AML Conversations

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 This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman break down key developments shaping the financial crime and compliance landscape. The conversation opens with reflections on Federal Reserve independence following Chair Jerome Powell’s recent remarks, before turning to U.S. policy updates and bipartisan actions with implications for governance and oversight.

The discussion then shifts to practical compliance takeaways, including OFAC’s newly released sanctions overview and a $1 million settlement highlighting how sanctions risks can arise through indirect client relationships. Internationally, the hosts examine Finland’s national money‑laundering risk assessment, the evolving EU transparency rules on beneficial ownership, and growing concerns about human trafficking linked to major global sporting events.

The episode also explores ongoing investigations into fintech and payments firms, emerging risks in cross‑border money movement, and a new Basel working paper on stablecoin liquidity and regulation.

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 Third Party Risk Perspectives, Elliot Berman is joined by Christopher Sindik of Blue Umbrella to break down the latest trends shaping due diligence and third-party risk management in 2026. Drawing on real client data and global insights, they explore how shifting supply chains are driving a 15% migration in due diligence activity across regions, particularly toward India and Latin America.

They also discuss the growing demand for deeper investigative methods, including reputational inquiries and on-the-ground site visits, which have seen a notable rise as organizations seek to validate what can’t always be uncovered through desktop research alone.

Finally, the conversation dives into the growing importance of identifying ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO), as organizations go beyond surface-level ownership to uncover hidden risks amid evolving global regulations.

Whether you're navigating new markets or strengthening your compliance framework, this episode offers practical insights to help you stay ahead of emerging third-party risks.

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.