This week, Attorney General spoke to the American Bar Association, and OFAC issued guidance on providing humanitarian assistance to Syria. John and Elliot discuss the speech and guidance and look at the recent release of SAR filing data by FinCEN.

The Attorney General, OFAC Syria Guidance, and SAR Data

Both the US House and Senate have been very active ahead of leaving for their August recess. John and Elliot discuss the Senate proposal to apply the AML/CFT compliance requirements to all the players in the virtual assets space and the proposals that moved to the House floor on stablecoins, limiting public company disclosures on climate change impact, and many other issues.

Lots of Activity in the US Congress

Shannon Frontanes

John Byrne and Shannon Frontanes of Thomson Reuters Special Services and a provenance expert, discuss her insight on cultural artifacts and their use for money laundering and related crimes.

Money Laundering Through Art and Antiquities – A Conversation with Shannon Frontanes

The US Departments of Commerce, Treasury, and Justice recently updated their voluntary self-disclosure policies. The DOJ also announced the sentencing in a case for conspiring to violate Iranian sanctions and an indictment for a fraudulent charitable contribution tax scheme. In Europe, Interpol announced that it disrupted a transnational migrant smuggling network resulting in 62 arrests. John and Elliot discuss these announcements in a busy week in the financial crime prevention community.

Interesting Announcements From DOJ, Other Agencies, And Interpol

The Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions of the US House Financial Services Committee held a hearing this week on the Potential Consequences of FinCEN’s Beneficial Ownership Rulemaking. The hearing focused on the proposed beneficial ownership information registry proposed by FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. John and Elliot discuss the testimony given by the witnesses and statements of the committee members.

How Is FinCEN Doing On Beneficial Ownership?

Merrill Lynch

Europol recently issued its 2023 Terrorism Situation and Trend Report. The US Treasury issued new sanctions against a top Serbian security official. Merrill Lynch was fined and more. John and Elliot discuss the many goings-on this week in financial crime prevention.

Europol Report New Sanctions Problems At Merrill Lynch And More

Continuing the conversation on implementation support, Rachel Dettmer, Joshua Gubitz, and Jonathan McIsaac discuss the value of having an experienced partner on your side during implementation and how a wealth of cumulative knowledge and varied experience always proves to be advantageous.

The Solutions Series - The benefit of an experienced implementation support partner

The US Department of Justice announced an indictment charging four people with fraud and money laundering. John and Elliot discuss the connection between fraud and money laundering and how the detection of one can lead to the detection of the other.

Connecting Fraud And Money Laundering

Gary Shiffman

John Byrne and Gary Shiffman, Founder of Giant Oak, Inc., discuss his recent article It’s not the algorithm, it’s the ethics. They look at the ethics and morality of adopting machine learning and artificial intelligence tools and how these impact adoption in the financial compliance space.

The Ethics of AI - a Conversation with Gary Shiffman

Implementation Support is a planned approach to integrate new or upgraded software or systems into the existing workflow of an organizational structure to help ensure the success of a business's overall system. In this episode, Rachel Dettmer, Joshua Gubitz, and Jonathan McIsaac discuss why it's beneficial for banks and financial institutions to have implementation support in addition to what's just provided by the system vendor.

The Solutions Series - What is implementation support, and why do you need it?

AML Conversations is dedicated to inform professionals and those interested in anti-money laundering about conversations happening in the government, private sector, and internationally. Throughout the series John Byrne, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, will interview industry experts or participate in live programming or panel discussions related to the industry.

AML Conversations

Dennis Lormel

With the horrific shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton, AML Conversations  asked former FBI TFOS head Dennis Lormel how the AML community can further assist law enforcement in dealing with white supremacists.

Dennis Lormel - Dealing with White Supremacists

In this episode of AML Conversations by AML RightSource, John Byrne, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, sat down with Dan Soto during the 2018 ACAMS AML &amp; Financial Crime conference in Hollywood, Florida. Dan Soto serves as Chief Compliance Officer at Ally Financial and is a member of the ACAMS Advisory Board. The conversation goes through Dan’s career starting in the public sector to where he is today, including comments about compliance in 2018 and some of the things he has learned throughout his career.

AML Conversations: Career in Compliance

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sits down with Dr. Louise Shelley, Director of George Mason University’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center. In their conversation they discuss the center, her recent book “Dark Commerce”, and the connection that the center has been able to amplify in its research in understanding the links between terrorism, transnational crime and corruption.

The challenge of addressing the illicit economy in 2019 and beyond---the need for research and data

In this edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne sits down with Angel Swift, the Vice President of Compliance and Financial Crimes Solutions at Enigma, an Operational Data Management and Intelligence company headquartered in New York City. They discuss the S.T.A.T. (“Stand Together Against Trafficking”) program; a collaborative tool designed in part, to disrupt finances related to human trafficking. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations.Additional links: STAT Microsite - https://stat.enigma.com/ Sanctions Tracker: https://labs.enigma.com/sanctions-tracker/

In this edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne sits down with Angel Swift, the Vice President of Compliance and Financial Crimes Solutions at Enigma, an Operational Data Management and Intelligence company headquartered in New York City. They discuss the S.T.A.T. (“Stand Together Against Trafficking”) program; a collaborative tool designed in part, to disrupt finances related to human trafficking. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations. Additional links: STAT Microsite - <a href="https://stat.enigma.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://stat.enigma.com/</a> Sanctions Tracker: <a href="https://labs.enigma.com/sanctions-tracker/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://labs.enigma.com/sanctions-tracker/</a>

Disrupting finances related to human trafficking

Kent Belasco

In this edition of AML Conversations, John sits down with Kent Belasco, Director of the Commercial Banking program at Marquette University, one of only two undergraduate programs dedicated to banking in the United States. As the AML community continues to figure out the variety of skill sets needed by financial crimes professionals, having a potential workforce with actual banking backgrounds can certainly assist with understanding the risk challenges with certain products and services.

AML Conversations Kent Belasco Director, Commercial Banking Program Marquette University

Steve Cohen

In this edition of AML Conversations, Elliot Berman, Marketing Advisor at AML RightSource sits down with Steven Cohen, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Basis Technology. The company is engineering a safer &amp; more productive world by building proven Artificial Intelligence solutions for analyzing text, connecting data silos, and discovering digital evidence. The conversation focuses on how various elements of AI are influencing the effectiveness of transaction monitoring in the financial services space and what AML compliance professionals need to know about AI as it plays and increasing role in our interdiction activities.

Steve Cohen - AI and the Effectiveness of Transaction Monitoring

This edition of AML Conversations by AML RightSource features John Byrne, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, and Jonathan Lopez, Partner in the white collar corporate investigations group at Orrick, Herrington &amp; Sutcliffe in Washington DC. The discussion revolves around Jonathan’s previous career with the Department of Justice where he covered the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), personal liability cases, and money laundering issues. The conversation also covers his transition to the private sector and the perspective he now has from being a prosecutor to currently defending and advising white collar clients.

Understanding the Nexus of Corruption and AML

In this special advisory board edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne interviews Marilu Jimenez, who recently joined the AML RightSource Advisory Board in early April.Marilu has extensive legal and compliance experience in both the United States and internationally. She runs her own advisory practice and shares her views on the regulatory environment in Latin America, as well as her dedication to training and other interesting aspects of the AML challenges we all face.Now sit back and enjoy AML conversations.

In this special advisory board edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne interviews Marilu Jimenez, who recently joined the AML RightSource Advisory Board in early April. Marilu has extensive legal and compliance experience in both the United States and internationally. She runs her own advisory practice and shares her views on the regulatory environment in Latin America, as well as her dedication to training and other interesting aspects of the AML challenges we all face. Now sit back and enjoy AML conversations.

Marilu Jimenez -A Global Career In AML, Training And Compliance Advocacy

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, talks with Steven Kemmerling. Steven is the CEO and Founder of MRB Monitor, a company that doesn’t support or oppose the banking of marijuana customers, but provides information so that institutions can make more informed decisions on whether or not their account holders are directly or indirectly managing products or businesses that have something to do with the sale of or with the enabling of the sale of marijuana. This conversation delves into the major challenges of banking marijuana businesses with the federal and state conflicts that still exist.

The Major Challenges of Banking Marijuana Businesses

Elliot Casey

In this edition of AML Conversations, we dig deep into how prosecutors in the Commonwealth of Virginia get trained on many areas of law, including financial crime. Vice Chairman John Byrne’s guest, Elliott Casey, a former prosecutor himself, now trains law enforcement officials (prosecutors and investigators alike) on such disparate issues like digital evidence, forfeiture and complex financial crime. Casey also shares his views on the civil safe harbor, an extremely useful protection for financial institutions.

The importance of training prosecutors with Elliot Casey

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sat down with the founder of the Antiquities Coalition. The Antiquities Coalition is a nonprofit organization created roughly four years ago to stop the use of stolen antiquities as terrorist financing tools for extremist organizations, a very compelling part of anti-terrorist financing. The Antiquities Coalition conducts excellent advocacy and awareness work dealing with the need for countries around the world to create relevant laws and regulations to address stolen antiquities and their use as a tool to commit horrific crimes.

The Widespread Use of Antiquities to Commit Terrorist Acts and How the AML Community Can Help

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sat down with John Roth. John Roth has spent his career addressing the major challenges facing the AML community in the public sector and now is leading an effort for an important component in a new part of the private sector. John Roth’s distinguished career includes being the lead of the 9/11 Commission Report on terrorist financing, serving as Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security, and serving as the Department of Justice’s liaison to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Today he works for a digital currency exchange, Bittrex, as the Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer. The discussion focuses on John Roth’s career and ends with where Bittrex fits in with financial technology and his views on artificial intelligence.

AML/CFT since 9/11 and the Vast Array of Challenges in 2018 from an AML Public Servant

In this edition, we join AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne as he moderates a live panel of veteran AML experts during the 2019 ACAMS moneylaundering.com 24th Annual International AML &amp; Financial Crime Conference in Hollywood, FL.The panel, made up of Chuck Taylor – AML RightSource Executive Vice President and Head of Financial Crime Advisory, Rick Small – BB&amp;T Executive Vice President and Director of Financial Crimes, and Dennis Lormel – President of DML Associates, review community-specific topics like career progression, current AML legislation, as well as Chuck’s unique take on the ideal valuation process for SARs.We thoroughly enjoyed the live aspect of the panel interactions, and hope you will too. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations.

In this edition, we join AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne as he moderates a live panel of veteran AML experts during the 2019 ACAMS <a href="http://moneylaundering.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">moneylaundering.com</a> 24th Annual International AML &amp; Financial Crime Conference in Hollywood, FL. The panel, made up of Chuck Taylor – AML RightSource Executive Vice President and Head of Financial Crime Advisory, Rick Small – BB&amp;T Executive Vice President and Director of Financial Crimes, and Dennis Lormel – President of DML Associates, review community-specific topics like career progression, current AML legislation, as well as Chuck’s unique take on the ideal valuation process for SARs. We thoroughly enjoyed the live aspect of the panel interactions, and hope you will too. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations.

AML Conversations - Live From Hollywood!

Tim White

The US Government has used economic sanctions for over 200 years to exert pressure on foreign countries and others to implement its foreign policies. In recent times, the US has used sanctions against numerous foreign governments, including Iran, North Korea and Venezuela.  The sanctions programs relating to Iran have a particularly complex and tortured past. In this edition of AML Conversations, Elliot Berman and Tim White of AML RightSource, discuss the history of these programs from their inception in 1979 to their current state.

The US Government has used economic sanctions for over 200 years to exert pressure on foreign countries and others to implement its foreign policies. In recent times, the US has used sanctions against numerous foreign governments, including Iran, North Korea and Venezuela. The sanctions programs relating to Iran have a particularly complex and tortured past. In this edition of AML Conversations, Elliot Berman and Tim White of AML RightSource, discuss the history of these programs from their inception in 1979 to their current state.

Iranian Sanctions - Tim White

In this edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne sits down with Dr. Thomas Kaczmarek, Director of the Center for Cyber Security Awareness and Cyber Defense, at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.In their conversation, John and Thomas talk about the myriad of challenges facing the AML community, and the importance of recognizing how to combat cyber threats through communication and collaboration with all relevant parties. They also discuss the skill sets needed to enter this program and similar programs around the country, as well as a number of other hot topics in the cyber area that continue to challenge all of us.  Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations.Additional Link: https://www.marquette.edu/cyber-security/

In this edition, AML RightSource Vice Chairman John Byrne sits down with Dr. Thomas Kaczmarek, Director of the Center for Cyber Security Awareness and Cyber Defense, at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In their conversation, John and Thomas talk about the myriad of challenges facing the AML community, and the importance of recognizing how to combat cyber threats through communication and collaboration with all relevant parties. They also discuss the skill sets needed to enter this program and similar programs around the country, as well as a number of other hot topics in the cyber area that continue to challenge all of us. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations. Additional Link: <a href="https://www.marquette.edu/cyber-security/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.marquette.edu/cyber-security/</a>

Cyber Security - Education, Awareness, and Defense

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sits down with Elise Bean. Elise Bean is the former staff director and chief counsel of the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) and the author of a new book, Financial Exposure: Carl Levin’s Senate Investigations into Finance and Tax Abuse. You’ll hear an in-depth interview on the major financial crime investigations of the past 20 years that are covered in her new book.

PSI and Financial Crime-Essential Investigations to Improve the AML Community

The importance of asset forfeiture both globally and domestically is analyzed by international expert Stef Cassella in this riveting edition of AML Conversations. This edition features AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, and Stef Cassella who is currently the author and publisher of Money Laundering and Forfeiture Digest, but more importantly has been instrumental in the use, at the federal level, of the asset forfeiture laws used by prosecutors and law enforcement throughout the 80s until today. You cannot understand AML without knowledge of asset forfeiture.

The Importance of Asset Forfeiture to AML

In this episode, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sits down with the chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, Don Fort, to talk about a number of important elements in the AML community.John and Don discuss private-public partnerships and how essential it is for law enforcement and their counterparts in the private sector, to work together. Don also talks about the value of Bank Secrecy Act data, the importance of suspicious activity reports, and how all reports are analyzed and reviewed by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division.This year marks 100 years since IRS CI has been in existence. John and Don talk about changes in financial crime over the past century, and explore some of the similarities with crimes committed at the start of the IRS CI as they relate to crimes today. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations.Additional Links:Feds charge 2 dozen in billion dollar Medicare brace scam: https://apnews.com/a4991f62e2f84b8cb9869efeaeb57a02

In this episode, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sits down with the chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, Don Fort, to talk about a number of important elements in the AML community. John and Don discuss private-public partnerships and how essential it is for law enforcement and their counterparts in the private sector, to work together. Don also talks about the value of Bank Secrecy Act data, the importance of suspicious activity reports, and how all reports are analyzed and reviewed by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. This year marks 100 years since IRS CI has been in existence. John and Don talk about changes in financial crime over the past century, and explore some of the similarities with crimes committed at the start of the IRS CI as they relate to crimes today. Sit back and enjoy AML Conversations. Additional Links: Feds charge 2 dozen in billion dollar Medicare brace scam: <a href="https://apnews.com/a4991f62e2f84b8cb9869efeaeb57a02" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apnews.com/a4991f62e2f84b8cb9869efeaeb57a02</a>

100 Years Of IRS CI: A Tribute

A special edition of AML Conversations, looking at a program at Marquette University that focuses on partnerships, emphasizing how “peacemaking” can improve communities and everyday lives. Numerous peacemaking initiatives are discussed in this conversation between AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, and Patrick Kennelly, the Director of the Center for Peacemaking program at Marquette University.

How Peacemaking can Improve Communities and Everyday Lives

Chuck Lewis

In this edition of AML Conversations, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, John Byrne, sat down with legendary compliance expert, Chuck Lewis. Chuck is retiring after 42 years of work in the banking industry, 40 of those years specifically in compliance. Throughout his career he has worked directly for financial institutions, advisory firms, and finally for the Missouri Bankers Association advising and working with banks on various compliance matters including Bank Secrecy Act issues. Chuck Lewis is well known for his training, compliance reviews, and great sense of humor.

Chuck Lewis's Impact on the Compliance Community

The Best Multi-Part Documentaries, with documentaries on Obama, Federer vs Nadal, the making of Star Wars, Netflix vs Blockbuster and more. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Multi-Part Documentaries

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!