"Coach, do we really need to run 3 miles today?” As an assistant soccer coach at a local high school, I heard this comment quite often at the beginning of the soccer (football) season. The players were still adapting to our staff’s overarching goal of training the team with not only the best technique possible but to build great endurance and stamina as well. Targeted endurance training made the difference in many key games. When the opposing team was tired, the players on our team, who ran 3 miles four days out of the week and 7 miles on one day of the week, had the energy to finish strong and fight until the end of the game. Consequently, we went undefeated one year. That year we saw the results of proper preparation, training and effort by the players in all aspects of the game.
In 2026, many will be preparing for the World Cup―one of the world’s greatest sporting events. Whether you are a spectator, an event worker, a business, law enforcement (LE) or a financial institution (FI), we all need to be aware of illicit activity that follows large sporting events. Targeted anti-financial crime (AFC) training is an essential part in preparing your teams for the 2026 World Cup and beyond. For FIs, the answer to the question posed by my soccer players is yes, you really do need to run those 3 (figurative) miles. Our headline article titled “The World Cup: A magnet for financial crime” walks FIs and LE through how targeted training is essential in fighting financial crime during a global sporting event. The author reminds us to “Strengthen monitoring systems. Build strong partnerships. Train teams effectively [and] engage leadership.”
Preparation is also key when it comes to confronting criminal aspects of sports betting. This edition dissects unregulated sports betting and how it is the main force behind match-fixing and a conduit for money laundering. In the article “From harmless wagers to global crime in sports betting,” the author explains how this unregulated market is affecting the “beautiful game” and how this “complex problem requires equally complex solutions.”
As we wrap up 2025 and in preparation for 2026, ACAMS Today brings you the article “Fraud trends in 2026: What to expect.” Some of the trends that will continue in 2026 include criminal artificial intelligence threats, real-time payment risks and the continuing rise of synthetic identities.
As my team and I worked on the bookend edition of ACAMS Today, we were inspired by other topics in this issue. Top picks from the editorial team are “North Korean IT worker infiltration: Synthetic identities” and “The end of the ‘de minimis’ exemption: Strengthening U.S. trade controls.”
As with the “beautiful game” of soccer, to succeed or reach the top, consistent training is paramount. In September, ACAMS honored three individuals and one chapter who exemplified consistency and hard work. We applaud their successes and contributions to the AFC sector. Congratulations to ACAMS Today Article of the Year Award winner―Mavis Bennet; the ACAMS AFC Professional of the Year Award recipient―Matthew Haslinger; the ACAMS Rising AFC Professional of the Year Award honoree―Oksana Ihnatenko and the ACAMS South Florida Chapter ACAMS Chapter of the Year Award winner―South Florida.
As we end another challenging yet monumental year in AFC, I would encourage everyone to continue running toward our goal of training, improving our skillset and fighting financial crime. I would venture to say that just like soccer (football), AFC is also a “beautiful game” of strategy, technique and the wonderful goal of defeating criminals who are committing financial crimes.
Best wishes to all in the coming year!
Karla Monterrosa-Yancey, CAMS
Editor-in-Chief
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