AML Conversations

In this week’s episode of This Week in AML, with Elliot traveling, Joe McNamara joins John Byrne to break down a busy week in global compliance news.

The big domestic story is the Corporate Transparency Act, where the House Financial Services Committee passed a bill to repeal the CTA for domestic entities - but only by a single vote. The hosts unpack what that means, where the legislation goes from here, and why a separate threat to withhold FinCEN's entire budget adds another layer of uncertainty to an already complicated picture.

North of the border, Canada's FINTRAC has rolled out updates to its administrative monetary penalty framework, including a notable elevation of certain compliance program violations from serious to very serious.

Internationally, Transparency International had a busy week - launching a new Anti-Corruption Resource Center, announcing the EU's first Anti-Corruption Directive, and publishing a working paper on professional enablers implicated in illicit financial flows from Africa. AMLA is also moving forward with two public consultations on risk assessment and compliance standards, with hearings scheduled for May 20th and May 28th.

Across the pond, the FCA is pressing ahead with the UK's crypto regulatory regime, targeting October 2027 for full implementation - with rules expected this summer and firm authorization applications opening in September 2026.

The episode closes with a look at FATF's latest ministerial declaration, a heads-up on OCCRP's coverage of the CTA repeal, and a walkthrough of FinCEN's 2025 Year in Review - a document the hosts recommend as essential reading for any BSA professional.

Plus, a preview of AML RightSource's upcoming May webinar on global financial access and a recent AML Conversations episode featuring former IRS CI Special Agent in Charge Paul Camacho.

In this episode of AML Conversations, Elliot Berman is joined by Jennie Jonas, Senior Vice President of Financial Crime Advisory, to discuss the recent surge in fintechs pursuing OCC limited-purpose trust charters.

They explore what’s driving this trend, how limited trust charters differ from full bank charters, and why these structures are especially attractive for fintechs operating in payments and digital assets. The conversation also dives into common misconceptions, the reality of “bank‑grade” AML and governance expectations, and what fintechs should prepare for before—and after—receiving a charter.

From compliance program design and OCC examination rigor to risk governance, board expectations, and the future evolution of charter authorities, this episode offers practical insight for fintechs considering a charter and for institutions working with chartered fintech partners.

Casinos operate at the intersection of entertainment, cash, and compliance—making AML in gaming fundamentally different from banking. In this episode, John Byrne sits down with Paul Camacho, Vice President of Compliance at Yamava’ Resort & Casino and former IRS‑CI Special Agent in Charge, to unpack what AML professionals outside the gaming industry often misunderstand.

Paul shares insights from both the law‑enforcement and casino sides, including why most illicit funds enter casinos through spending, not laundering; how gambling addiction creates unique fraud and AML risks; and why observation and human intelligence matter as much as analytics. The conversation also explores public‑- private partnerships, casino typologies such as illegal sports betting and cash-intensive fraud, emerging risks highlighted in the National Money Laundering Risk Assessment, and how to move beyond “check‑the‑box” AML training.

This episode offers a rare, practical look at how effective casino AML programs balance regulation, culture, and real‑world risk.

In this week’s episode of This Week in AML, John Byrne and Elliot Berman unpack a wide range of global financial crime and compliance developments shaping the risk landscape.

The conversation begins with the significance of Hungary’s election results and what a potential reversal of entrenched corruption could mean for democratic institutions and Ukraine. The episode also covers leadership changes at IRS‑CI, new OFAC sanctions targeting cartel‑linked money laundering and cash smuggling, and updated FinCEN FAQs tied to Geographic Targeting Orders.

Additional topics include New York’s crackdown on insurance fraud, emerging concerns around elder abuse and sextortion, rising money laundering prosecutions in Turkey following FATF scrutiny, and fresh FCA findings on weaknesses in CDD and EDD practices. The episode closes with a discussion of a reported proposal that could require U.S. banks to collect citizenship documentation—raising major operational, compliance, and debanking concerns.

AI is everywhere in financial crime compliance - but is it delivering on its promises?

In this episode of AML Conversations, host Joe McNamara and Mark Sully, Managing Director of Commercial Affairs for EMEA and APAC, dive into the escalating challenges of sanctions screening and geopolitical risk in financial crime compliance. They explore how rapidly shifting sanctions lists, surging alert volumes, and dual-use goods are straining compliance teams - and what institutions are doing about it. From list management and false positive reduction to augmenting analyst workflows with AI, the conversation maps out a pragmatic path forward that balances technology adoption with operational reality.

In this week’s This Week in AML, Elliot Berman and John Byrne break down FinCEN’s newly released notice of proposed rulemaking to modernize the AML/CFT program rule—its first major rethink in two decades. They explore what a risk-based refocus could mean in practice, including new requirements for risk assessments, changes to the four pillars, examiner discretion, and the unprecedented requirement that bank regulators consult with FinCEN before certain enforcement actions.

The conversation also covers a flurry of regulatory and enforcement developments: the OCC’s GENIUS Act proposal on stablecoins, the removal of reputation risk from bank examinations, and what both could mean for smaller financial institutions. Elliot and John look back at the 10-year anniversary of the Panama Papers, review the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report, and discuss global enforcement challenges—from scam centers in Southeast Asia to resource constraints at foreign FIUs.

AML RightSource's John Byrne sits down with Dan Stipano, partner at Davis Polk's Financial Institutions and Regulation Group and former Deputy Enforcement Director at the OCC, for an immediate reaction to FinCEN's newly proposed AML/CFT Program Rule. The conversation covers the genesis of the proposal and its key structural changes — including the bifurcation of program establishment and implementation, the formal incorporation of national AML priorities, and the clarification of the US-based compliance officer requirement. Most notably, the two dig into what may be the rule's most consequential provision: FinCEN's unprecedented new role as a gatekeeper over federal banking agency supervisory and enforcement actions. They also touch on a separate final rule from the OCC, the Fed, and the FDIC that eliminates reputational risk from the supervisory framework and what that means for banks' account decisions going forward.

In this episode of AML Conversations, host Joe McNamara and Mark Sully, Managing Director of Commercial Affairs for EMEA and APAC, turn their focus to the unique compliance challenges facing crypto firms. They explore how crypto's speed and risk appetite create gaps between promised and delivered technology outcomes, why efficiency gains from AI are real but often overstated, and what "having a backup plan" actually looks like in a 24/7, never-sleeping market. The conversation also touches on the growing convergence of crypto, stablecoins, and traditional finance - and what that means for governance and oversight.

In this episode, Elliot Berman and John Byrne break down a wide‑ranging set of regulatory and enforcement developments shaping the global financial crime landscape. The conversation covers major U.S. bank settlements tied to the Epstein litigation, a closely watched Capital One debanking case involving Trump‑affiliated entities, and key overseas actions—from Australia’s expanded AML regime to the UK’s sanctions enforcement against Apple and a massive scam operation in Cambodia.

The discussion also dives into the OECD’s latest anti‑bribery report, FinCEN’s proposed whistleblower award program, emerging healthcare fraud typologies, and renewed concerns over the weakening of the U.S. Corporate Transparency Act. Wrapping up, Elliot and John assess developments tied to FATF’s mutual evaluation of the United States, nonprofit de‑risking, and new OFAC guidance on sham transactions—offering critical context for compliance professionals navigating a rapidly shifting risk environment.

In this episode of AML Conversations, John Byrne sits down with Sarah Beth Felix—AML expert and author of Dirty Money Weekly—for a wide‑ranging discussion on the biggest AML, sanctions, and financial crime developments shaping the landscape in March 2026.

Drawing on insights from multiple industry conferences and recent regulatory activity, Sarah shares why banks of all sizes are becoming more creative in financial crime detection, why sanctions compliance is no longer just a name-matching exercise, and how AI can be leveraged thoughtfully to manage growing complexity. The conversation explores Treasury’s newly released national risk assessments, critical gaps in the U.S. regulatory framework, and what institutions should take away as the FATF mutual evaluation continues.

John and Sarah also dig into the implications of recent court decisions affecting FinCEN’s residential real estate rule, ongoing lobbying challenges, FINRA’s growing leadership in AML enforcement, and why now is not the time for institutions to let their guard down—despite shifting regulatory priorities.

This episode is a must‑listen for AML, compliance, and risk professionals looking for practical, unfiltered insights on where the industry stands—and where it’s headed next. The views expressed in this podcast represent those of the speakers and not AML RightSource.