": "1975-06-15",
      "country": "United States",
      "organization": "US State Legislature",
      "start_date": "2010-01-01",
      "end_date": "2018-12-31",
      "pep_tier": "tier_2",
      "source": "ComplyAdvantage"
    }
  ],
  "total_matches": 1,
  "screening_date": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z"
}

{
  "type": "PEPScreeningCheckResult",
  "passed": false,
  "matches": [
    {
      "name": "John Robert Smith",
      "match_rating": "strong_match",
      "match_score": 95,
      "pep_type": "foreign_pep",
      "pep_status": "current",
      "position": "Minister of Finance",
      "date_of_birth": "1975-06-15",
      "country": "United Kingdom",
      "organization": "UK Government",
      "start_date": "2022-01-15",
      "pep_tier": "tier_1",
      "source": "ComplyAdvantage",
      "last_updated": "2024-02-01"
    }
  ],
  "total_matches": 1,
  "screening_date": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z"
}

{
  "type": "PEPScreeningCheckResult",
  "passed": false,
  "matches": [
    {
      "name": "John Robert Smith",
      "match_rating": "strong_match",
      "match_score": 90,
      "pep_type": "rca",
      "pep_status": "current",
      "position": "Close Associate",
      "date_of_birth": "1975-06-15",
      "country": "United States",
      "relationship_type": "business_associate",
      "related_pep": "Jane Mary Doe - Secretary of State",
      "source": "ComplyAdvantage",
      "last_updated": "2024-01-20"
    }
  ],
  "total_matches": 1,
  "screening_date": "2024-02-15T10:30:00Z"
}

PEP Categories

Tier 1 - Senior PEPs (Highest Risk)

Heads of state or government
Senior politicians and government officials
Senior judicial or military officials
Senior executives of state-owned enterprises
Important political party officials

Tier 2 - Mid-Level PEPs (Medium Risk)

Mid-ranking government officials
State or provincial politicians
Mid-level judicial or military officials
Local government executives

Tier 3 - Lower-Level PEPs (Lower Risk)

Local officials
Lower judicial positions
Military officers below senior ranks

RCAs - Relatives and Close Associates

Immediate family members (spouse, children, parents)
Known close associates
Business partners of PEPs

Risk Factors

The check may flag concerns if:

Current senior PEP (Tier 1) in high-risk jurisdiction
Current foreign PEP requiring enhanced due diligence
Close associate or family member of senior PEP
Former PEP from high-corruption country (less than 5 years)
Multiple PEP matches suggesting possible identity confusion
PEP from sanctioned country or regime

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

PEP matches typically require:

Source of Wealth Verification: Document legitimate income sources
Source of Funds: Verify transaction fund origins
Purpose of Relationship: Understand business relationship purpose
Ongoing Monitoring: Enhanced transaction monitoring
Senior Management Approval: Elevated approval for onboarding

Best Practices

Risk-Based Approach: Not all PEPs are high-risk (consider jurisdiction, position, tenure)
Former PEPs: Apply EDD for 3-5 years after leaving office
RCA Verification: Investigate RCA relationships carefully
Update Regularly: PEP status can change; rescreen periodically
Document Decisions: Keep clear records of PEP screening and risk assessments
Combined Screening: Use with sanctions and adverse media checks

Configuration Options

vendor: Choose PEP database provider (ComplyAdvantage, Dow Jones, World-Check)
profile_limit: Maximum PEP profiles to return
match_thresholds: Customize match rating thresholds
deny_match_ratings: Auto-deny on strong matches
review_match_ratings: Flag for manual review
extract_pep_metadata: Extract detailed PEP information

Sanctions Screening (Individual) - Screen for sanctions
Adverse Media Screening (Individual) - Screen for negative news
Person Web Presence Check - Research online presence
Source of Funds Document Verification - Verify fund sources

​Overview

​What is a PEP?

​Running the Check

​API Endpoint

​Request Parameters

​Example Request

​Initial Response

​Retrieving Check Results

​Check Process

​Check Results

​Response Structure

​Example Results

​PEP Categories

​Tier 1 - Senior PEPs (Highest Risk)

​Tier 2 - Mid-Level PEPs (Medium Risk)

​Tier 3 - Lower-Level PEPs (Lower Risk)

​RCAs - Relatives and Close Associates

​Risk Factors

​Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

​Best Practices

​Configuration Options

​Related Checks

Overview

What is a PEP?

Running the Check

API Endpoint

Request Parameters

Example Request

Initial Response

Retrieving Check Results

Check Process

Check Results

Response Structure

Example Results

PEP Categories

Tier 1 - Senior PEPs (Highest Risk)

Tier 2 - Mid-Level PEPs (Medium Risk)

Tier 3 - Lower-Level PEPs (Lower Risk)

RCAs - Relatives and Close Associates

Risk Factors

Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)

Best Practices

Configuration Options

Related Checks