Which situation is most likely to be deemed suspicious activity?

The situation involving John making a large deposit into an annuity via wire transfer is most likely to be deemed suspicious activity due to several factors commonly associated with money laundering. Large cash transactions, especially those that occur suddenly or seem out of the ordinary for a person's financial habits, can raise red flags for financial institutions.

Wire transfers, particularly large ones, are often used in money laundering schemes because they can swiftly move funds across different accounts and jurisdictions, complicating the tracking of the money’s origin. Annuities are investment contracts that can also be filled with complexity relative to the source of funds, making them a potential vehicle for layering or placement stages of money laundering.

In contrast, the other scenarios involve more typical financial behaviors. Presenting a refund check for a life insurance policy, using a personal check to fund an annuity, or paying an insurance premium with cash may not inherently signal unusual or suspicious activity, as these transactions may align with standard financial practices.