AML Conversations

Investigative journalist Zack Kopplin of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) joins AML Conversations to discuss his reporting on a Pentagon fuel subcontractor linked to individuals connected to U.S. sanctions targets. He explains how questionable contractors can remain embedded in government supply chains, why subcontractor vetting remains a persistent challenge, and what his investigation uncovered in Iraq and Lebanon. Kopplin also explores the broader fight against corruption and financial crime, including beneficial ownership transparency, anonymous shell companies, defense contracting oversight, and the growing use of "golden passports" by sanctioned actors, fraudsters, and other high-risk individuals seeking to obscure their identities. From tracing hidden ownership structures to uncovering international money laundering networks, this conversation offers a firsthand look at how investigative journalists expose corruption and why transparency remains critical to effective AML, sanctions, and compliance efforts.

In this episode of This Week In AML, Joe McNamara fills in for Elliot Berman and joins John Byrne for a packed week of AML news on both sides of the Atlantic. The conversation opens with the fallout from Treasury and FinCEN's final rule eliminating domestic beneficial ownership reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act, then moves to Transparency International's guidance for EU member states that have not yet published a national anti-corruption strategy. Ireland, one of the six late adopters named in that report, has now released its first national AML/CFT/CPF strategy, and John walks through its five strategic goals and three pillars ahead of AMLA supervision and FATF evaluation. The hosts also cover the UN Security Council's 38th Monitoring Team report on ISIL, AMLA's warning that money laundering in the EU property sector could deepen the housing crisis, and the OCC's conditional approval of a national trust bank charter for World Liberty Trust Company, along with the sharp objections raised by Senator Elizabeth Warren and others over conflicts of interest. Stateside, they close on Treasury: an unreleased internal report on the risks of an AI bubble, and the department's public request for comment on GENIUS Act implementation. John rounds out the episode with a $165 million crypto Ponzi indictment reported by OCCRP. Links Referenced Transparency International, Good Practices for National Anti-Corruption Strategies in EU Member States: https://knowledgehub.transparency.org/helpdesk/good-practices-for-national-anti-corruption-strategie... Ireland Department of Finance, Ireland's First National Anti-Money Laundering Strategy: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/press-releases/t%C3%A1naiste-and-minister-for-finance-si... UN Security Council, 38th Report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team (S/2026/651): https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/651 AML Intelligence, AMLA Urges Crackdown on Money Laundering in EU Property Sector: https://www.amlintelligence.com/2026/08/news-amla-urges-crackdown-on-money-laundering-in-eu-property... OCC, Conditional Approval for World Liberty Trust Company (CD 1385): https://www.occ.gov/topics/charters-and-licensing/interpretations-and-decisions/2026/cd1385.pdf NOTUS, Treasury Internal Report Warns of the Dangers of an AI Bubble: https://www.notus.org/economy/treasury-internal-report-warning-dangers-ai-bubble?utm_source=content_... U.S. Treasury, Request for Public Comment on GENIUS Act Implementation: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0605

In this episode of This Week in AML, Elliot Berman and John Byrne break down FinCEN's final rule eliminating beneficial ownership reporting requirements for millions of small businesses and discuss what the move means for AML compliance, transparency, and financial crime prevention. The conversation also explores the renewal of FinCEN's Minnesota Geographic Targeting Order and the growing debate over whether the U.S. is experiencing a true fraud crisis, including insights from Jonathan Rusch's recent analysis of federal fraud enforcement efforts. Beyond the U.S., the hosts examine OCC concerns that led to the rejection of a European fintech's national bank charter application, the Luxembourg FIU's new authority to freeze fraud-linked payments, developments surrounding European beneficial ownership registries, Russia's reported sanctions-evasion payment network, and Australia's enforcement action against a major cryptocurrency ATM operator. The episode concludes with a discussion of a new de-risking resource for nonprofits.

In this episode of This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman unpack several significant developments across the AML, sanctions, fraud, and compliance landscape. They begin with the U.S. Senate's overwhelming bipartisan vote to advance new Russia and Iran sanctions legislation, then turn to FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki's recent congressional testimony, including her emphasis on fraud prevention, BSA modernization, SAR guidance, and the industry's ongoing uncertainty about AML priorities and effectiveness standards. The conversation also explores Transparency International's 2025 achievements in advancing anti-corruption reforms worldwide and raises important questions about whether corruption will remain a formal U.S. AML priority. John and Elliot review FinCEN's new alert on financial student aid fraud, discuss the continued role of shell companies in fraud schemes, and examine a House Financial Services Committee report on scams and fraud. Additional topics include Treasury's review of the SDN List, the growing industry around sanctions delisting petitions, the closure of crypto exchange BitMEX despite presidential pardons for its founders, the OCC's denial of Wise US's national trust charter application due to AML compliance concerns, and new reporting linking crypto-to-cash storefronts to money laundering activity.

This week on This Week in AML, Elliot Berman and Joe McNamara examine a series of reports and regulatory updates highlighting the growing sophistication of global financial crime. The discussion begins with a new United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) threat assessment that details how Southeast Asia has become a hub for interconnected criminal ecosystems, with organized crime groups increasingly offering “fraud as a service” at enterprise scale. Elliot and Joe explore how criminal organizations are evolving from trafficking goods to operating highly sophisticated criminal services businesses. They also discuss FATF’s latest targeted update on virtual assets and VASPs, including concerns about stablecoins, regulatory gaps, and ongoing challenges in implementing the Travel Rule across jurisdictions. The conversation highlights how organized crime networks are leveraging crypto assets to move illicit funds globally. The episode then turns to new guidance from the Wolfsberg Group on managing risks associated with non-bank payment service providers, AMLA’s growing focus on vulnerabilities in the non-financial sector, and ongoing concerns about real estate as a money-laundering vehicle.

In this week's episode of This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman unpack a wide-ranging set of developments shaping the financial crime compliance landscape. They discuss the evolving geopolitical environment, including sanctions activity involving Iran, Russia, and North Korea, and examine new reports highlighting how cryptocurrencies are being used to evade international sanctions. The conversation also explores the rise and risks of meme coins, recent SEC efforts to combat retail investor fraud, FINRA's independent review of its enforcement program, and the Federal Reserve's proposed AML program rule. John and Elliot further discuss policymakers' growing interest in AI governance, including questions surrounding financial crime prevention, customer identification, and responsible adoption of emerging technologies. Whether you're focused on AML, sanctions, fraud prevention, regulatory policy, or AI in compliance, this episode delivers timely insights on the trends reshaping financial crime risk management.

In this week's episode of This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman examine major developments shaping the financial crime compliance landscape. They discuss newly released presidential financial disclosures, FATF's priorities under new President Giles Thomson, and a new FATF report on terrorist financing risks tied to social media, messaging apps, and streaming platforms. The conversation also covers the Rome Statement on Art Market Integrity, Binance's licensing challenges under the EU's MiCA framework, FinCEN and FBI actions targeting cartel-linked fuel theft and human smuggling networks, and the UK's evolving crypto asset regulatory regime. Additional topics include Europol's latest assessment of organized crime networks, the SEC's enforcement action against Merrill Lynch for SAR reporting failures, and the potential business and regulatory implications of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision affecting independent federal agencies. The episode concludes with a preview of upcoming AML RightSource content, including a discussion on AI and financial compliance.

This week on This Week in AML, Elliot Berman and John Byrne unpack major developments shaping the financial crime landscape. They discuss FinCEN’s guidance expanding Section 314(b) information-sharing to include fraud and what it means for financial institutions. The conversation also covers new CFPB guidance on lending and immigration-related risks, increased IRS scrutiny of nonprofits, and enforcement actions from the UK and New Zealand. Plus, they explore growing concerns about the future of U.S. anti-financial crime leadership, the challenges of beneficial ownership transparency, and ongoing investigations tied to high-profile cases.

This week on This Week in AML, Elliot Berman and John Byrne break down a wide range of developments shaping the financial crime landscape. They unpack a new joint advisory from FinCEN and federal banking agencies targeting risks tied to unauthorized labor and its implications for banks. The conversation then turns to escalating concerns about “debanking,” including controversy over blocked charitable donations and its implications for access to the financial system. The episode also dives into a congressional hearing on Chinese money laundering networks and how evolving typologies are challenging traditional approaches to tracking money. Plus, insights on prediction markets and potential manipulation, fraud trends tied to social media platforms, EU sanctions targeting crypto, and progress in combating antiquities trafficking.

In this episode of AML Conversations, John Byrne is joined by Sarah Beth Felix, author of Dirty Money Weekly, for an in-depth discussion on the biggest developments impacting financial crime compliance professionals. From recent OCC and FDIC consent orders to evolving executive orders shaping fintech and AML regulation, Sarah shares sharp, practical insights drawn from the front lines. The conversation highlights why “a clean audit is not a good audit,” the risks hidden in fintech-bank partnerships, and how even small institutions can fall into critical compliance gaps. Sarah also breaks down the real-world challenges posed by new policy directives—and why many may be harder to implement than they appear. The episode closes with a must-hear reminder for AML teams: focus on what truly matters—identifying and reporting suspicious activity that law enforcement can actually use. If you’re not getting feedback on your SARs, it may be time to take a closer look at your program.

In this episode of AML Conversations, host Vesna McCreery sits down with Denisse Rudich - financial crime expert, regulatory advisor, and FCA AI Lab cohort participant - to explore how regulators are stepping up to shape the responsible adoption of AI in financial services. Denisse makes a compelling case that innovation and regulation are not at odds, but deeply intertwined, as she walks through the remarkable ecosystem the FCA has built to stay ahead of a rapidly changing technological landscape.

In this episode of AML Conversations, host Elliot Berman sits down with Abhishek Mittal, Executive Vice President and Chief Product & AI Officer at AML RightSource, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the financial crime prevention landscape. Abhishek makes a compelling case that domain experts are more valuable than ever — not despite AI, but because of it — as they become essential architects of the taxonomies, context, and judgment that make AI systems reliable and auditable. The conversation covers how organizations can effectively blend domain knowledge with AI engineering, why guardrails must be built on a foundation of sound architecture rather than technology alone, and what it really takes to get your data ready for AI. Abhishek also addresses the blurring line between services and software, and closes with a myth-busting take on what AI can and can't do — including why equating large language models with AI itself may be the industry's biggest misconception today.

This week, Elliot Berman and John Byrne break down a packed slate of AML and financial crime developments shaping the global landscape. They start in the U.S. with two new FinCEN alerts—one highlighting Iran’s use of front companies, digital assets, and complex corporate structures to evade sanctions, and another warning of heightened human trafficking risks tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The conversation expands into broader trafficking concerns From there, they unpack the OCC’s latest risk perspective, emphasizing persistent cyber threats, rising fraud sophistication, and mounting pressure on compliance systems amid geopolitical tensions. On Capitol Hill, attention turns to the Clarity Act and its push to build a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies—alongside mounting concerns from banks and law enforcement about stablecoins, AML enforcement, and investigative visibility. Internationally, they discuss Canada’s dramatic increase in AML penalties, AUSTRAC’s updated risk outlook and virtual asset focus, Switzerland’s proposed AML rule changes, and The EU’s push toward a unified anti-corruption strategy.