The Assembly Hollywood

Since we last convened in Hollywood, the administration’s significant reshaping of AFC priorities has come into sharper focus. In addition, the 2025 National Security Strategy reframes some illicit activities as national security threats. The message is that financial crimes fueling these threats are not just regulatory or criminal concerns. Our panel of top regulators will assess where we are now and what we might expect going forward.

Moderator:
Craig Timm, Senior Director Anti-Money Laundering, ACAMS

Presenters:
Christy Cornell-Pape, CFE, CAMS, Acting Chief, Anti-Money Laundering and Cyberfraud, Risk Management Supervision, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Anthony DeVita, Lead BSA/AML Policy Analyst, Federal Reserve Board

Dulce Jerez, Lead Expert,  Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) Policy, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)

Janell Portare, CFE, CAMS, Director, Fraud and Anti-Money Laundering Division, National Credit Union Administration

As a follow-up to the Regulatory Roundtable discussion, two industry experts will debate whether recent changes to U.S. anti-financial crime regulations are enough to address the system’s pain points. One topic. Two opposing opinions. Who will get your vote?

Presenters:
Edward Conway, Executive Secretary, The Wolfsberg Group

Dan Stipano, Partner, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

Financial institutions can detect exploitation—but detection isn't protection. What happens after the SAR? Megs Shah, a veteran tech builder and survivor of child sexual abuse, shares how trauma-informed technology like Ruth AI— which has facilitated 60,000+ crisis conversations across 170 countries— is bridging the gap between detection and safety and what survivors actually need. 

Moderator: 
Lisa Wheeler, Managing Director, Global Head of GFCC for the Commercial & Investment Bank, JPMC  

Presenter: 
Megs Shah, Survivor Leader, CEO, The Parasol Cooperative, Trauma-informed AI, and AI Ethics & Data Privacy Expert

Next Gen AML Stack: Agentic Automation, Signal Sharing and Network Investigations

We stand at the brink of a transformative shift - What new possibilities will emerge when AI technology does the heavy lifting? Join us for a dynamic session where industry experts reimagine the future of AML in the age of Agentic AI. Our panel explores the new world of agentic automation and network-level AML, fueled by technological innovation. Discover how collaborative risk signal sharing and coordinated investigations can expose criminal networks that institutions might overlook working within a silo. Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion on the next generation of AML.

Presenter:
Chuck Taylor, JD, CAMS, CAFP, Head of AML Commercial Strategy, Nasdaq Verafin

As global sanctions and export control regimes grow more complex, financial institutions and corporations face mounting pressure to detect and prevent evasion. Technology—ranging from AI and machine learning to blockchain analytics and geospatial tools—is increasingly central to this effort. This session explores how institutions can leverage technology to strengthen detection capabilities, refine risk assessments, and close critical gaps in sanctions and export control compliance.

Moderator/Presenter: 
David Y. Lee, Global Head of Sanctions and Interdictions Strategy, Western Union  

Presenters: 
Jessica Bartlett, Vice President and Chief Counsel, Global Financial Crimes, American Express

Brian Grant, Global Head of Sanctions and Global Head of FCC Operations, MUFG

Howard Mendelsohn, President, Global Business Development and Engagement, Kharon

As digital commerce accelerates, financial institutions must defend against fraud across the entire customer journey, from onboarding to transaction completion. In response, many institutions have been trying to break down the silos between fraud and AML teams. The next phase, industry leaders predict, will integrate fraud prevention, identity management, and cybersecurity. These teams will be uniquely suited to manage new and increasing threats from agentic e-commerce, synthetic identities, AI-powered adaptive probing and rule evasion, and more.

Moderator/Presenter: 
Joanna Bratt, Vice President and Managing Counsel, American Express  

Presenters: 
Christina Horton, Senior Vice President, Digital Fraud Policy, Detection Strategies & Analytics, Bank of America  

Molly W. Rubenstein, Senior Chapter Liaison, Americas, Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) 

Practical base hits lead to meaningful results. This session shows how agentic AI moves from aspiration to action. We begin with a clear explanation of what agents are, how they behave, and how their impact can be measured. From familiar use cases to more advanced applications, demonstrating the operational and strategic ROI at each stage. 

Presenters: 
Preeda Rajasekaran, Principal Product Manager, NICE Actimize 

Jason Vinson, Senior Director, Product Management, NICE Actimize

As North America gears up for the 2026 World Cup, criminal rings are using the massive influx of people and capital to hide sophisticated fraud, from synthetic IDs to illicit P2P networks. This session will explore how the latest in agentic AI can automate high-volume tasks, giving investigators back hours for high-stakes analysis. We’ll show how combining specialized data, including intelligence on human trafficking networks, can uncover hidden relationships that traditional systems miss, disrupting fraud networks and the exploitation they fund. 

Las recientes designaciones de entidades financieras en México encendieron las alarmas en toda la región. El mensaje es claro: cualquier jurisdicción podría estar en la mira de FinCEN, y ser designado por esta autoridad estadounidense puede aislar a una institución del sistema financiero internacional, afectando reputación, relaciones corresponsales y continuidad operativa.

En esta sesión, expertos compartirán lecciones prácticas para reducir riesgos y proteger a las instituciones. Con un enfoque directo y aplicado, revisaremos señales de alerta críticas, prácticas de cumplimiento esenciales y acciones concretas para blindar a las instituciones frente a designaciones internacionales.

Moderadora/Presentadora: 
Mireya Valverde Okón, CAMS, Asesora de Presidencia, Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores

Presentadores : 
Liliana Alvis, Vicepresidente de Cumplimiento, Banco Davivienda

Julio “JC” Magallan, Special Agent, Homeland Security Investigations 

Big ideas, shorter sessions, smaller audiences. That’s an ACAMS Talk. Come for stimulating intellectual exploration; leave with plenty to think and talk about. 

Alison Jimenez was among the first to ring alarm bells about the sextortion of minors as a new fraud scheme. In this ACAMS Talk, Alison will explain how she mapped the financial flows from victim to money mules to overseas perpetrators. FATF and FinCEN built upon this research to provide guidance and red flags for financial institutions. Hear from Alison about how you can apply them.

Presenter:
Alison K. Jimenez, President, Dynamic Securities Analytics, Inc.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority came up with the phrase “if you see something, say something.” It’s still great advice, and even better when the people who are most likely to see something know what to look for and whom to tell. In this fireside chat, hear representatives of both the first and second lines of defense talk to one another about how to improve training, create better lines of communication and make fighting financial crime an endeavor where everyone plays a part.

Presenters:
Melanie R. Bargo, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer, Consumer & Business Banking, U.S. Bank

Tyler Reynolds, CAMS, Executive Vice President, Chief AML / BSA Officer, Truist

In the age of cyberheists and AI-enabled fraud, using a high-tech medical device to plunder safe-deposit boxes somehow feels old-fashioned. But whether it’s $30 million in crypto or $30 million in jewelry, cash and gold bars, dirty money still needs to be laundered. Hear how Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice helped crack a years-long theft ring that used U.S.-based bank accounts to launder the proceeds of crimes in Eastern Europe.

Presenters:
Luke B. Hardison, Supervisory Special Agent (SSA), New York Field Office Squad C-24, Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Paul Rooney, Special Agent, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

An engaging session delivering critical updates on emerging financial crime risks and trends.

Rare earth elements (REEs) and other critical minerals are the backbone of modern technologies—from smartphones and electric vehicles to defense systems and renewable energy infrastructure. As global demand surges, the geopolitical competition for access to these critical minerals intensifies. This panel explores the intersection of rare earth extraction, corruption, conflict financing, and the growing risks posed by sanctions and illicit financial flows.

Moderator/Presenter: 
Justyna Gudzowska, Executive Director, The Sentry

Presenters:
Brad Brooks-Rubin, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown

Antonio Crespo, Section Chief, Trade Transparency Unit, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

Christian Honeywood , Head of Financial Intelligence Unit, BNY

AI is reshaping the banking landscape by lowering attacker costs and enabling hyper-realistic deception, while also powering legitimate customer behaviors through AI agents. This panel focuses on the environmental shift—not on banks adopting AI—examining how fraud patterns, customer interaction models, and risk signals are changing. We’ll detail readiness steps for fraud, ops, product, and compliance teams to adapt controls to both malicious AI and legitimate agent-driven usage.

Moderator: 
Kimberly Darpel, Senior Manager, AFC Segment Solutions, ACAMS 

Presenters:
Ana Campaneria-Villarini, CAMS, Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Fraud, BankUnited

Miguel Navarro, Head of Applied Emerging Technologies, KeyBank

Erin Vertin, Head of Fraud Prevention, Ally Financial Services  

Suspicious Activity Reports serve multiple stakeholders—but what each one values can differ. In this session, representatives from law enforcement and regulatory agencies will share their perspectives on what makes a SAR useful. This session aims to help AFC professionals craft SARs that meet both investigative and supervisory expectations, strengthening the impact of their compliance programs

Moderator:
Megan Hodge, Chief AML/BSA Officer, U.S. Bank

Presenters:
Jill Adams, Senior Liaison Officer to FinCEN, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 

Christy Cornell-Pape, CFE, CAMS, Acting Chief, Anti-Money Laundering and Cyberfraud, Risk Management Supervision, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Christopher Gehring, Special Agent, South Florida SAR Review Team Coordinator, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)   

Presenter:
Shilpa Arora, CAMS, Chief Product Officer, ACAMS

Join banking, consulting, and analytics leaders to unpack what regulators actually expect today—and how modern AML programs are delivering defensible, outcome-driven results with data and AI. 

• Banker: What’s actually changing inside the bank; what regulators are really asking for
• EY: Translating evolving expectations into defensible operating models
• SAS: How analytics, AI, and decisioning deliver outcomes (effectiveness, efficiency, explainability) 

Key discussion angles 

• Move beyond “AI hype” to results regulators care about (risk reduction, SAR quality, efficiency)
• Outcome based AML vs. check the box compliance
• Where AI is helping—and where human judgment still matters
• What “good” looks like to regulators today 

Moderator: 
Jane Bell, Senior Industry Consultant, SAS 

Presenters: 
Ed Eng, Senior Manager, Americas Consulting, SAS 

Nicolas Khouri, Executive Compliance Director, BSA/AML Officer, Ally Bank 

Meggaen Neely, Senior Manager, Financial Crimes Compliance, EY 

La captura de Nicolás Maduro ha generado un momento geopolítico crítico, intensificando la atención internacional sobre Venezuela, su sector petrolero y la aplicación de sanciones financieras. 

Esta sesión explorará cómo estos desarrollos y la actividad de grupos como el Tren de Aragua y los cárteles de la región impactan directamente los riesgos para empresas e instituciones financieras en LATAM. 

Asista y aprenda a: 

• Identificar y mapear riesgos geopolíticos y transnacionales, analizando exposiciones a sanciones, FTOs y redes criminales en LATAM para comprender dónde están los principales riesgos estratégicos.
• Desarrollar planes de respuesta y escalamiento, preparando protocolos y acciones concretas ante cambios en sanciones, nuevas designaciones de FTO o emergencias geopolíticas.
• Simular escenarios y evaluar impactos operativos, aplicando metodologías de risk mapping y ejercicios hipotéticos para medir cómo distintos eventos afectarían operaciones, finanzas y reputación, y cómo mitigarlos. 

Moderador/Presentador:  
Gabriel Romo, CAMS, Director de Cumplimiento para las Américas, Ria Money Transfer  

Presentadores:  
Gustavo Acevedo, CAMS, CGSS, Senior Vice President, BSA/AML Compliance and OFAC Officer, BB Americas Bank  

Gabriel Caballero, Partner, Holland & Knight  

Juan Carlos Medrano, Director, J&A Global Compliance  

Megs Shah, Survivor Leader, CEO, The Parasol Cooperative, Trauma-informed AI, and AI Ethics & Data Privacy Expert

It’s part quiz, part myth-busting! Grab your paddle and put your knowledge to the test as our panelists challenge what you think you know. Every vote sparks insight – and maybe a surprise or two.

When it comes to trade-based money laundering, credit cards have not traditionally been seen as an area of concern. Their use to disguise illicit proceeds as legitimate sales is changing that. This session will explain why bank examiners are increasingly looking at controls around credit cards and the steps your institution should be taking to combat this new TBML risk.

Moderator/Presenter:
Frank P. Calestino, Senior Vice President, Financial Crime Analytics (FCA), Global Financial Crimes, Bank of America

Presenters:
Collin Moseley, CAMS, Senior Director in AML Models and Analytics, Capital One

Michael O’Neill, Resident Agent in Charge (RAC), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

If delivery drivers filed BSA data, the constant stream of luxury goods ordered by a Department of Defense employee might have been a trigger. Instead, the couriers gave her a nickname: The Gucci Goddess. Hear from the IRS Criminal Investigation agent who helped bring the Goddess down to earth — and how BSA collaboration was the key. You’ll discover how a financial program manager nearly got away with spending almost $109 million in grant money on 31 high-end properties,  diamond jewelry, and a luxury-car fleet so large that the batteries died from underuse. You’ll leave inspired by proof that collaboration between banks and law enforcement can protect the public good.

Presenters: 
Jason Gamez, Law Enforcement Liaison, IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) 

Erik Nevarez, IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI)

Long gone are the days when the person trying to defraud you was a lone actor living and working in his mother’s basement. Today, fraud is a billion-dollar revenue producer for organized crime. This session will examine the roles both AML and fraud teams play in protecting organizations and their customers from sophisticated fraud attacks.

This session will help you:

• Detect and respond to criminal organizations’ use of AI to scale up fraud attacks
• Recognize complex money-mule tactics in laundering the proceeds of fraud
• Enhance due diligence to thwart cross-border money movement

Moderator: 
Shilpa Arora, CAMS, Chief Product Officer, ACAMS

Presenters:
Aubree Marsh, SVP - Client Protection - Deposit & Digital Fraud Policy, Bank of America

Robert Palombo, National Program Manager for the International Money Laundering Section, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) 

David Szuchman, SVP, Head of Global Financial Crime and Customer Protection, PayPal

As cryptocurrency continues to gain traction, financial institutions are navigating new AML and sanctions compliance challenges. Participants range from banks providing crypto custody services to fintechs enabling retail Bitcoin trading across a variety of crypto assets. What does the mainstreaming of crypto mean for your compliance program? Whether you represent a fintech or a tradfi institution, this session will explore how to critically evaluate and assess the risks of operating within the crypto ecosystem—including sanctions-evasion risks and exposure to digital asset products, services, and counterparties. We’ll conclude with how to incorporate those considerations into your broader risk assessment process.

Moderator: 
Kate Eyerman, Head of Product & User Enablement, Stripe

Presenters: 
Darpan Khanna, Deputy Global Chief Compliance Officer, Kraken  

Yunhong Liu, North America Risk and Compliance Leader, Amazon Payments

Mantener relaciones con corresponsales internacionales es clave para las instituciones financieras en LATAM, especialmente frente a un entorno regulatorio más estricto y mayores presiones de de-risking. En este fireside chat expertos compartirán prácticas operativas y herramientas concretas para fortalecer y preservar relaciones sólidas con contrapartes en mercados internacionales, asegurando cumplimiento y resiliencia en un contexto cambiante. Se discutirán estrategias concretas para implementar marcos de cumplimiento basados en riesgo, establecer protocolos seguros de intercambio de información y responder ágilmente a cambios regulatorios o presiones de de-risking, aprovechando la cooperación público-privada y las mejores prácticas regionales.

Presentadores:  
Guillermo Horta, Head of Financial Crime Risk Management, TD Bank Group  

Jorge Yelil Kawas, Vicepresidente Corporativo de Cumplimiento, Grupo Financiero Atlántida 

A medida que los activos digitales y las innovaciones financieras se expanden en América Latina, los profesionales de cumplimiento enfrentan desafíos crecientes para mitigar riesgos y adaptarse a regulaciones emergentes. 

En este fireside chat, expertos en cripto y cumplimiento explorarán los desafíos reales que enfrentan las instituciones financieras en América Latina frente a la expansión de los activos digitales. Conversarán sobre cómo detectar riesgos como cuentas mulas y wallets temporales, comprender la tokenización y stablecoins, y adaptar estrategias de cumplimiento a un ecosistema en constante cambio, compartiendo casos prácticos y aprendizajes aplicables al día a día. 

Moderadora: 
Mireya Valverde Okón, CAMS, Asesora de Presidencia, Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores

Presentadores:
Fabricio Lima, Global Head Financial Crime Risks, NuBank

Luis Urrutia, General Counsel, EVP Global Regulatory Affairs, BITSO  

David Maimon researches fraud as a professor at Georgia State University. But his professional life took an unexpected turn after he publicized his findings about widespread check theft. That was when the text messages arrived, warning him to walk away from his work or the criminals would steal his identity and cause him harm. Learn how his victimization pushed him to ask different questions about the playbooks criminals are using to turn stolen identities into new accounts.

David Maimon, Professor, Fraud Researcher, Georgia State University

Another day, another AI buzzword. This panel will help you keep up with the latest developments and their implications for the financial industry, compliance and your day-to-day work.

Moderator/Presenter:  
Melissa Strait, ACAMS Advisory Board, Compliance Executive

Presenters:
Slava Akselrud, Americas AI Modernization Leader – AML, NICE Actimize

Andrew Bingenheimer, Chief Information Officer, Risk and Corporate, U.S. Bank

Anwar Chaudhry, Head of AI and Content Technology, ACAMS

Nadia Wilson, Executive Vice President, Global Head of Transaction Monitoring, Rabobank

En esta sesión interactiva, los participantes pondrán a prueba sus conocimientos mediante el uso de paddles, mientras los panelistas desmienten mitos comunes y desafían supuestos ampliamente aceptados sobre los riesgos del comercio internacional, contrastando percepción y realidad.

El comercio internacional suele considerarse un riesgo “bien entendido”. ¿Pero realmente lo es? Mediante afirmaciones de verdadero o falso, los participantes evaluarán estos supuestos en tiempo real y analizarán cómo el comercio exterior puede ser un canal de riesgo para el lavado de dinero, el financiamiento ilícito y la proliferación de bienes sensibles. 

Esta sesión le ayudará a: 

• Adoptar políticas y estrategias de colaboración con el sector público para prevenir lavado de dinero y financiamiento ilícito, incluyendo bienes de uso dual y ADM/WMD.
• Optimizar el uso de tecnología avanzada para la automatización y predicción de fraude, lavado de dinero y riesgos asociados en el comercio exterior.
• Analizar casos reales, identificando fallas en políticas y procedimientos, y evaluar cómo fortalecer los sistemas de control para prevenir situaciones similares. 

Moderador: 
John Tobon, Adjunct Professor, Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University (FIU)

Presentadores: 
Brig. Gral. Juan Carlos Buitrago Arias, Autor del libro ‘Los Principios No Se Negocian’. Brigadier General (Ret), Policía Nacional Colombiana  

Eliecer Castillo, Chief Compliance Officer, Banco de Occidente de Panamá  

Eduardo Solorzano, CAMS, Corporate BSA/AML Officer, Amerant Bank

As geopolitical tensions rise, governments and regulators are increasingly utilizing financial systems to advance foreign policy objectives. Sanctions, tariffs, immigration shifts, and new criminal designations are reshaping AML and sanctions enforcement and regulatory frameworks globally. This session explores how compliance teams can adapt to these shifts, anticipate emerging risks through horizon scanning, and balance regulatory obligations with client relationships in a volatile landscape.

Moderator:  
Dr. Justine Walker, Executive Vice-President, Thought Leadership (AML, Sanctions & Fraud), ACAMS  

Presenters: 
Rachel Alpert, Co-chair, National Security and Crisis and the Human Rights and Global Strategy practices, Jenner and Block

Elaine Dezenski, Senior Director and Head, Center on Economic and Financial Power, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD)

En esta presentación especial la reconocida periodista de investigación Anabel Hernández abordará las principales dinámicas del crimen organizado y la corrupción en la región, y su impacto en la estabilidad institucional y el sistema financiero. La sesión pondrá el foco en los riesgos emergentes y los desafíos que estos fenómenos representan para las instituciones financieras, así como en el rol clave que juegan los profesionales de cumplimiento y prevención de delitos financieros frente a este contexto. 

Moderadora: 
Chelsea Carrick, Reporter, ACAMS moneylaundering.com 

Presentadora:  
Anabel Hernández, Periodista de investigación y Autora 

Una versión condensada de nuestros talleres pre-conferencia, los Learning Labs ofrecen una experiencia práctica orientada al desarrollo de habilidades, enfocada en la aplicación de conocimientos y en lecciones aprendidas en el mundo real. La sesión comienza con 15 minutos de contenido impartido por los instructores, seguido de ejercicios interactivos en grupo, presentaciones colaborativas y un resumen final de los principales aprendizajes. Ideal para el fortalecimiento de capacidades, el aprendizaje entre pares y la capacitación en equipo.

La automatización y la inteligencia artificial ya están transformando la detección de fraude en LATAM. Las instituciones financieras están integrando la automatización robótica de procesos (RPA) y la Inteligencia Artificial (AI) para optimizar procesos, identificar riesgos con mayor precisión y fortalecer el cumplimiento regulatorio. 

Participe en esta sesión donde nuestros expertos compartirán como: 

• la automatización optimiza procesos rutinarios y mejora la eficiencia operativa.
• la aplicación de la inteligencia artificial permite detectar patrones sospechosos y riesgos ocultos en transacciones
• la implementación de estrategias prácticas fortalece la prevención de fraude y asegura el cumplimiento de regulaciones locales e internacionales. 

Moderadora/Presentadora: 
Jhenny Andrade de Guzmán, CAMS, Directora Ejecutiva, ARASCO 

Presentadores: 
Giancarlo Berrocal, CAMS, Senior Vice President - Operational Risk Manager, Citi  

Ana Campaneria-Villarini, CAMS, Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Fraud, BankUnited  

Ana Davila, Director of Compliance, Head of Financial Crime, Ramp 

For the financial industry, the official U.S. stance toward digital assets is among the administration's most significant shifts. Supporters argue that the changes will provide regulatory clarity and help the U.S. catch up to the rest of the world. But other observers worry that the U.S. is moving at full speed before fully understanding the long-term implications of stablecoins and digital assets. Global regulatory fragmentation is another concern. Hear both sides of the crypto coin in our debate.

Moderator: 
Craig Timm, Senior Director Anti-Money Laundering, ACAMS 

The GENIUS Act, which established regulatory policy for stablecoins, is a watershed in U.S. financial history.

This session will help you:

• Define what stablecoins are and understand the implications of the GENIUS Act
• Distinguish between the risk profiles of stablecoin issuers and stablecoin customers
• Identify the key compliance considerations for institutions entering the stablecoin ecosystem, including on- and off-ramp arrangements, opening operating accounts for issuers, or participating in payment partnerships

Moderator/Presenter: 
Carole House, Distinguished Senior Fellow, ACAMS

Presenters:
Kate Eyerman, Head of Product & User Enablement, Stripe

Caroline Hill, Senior Director of Global Policy and Regulatory Strategy, Circle

Data quality has become a critical driver of AML program effectiveness and regulatory confidence. As institutions face fragmented systems, inconsistent standards, and rising scrutiny, building enterprise-level data integrity is now essential. This panel brings together AML and data experts to discuss practical strategies for elevating data integrity across the investigative lifecycle. 

This session will help you: 

• Understand the regulatory and operational impacts of poor data quality by reviewing recent enforcement actions and common pitfalls in AML programs
• Implement enterprise data quality standards that balance consistency with the needs of specialized investigative teams
• Explore the role of emerging technology, including Al and automation, in strengthening data integrity while maintaining accuracy and regulatory alignment 

Moderator/Presenter: 
Deanna Boyd, AML Process Engineering, Strategy and Analytics Management, Capital One

Presenters: 
Matthew S. Haslinger, CAMS, Executive Vice President, Chief BSA/AML and Sanctions Compliance Officer, M&T Bank

Melissa Strait, ACAMS Advisory Board, Compliance Executive

As jurisdictions across the Caribbean prepare for the FATF Fifth Round Mutual Evaluation, beneficial ownership registries are under increased scrutiny. Across the region, registries reflect a wide range of implementation stages, access models, and regulatory frameworks—posing real challenges for compliance professionals operating across borders. 

Experts from across the region will draw out common lessons from diverse approaches to implementation, with a focus on practical insights for meeting fifth round expectations.

Moderator: 
Rick McDonell, Former Executive Secretary, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Executive Director, ACAMS

Presenters:
Paula Ferguson, CAMS, Senior Manager Compliance & AML, Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Limited 

Ryan Pinder, Attorney General, Government of The Bahamas 

Beautiful beaches and warm waters are pretty much the norm for attendees from offshore financial centers, so this networking session provides a friendly alternative to fun in the sun: Friendly socializing with your neighbors (figuratively speaking.) Catch up with old acquaintances – and make some new ones – at this assemblage of professional peers from the dynamic community of AML and compliance specialists hailing from the vbrant world of financial centers from the Caribbean and Latin America.

Facilitator:
Sandra Edun-Watler, Regulatory Consultant, Edun-Watler Consulting

Candid insights on financial crime – served with actual tea. Where experts spill it, and you sip it.

Fraud and AML are now data- and technology-driven problems. Having compliance and IT professionals who speak one another’s language and understand one another’s challenges is both vital and rare. In this fireside chat, a technology leader and a compliance leader will share what they’d like each other’s teams to understand — and ways to bridge the divide.

Presenters:
Sushil Bansal, Head of Risk, Compliance and Fraud Technology, U.S. Bank

Carrie Gilson, Director of Financial Intelligence and Analytics, Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank

Big ideas, shorter sessions, smaller audiences. That’s an ACAMS Talk. Come for stimulating intellectual exploration; leave with plenty to think and talk about.

One of Jenni Halleran’s favorite quotes is from Napoleon Bonaparte: “A leader is a dealer in hope.”  In this ACAMS Talk, Jenni will talk about how hope helped her lead her AML and fraud teams through the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and its eventual acquisition by First Citizens Bank. She’ll discuss the importance of optimism in leadership, why it’s critical to focus on what is within your control, and the overarching value of selflessness.

Presenter:
Jenni Halleran, Deputy BSA Officer, Head of Financial Crime Investigations, First Citizens Bank

Of course there’s no such thing as a risk-free environment, but this networking time is as close as it comes. Our expert facilitators will guide the conversation in a smaller, more relaxed setting. You can ask questions and share insights with your professional peers — because career growth comes from both what you know and whom you know.

You may not know the names of these decentralized online communities, but you’ve seen their crimes. The 2023 MGM Resorts hack, a cloudstorage breach impacting a multinational bank, even the attempted sale of a stolen government laptop—each tied to loosely organized groups dominated by techsavvy teens, young adults, and in some cases preteens. This session explores how their use of underage operatives, sophisticated cyber tactics, and online anonymity creates new challenges for AML professionals and law enforcement.

Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, speakers will remain anonymous.

When it comes to trip planning, the best advice comes from those who have been there. Hear from panelists at various stages of RegTech adoption — those just setting out and those well on their way. Topics will include AI governance and model risk management, everyday use cases that don’t involve large investments in generative AI, how banking clients’ adoption of new technologies may affect your compliance program, regional challenges, and more.

Moderator:  
Colby Adams, Managing Editor, ACAMS moneylaundering.com 

Presenters:
Galajo Bah, Head of Compliance and Regulatory Services, Collas Crill

Nicholas J. Schumann, US Head of Financial Crime Strategy and Framework, Financial Crime, Risk, HSBC USA

Misheca Seymour, CAMS, CGSS, Group Chief Compliance Officer, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB)

This session will examine how today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape is reshaping sanctions policy and enforcement, with a focus on Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. Panelists will explore recent developments across these regimes. Designed as a timely and flexible discussion, this session will adapt to unfolding developments to provide practitioners with practical insight into managing sanctions risk, regulatory expectations, and operational decision‑making in an increasingly dynamic global environment. 

Moderator: 
John E. Smith, Co-head, Morrison Foerster’s National Security Practice

Presenter: 
Giles Thomson, Director for Economic Crime and Sanctions, HM Treasury and Vice-President, FATF

As AI becomes embedded in almost every workplace, explainability, governance, and responsible AI adoption are critical.

This session will help you:</