Membership Spotlight

Join the Elite FinCrime Fighting Community

ACFCS is built on the knowledge, success stories, and continued participation of our proud members in the world of financial compliance. With an ACFCS membership, your career development opportunities are endless.

Read below to view our growing collection of membership spotlights and join our talented community by becoming a certified financial crime specialist today!

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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ACFCS Member Spotlight: For Quantifind’s Graham Bailey, success across 30-year career journey defined by courage to conquer data challenges, charisma to enlist human partners in public, private circles

For more than 30 years, Graham Bailey has made a career out of bringing structure, stratification and order to the unwieldy, subjective and ever-mercurial concept of risk – first in the government, then for bank fincrime fighters.

For Ciphertrace’s Pamela Clegg, the key to successful investigations in real, virtual worlds is following instinct, being a good teacher, and perpetual learner

For Pamela Clegg, Vice President, Crypto Investigations and Risk at blockchain analytics pioneer Ciphertrace, the answer to that age-old question of am I making a difference came during a case when the tools, expertise and financial crime instinct she had crafted for more than a decade came together to help rescue a young girl being trafficked.

For Uri Rivner, the CEO and co-founder of Refine Intelligence, mission to overcome scammers leads to industry-defining payment defenses: intelligent authentication, behavioral biometrics, automated customer fraud queries

Uri Rivner, the Co-Founder and CEO of Refine Intelligence, has been an innovator, startup founder and online payments fraud-fighting pioneer for more than two decades.

For Ruud Grotens, the Head of Fraud and Financial Crime Solution Consulting at Bottomline Technologies, inspiration to grow, conquer new challenges found in Dutch axiom: ‘nothing is too difficult for those willing’

With more than 30 years of experience in the field of financial crime and compliance, tuning the systems and empowering the human professionals running them, Ruud Grotens said inspiration for him comes from a powerful concept: that will can overcome adversity.

For Thomson Reuters Institute’s Rabihah Butler, jumping into fincrime fight was a ‘crazy’ decision borne of passion, desire to learn, grow and guide others in legal, compliance fields

For Rabihah Butler, getting into the compliance field wasn’t an accident or aberration, simply falling into it because it was an upgrade from her current position. It also wasn’t an easy fallback – such as someone coming from a background as a regulator or government investigator.

In quest to capture data, conquer corporate ownership registry challenges, Moody’s Analytics’ Ljubinka Slaveska gets ‘absorbed’ into AML world

While maybe not aware of it at the time several years ago, learning how to digitize, capture and upgrade ownership registries in Macedonia set Ljubinka Slaveska on a path to tackling one of the biggest financial crime challenges of the modern era: shell companies and, more broadly, the seedy world of corporate secrecy.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For BottomLine's Dalit's Amitai, fighting fraud, bolstering compliance defences is an 'all in' effort to better harness techonology empower teams, thwart creative criminals

Dalit Amitai knows that criminals, whether they are cyber hackers, fraudsters or money launderers, are infinitely creative – always looking for a way to breach systems, steal from customers or cleanse sullied funds through an institution.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For Sayari's Jessica Abell, unasked question leads to quest to better uncover illicit finance by bridging divide between investigations, intelligence, rising data capacity vs. eduring corporate opacity

For Jessica Abell, the irony doesn’t escape her that her career thus far has been a quest to answer the question: are certain actions, transactions and reactions to geopolitical power dynamics by a given entity a threat to national security.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For PwC's Vikas Agarwal, advice to 'choose the harder right than easier wrong' has fueled convergent stratagem, drive to master AML tech, training, auditing, data divination, cyber disciplines

For Vikas Agarwal, even decades ago, he seemed predestined to become a fincrime fighter and compliance champion – even though he didn’t know it yet. But looking back, there were early signs. A gift with numbers. At ease with deconstructing data. Being able to pull back and see what it all means.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For NICE Actimize's Adam McLaughlin, fincrime fight has turned from kicking down doors as London cop to busting down silos as compliance tech titan

NICE Actimize’s Adam McLaughlin, a self-proclaimed “adrenaline junkie,” is just as comfortable throwing himself headlong into the abyss – and the unknown – in the real world as he is leaping into the cavernous maw of a beastly compliance technology challenge in a virtual realm.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For Dharm Patel, VP and General Manager of Fraud and Financial Crime at Fiserv, improving emotional intelligence can fuel team passion, compliance success

Dharm Patel’s career has been mainly focused on the challenges of better capturing, analyzing and wielding data, first to stop fraudsters and scammers and more recently, to buttress anti-money laundering compliance.

For Elliptic’s Stelios Tachtatzis, a picture is worth more than a thousand words – particularly when it can reveal criminals using virtual value to monetize illicit hauls

Stelios Tachtatzis is one of the rare figures in the financial crime and compliance space who has taken a truly expansive and convergent mindset to strengthen compliance and fight financial crime.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: The secrets to success for Jumio’s Craig Fetterman? Treat those under you like they were your boss, continually broaden knowledge, network

When Craig Fetterman finally got a chance to manage others in the compliance field, he made sure not to let it go to his head. Rather than trying to institute an authoritarian regime, he took a decidedly different tack, guided by a simple but powerful philosophy: “Treat people who work for you as if they were your boss.”

For Jim Dinkins, president of Thomson Reuters Special Services, persistence, disproving doubters a hallmark of 30 years in federal law enforcement, compliance

James “Jim” Dinkins has made a career out of fighting financial crime in all of its forms over more than 30 years – at the forefront of the intersection of national security, border security, organized crime, narco trafficking, global trade and terrorist financing.

For RV, a top countercrime system architect at software giant Oracle, the keys to success include turning disagreement to dialogue, staying informed to transform, letting disruption lead to innovation

Rajaram Vadapandeshwara has been at the vanguard of designing software to empower banks to better fight financial crime over the past two decades, tasked with adapting and overcoming criminal groups using ever more exotic schemes and sophisticated technologies to evade detection.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For Sensa’s Deleep Nair, background in data science, statistics, leads to finding illicit drug shipments, census cheats, sharpening compliance tech, tactics

Early in Deleep Nair’s career, he confided to a mentor that he felt a “bit intimidated” and wondered whether he could compete in such a crowded field when his competitors could easily impress recruiters and target employment firms with just a word: Harvard, Yale or Princeton.

ACFCS Member Spotlight: For Moody’s Katie Conroy, fincrime analytics, compliance problem solving mirrors holism approach of anthropology, study of ‘how’ to learn, not just ‘what’ to learn

For Katie Conroy, fincrime compliance problem solving is more than just analyzing rules, ruminating on regulations, digesting data and settling on a defensible risk plateau. It’s about the history of human problem solving itself: anthropology to amplify strategy.

FINCRIME

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Why Case Management is so Important for Financial Crime Investigations

With the acceleration of payments and digital finance, financial services are speeding up, but fraudsters are keeping the pace. As financial institutions grapple with faster fraud, slow-moving and manual investigative processes and a lack of real-time data are key sticking points. Are fraud case management systems moving at the speed of fraud?

The Double-Edge Sword of Mobile Banking

Adoption of mobile banking was already accelerating prior to the pandemic, but the disruption emerging from the onset of COVID-19 has put the pedal to the metal. For younger generations, mobile-first banking is increasingly the norm, with Gen-Z favoring the mobile channel at 56%.

The Building Blocks of Perpetual KYC - AI-Driven Name Science, OSINT, and More

Some try to navigate life without being accountable for a decision. Yet decision-making – about customers, transactions, and behaviors – is at the heart of the risk-based approach, and financial crime compliance professionals are asked to make dozens or hundreds of decisions a day.

Last Month Today: SEC, FATF criticize crypto, U.S., EU tick sanctions higher against Russian banks, oligarchs, vessels, vodka, BVI head arrested, and more

In this monthly wrap-up, we took a look at the surging sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine and the historic, global response by the U.S., Europe, United Kingdom and other countries, along with other virtual value enforcement and oversight trends.

Fincrime Briefing: FinCEN AML compliance innovation update, OFAC ‘U-turn’ on Cuba, ACFCS Scholarship Spotlight, and more

Why detect and prevent financial crime? It may seem like a self-evident question, but it’s one with many possible answers. There’s an obvious response – because the law requires it – but there are other compelling answers too.

Risk and Russia – What Are We Missing?

In ACFCS’s Emerging Risks series, we sit down with Ross Delston attorney and expert witness, to shed light on the issues that have NOT been widely discussed in regard to Russia and the global financial industry, to include geographic, credit, and operational risk.

In new U.S. crypto executive order, tethers to fincrime compliance, global investigations, sanctions busting, cyber-fraud – and potential preview of digital dollar dominance

The Biden Administration on Wednesday issued a long-awaited executive order charting the course of virtual value oversight, regulatory approaches and implementation in the United States – a seminal initiative with a host of tethers to the global fight against financial crime in the fiat and digital worlds.

As Russia formally invades Ukraine, sanctions, AML, cyber risks soar in cascade of global condemnation, uproar

After weeks of bluster and saber rattling – and ignoring a cacophony of threats, formal sanctions and condemnations from world leaders – Russia invaded Ukraine Thursday, causing shockwaves in geopolitical, energy and finance markets.

‘Those Darkest Hours’: The Future of National Security with Jim Dinkins

From the financial flows behind the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to the modern focus on state-sponsored cybercrime, financial crime has become inextricably linked to national security over the last 20 years.

In FinCEN final rule on beneficial ownership, quest to shuck shell companies, close longstanding fincrime loophole ‘misses the mark,’ say lawmakers

The U.S. Treasury has released its long-awaited final rule on capturing key beneficial ownership details on certain companies, a move to address one of the country’s largest and longstanding financial crime vulnerabilities and the vehicle of choice for the worst criminals on the planet to move their illicit hauls.

Fusion Chains – The Next Evolution in FinCrime Prevention Beyond Fusion Centers

For many financial institutions, the dream of a single unit to combat financial crime – a team that would combine expertise, data and intelligence across departments and compliance functions – has become a reality.

SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT

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Scholarships for Cybercrime Focus – 2021

ACFCS is offering ten (10) complimentary CFCS certification packages to cyber-enabled crime fighters - fincrime professionals who have stepped forward to confront the epidemic of cybercrime and cyber-enabled fraud wrought by the pandemic.

ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for ‘Agents of Resiliency’

The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus has led to historic disruption in business, finance, and daily life. Yet financial crime has hardly slowed down, and the confusion engendered by COVID-19 has been ripe breeding ground for fraudsters, cyberattacks and scammers.

Scholarship Spotlight: Countering human trafficking takes combination of learning criminal patterns, sharing knowledge, helping survivors rebuild, says Emily Bejarano

One of the winners of the ACFCS certification scholarship for fincrime professionals fighting human trafficking shares what drives her in this mission to thwart criminal groups through follow-the-money sleuthing and directly helping victims and survivors rebuild one-on-one.

ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for professionals in sanctions

Facing conflict with North Korea and Iran, tension with Russia, and threats from transnational organized crime, governments around the world have increasingly relied on the same policy tool: sanctions. The result is a complex, high-stakes outlook for sanctions compliance.

ACFCS Scholarship Spotlight: In quest to counter cypto crime, Amr Rashed works to build capacity, share understanding on how launderers, terror groups game virtual value

Amr Rashed deeply understands the duality of the nascent but burgeoning cryptocurrency sector.

ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for professionals in crypto roles

In the financial crime arena, few topics have generated as much concern and confusion in recent years as cryptocurrencies.

Scholarship Spotlight: Three ‘Ps’ propel Festus Aisagbonhi in fight against human trafficking – Prevention, protection, prosecution

Festus Aisagbonhi knows that one of the greatest allies for criminals is when people – whether they are compliance professionals, investigators and even potential victims – don’t even understand the crime, or know the underlying human and financial red flags.

Scholarship Spotlight: Stronger bank information sharing, public-private partnerships key to countering human trafficking, says Rosie McWhorter

Trying to counter a crime as complex and nuanced as human trafficking – with criminal networks in recent years more aggressively weaving transactions in crypto coins and dispersing them through seemingly unconnected credit and prepaid cards and bank accounts – is a team effort, says Rosie McWhorter.

Scholarship Spotlight: Focus on victim protection, rather than prosecution, critical to building human trafficking cases, says Joseph Scaramucci

For Joseph Scaramucci, taking down criminals, following the money and saving victims is why he got into law enforcement in the first place more than 15 years ago – a calling that has in recent years become a mission to tackle the soaring scourge of human trafficking and change the focus of investigations from prosecuting victims to protecting them.

See What Certified Financial Crime Specialists Are Saying

"The CFCS tests the skills necessary to fight financial crime. It's comprehensive. Passing it should be considered a mark of high achievement, distinguishing qualified experts in this growing specialty area."

KENNETH E. BARDEN

(JD, Washington)

"It's a vigorous exam. Anyone passing it should have a great sense of achievement."

DANIEL DWAIN

(CFCS, Official Superior

de Cumplimiento Cidel

Bank & Trust Inc. Nueva York)

"The exam tests one's ability to apply concepts in practical scenarios. Passing it can be a great asset for professionals in the converging disciplines of financial crime."

MORRIS GUY

(CFCS, Royal Band of

Canada, Montreal)

"The Exam is far-reaching. I love that the questions are scenario based. I recommend it to anyone in the financial crime detection and prevention profession."

BECKI LAPORTE

(CFCS, CAMS Lead Compliance

Trainer, FINRA, Member Regulation

Training, Washington, DC)

"This certification comes at a very ripe time. Professionals can no longer get away with having siloed knowledge. Compliance is all-encompassing and enterprise-driven."

KATYA HIROSE
CFCS, CAMS, CFE, CSAR
Director, Global Risk
& Investigation Practice
FTI Consulting, Los Angeles

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Membership Spotlight

Membership Spotlight

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

FINCRIME

‘Those Darkest Hours’: The Future of National Security with Jim DinkinsFrom the financial flows behind the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to the modern focus on state-sponsored cybercrime, financial crime has become inextricably linked to national security over the last 20 years.

Fusion Chains – The Next Evolution in FinCrime Prevention Beyond Fusion CentersFor many financial institutions, the dream of a single unit to combat financial crime – a team that would combine expertise, data and intelligence across departments and compliance functions – has become a reality.

SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT

Scholarships for Cybercrime Focus – 2021ACFCS is offering ten (10) complimentary CFCS certification packages to cyber-enabled crime fighters - fincrime professionals who have stepped forward to confront the epidemic of cybercrime and cyber-enabled fraud wrought by the pandemic.

ACFCS Scholarship Spotlight: In quest to counter cypto crime, Amr Rashed works to build capacity, share understanding on how launderers, terror groups game virtual valueAmr Rashed deeply understands the duality of the nascent but burgeoning cryptocurrency sector.

ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for professionals in crypto rolesIn the financial crime arena, few topics have generated as much concern and confusion in recent years as cryptocurrencies.

See What Certified Financial Crime Specialists Are Saying

READY TO JOIN THE ELITEFINCRIME FIGHTING COMMUNITY?

‘Those Darkest Hours’: The Future of National Security with Jim Dinkins

From the financial flows behind the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to the modern focus on state-sponsored cybercrime, financial crime has become inextricably linked to national security over the last 20 years.

Scholarships for Cybercrime Focus – 2021

ACFCS is offering ten (10) complimentary CFCS certification packages to cyber-enabled crime fighters - fincrime professionals who have stepped forward to confront the epidemic of cybercrime and cyber-enabled fraud wrought by the pandemic.

ACFCS Scholarship Spotlight: In quest to counter cypto crime, Amr Rashed works to build capacity, share understanding on how launderers, terror groups game virtual value

Amr Rashed deeply understands the duality of the nascent but burgeoning cryptocurrency sector.

ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for professionals in crypto roles

In the financial crime arena, few topics have generated as much concern and confusion in recent years as cryptocurrencies.

READY TO JOIN THE ELITE
FINCRIME FIGHTING COMMUNITY?