Lee Sullenger

Lee Sullenger is BNY's Financial Crimes Compliance Officer for Digital Assets (Americas). He oversees financial crimes compliance risks and controls specific to digital assets products and services, broadly assesses risks in the digital assets industry, and vets digital assets industry prospects, clients, and counterparties to ensure regulatory compliance and alignment with the bank’s risk appetite. Lee has been at the forefront of financial crimes compliance for over a decade, with experience in Pittsburgh and New York City across banking and consulting sectors. Immediately prior to his current role with BNY, he served as an AML risk manager and digital assets advisor for PNC Bank. In addition to his professional endeavors, Lee was an adjunct professor at Point Park University in Pittsburgh where he developed and taught an MBA course on digital assets. He also founded a Web3 company focused on certification of AML/Sanctions risks managers and investigators within the digital assets realm. Lee's career in financial crimes compliance and digital assets followed a distinguished 22-year tenure in the U.S. Army, where he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2013. His military service included roles in diplomacy, intelligence, Army staff, command, and as a paratrooper. He is an alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh and has pursued various advanced studies through Department of Defense and other government agency programs. He has earned professional certifications as a CAMS anti-money laundering specialist, an ACFCS financial crimes specialist, and as a cryptocurrency crimes investigator.