AML Conversations

Hosted by AML RightSource

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500

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Aug 2026

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About the show

AML Conversations is dedicated to inform professionals and those interested in anti-money laundering about conversations happening in the government, private sector, and internationally. Throughout the series John Byrne, AML RightSource Vice Chairman, will interview industry experts or participate in live programming or panel discussions related to the industry.

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60 recent

August 21, 202624 min

Corporate Transparency Rollback, Ireland's First AML Strategy, and Trump's Bank Charter

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

August 20, 202632 min

AML Conversations - Monthly Chat with Sarah Beth Felix

John Byrne is joined by Sarah Beth Felix, author of Dirty Money Weekly, for their monthly conversation on financial crime developments. They start with FinCEN's final rule ending Corporate Transparency Act reporting and what it means in practice: the detection burden for shell companies shifts back to financial institutions, the CDD rule remains in force, and beneficial ownership data belongs in SAR backup documentation to support law enforcement. Sarah Beth shares practical red flags for spotting shell companies, from formation mill documents to companies with no online presence and unexplained revenue. The conversation then turns to the Wise enforcement action and why a clean exam history is the wrong benchmark for a compliance program, including the OCC's pointed finding that leadership lacked financial crime expertise at the board level. They also discuss the Capital One litigation and the safety risks of demands to identify individual investigators, and close on the operational obstacles AML teams face in responding to the executive order on credit risk and illegal immigration, where citizenship indicators are buried across lending and deposit systems that financial crime teams rarely see.

August 14, 202615 min

FinCEN Ends BOI Reporting, Fraud Enforcement Expands, and Global Compliance Shifts

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.

August 7, 202618 min

The Largest Broker-Dealer AML Penalty Ever - UBS, FinCEN Leadership Changes, and the Future of SAR Reporting

This week on This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman examine FinCEN's record-setting $125 million enforcement action against UBS, the largest civil money penalty ever imposed against a broker-dealer for Bank Secrecy Act violations. They discuss what made the case significant, the consequences of repeated compliance failures, and the lessons financial institutions should take from the enforcement action. The conversation also covers FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki's departure for Citibank and what the appointment of Acting Director Jenna Casanova could mean for future enforcement priorities. John and Elliot then explore Senator Ron Wyden's report on financial institutions' handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related accounts, including proposed changes to suspicious activity reporting requirements and concerns about SAR confidentiality. They also review Capital One's defense of account closures tied to AML obligations and the broader debate surrounding claims of "debanking." Internationally, the hosts discuss the FCA's planned overhaul of transaction reporting requirements in the UK, ongoing challenges in accessing beneficial ownership registries across the European Union, and Transparency International's push for stronger global anti-corruption measures.

July 31, 202617 min

FinCEN's Fraud Focus, Corruption Questions, and Crypto Compliance Challenges

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.

July 29, 202631 min

Art, Antiquities, and Financial Crime - Protecting Cultural Heritage in a Global Threat Landscape with Tess Davis

In this episode of AML Conversations, host John Byrne welcomes Tess Davis, Executive Director of the Antiquities Coalition, for a timely discussion on the intersection of cultural heritage crime and financial crime. From the looting of museums and archaeological sites in conflict zones such as Ukraine and Sudan to the exploitation of the global art market for money laundering and sanctions evasion, Tess explains why antiquities trafficking is far more than a cultural issue—it is a financial crime issue. The conversation explores the Rome Statement on Art Market Integrity, the growing role of law enforcement agencies like the Manhattan District Attorney's Antiquities Trafficking Unit, and bipartisan efforts in the United States to bring the art market under the AML regulatory framework. Tess also shares real-world examples of how stolen artifacts are laundered into legitimate collections and outlines key red flags financial institutions should understand when assessing risks tied to art and antiquities transactions. This episode offers valuable insights into a rapidly evolving threat landscape and the collaborative efforts underway to combat it.

July 24, 202624 min

Southeast Asia’s Criminal Economy, Crypto Crime Risks, and AMLA’s Compliance Wake-Up Call

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.

July 17, 202618 min

Russia Sanctions Resurface, New Lending Guidance, and Europol’s EU Terrorism Report

In this week's episode of This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman discuss the renewed push for a bipartisan U.S. sanctions bill targeting Russia and compare its approach to the European Union's existing sanctions framework. They also examine new guidance from federal banking agencies on lending to non-work authorized. The conversation explores a notable difference in the Federal Reserve's proposed AML program rule, highlights key findings from Europol’s latest EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report, and reviews a Transparency International report examining the illicit finance risks associated with cryptocurrency and stablecoins. John and Elliot also discuss developments involving a high-profile IRS lawsuit and Florida's proposed designation of certain organizations as terrorist entities.

July 10, 202617 min

Sanctions, Crypto Workarounds, AI Oversight, and the Future of Financial Crime Compliance

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.

July 7, 202646 min

Anti-Corruption at a Crossroads: Enforcement, Risk, and the Future of Financial Integrity with Jonathan Rusch

In this episode of AML Conversations, host John Byrne sits down with longtime DOJ prosecutor and anti-corruption expert Jonathan Rusch to unpack a rapidly shifting enforcement landscape. From the scaling back of DOJ anti-corruption resources to the growing use of presidential pardon power in bribery cases, Rusch offers a candid assessment of what these changes signal for accountability in the U.S. and globally. He also breaks down why anti-corruption still matters—highlighting its economic, political, social, and legal impacts—and what happens when those guardrails weaken. Drawing on his experience at the Justice Department and in the private sector at a major global bank, Rusch shares practical insights for financial institutions navigating today’s environment: balancing deregulation pressures, evolving expectations around “de-banking,” and the enduring realities of laws such as the FCPA. The conversation closes on a note of cautious optimism—exploring what resilience looks like for compliance professionals, regulators, and institutions committed to maintaining integrity in uncertain times.