Here you will find the AML-ology curriculum, our monthly curated articles, to help any BSA professional stay up-to-date on the latest trends and learn answers to timeless challenges. We share articles written by a number of industry sources that we believe take an academic approach to the challenges anti- money laundering (AML) professionals face, and actual solutions for you to implement. These articles are published monthly and sent directly to you when you sign up to be an AML-ology Scholar!

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Evolving Iranian Sanctions: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

As part of international efforts to prevent further development of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, on December 31 2011 the United States (US) imposed various ranges of diplomatic and legal sanctions to prevent foreign financial institutions (FFI’s) from conducting transactions with Iran through the US Department of the Treasury; Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations. […]

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Challenges and Solutions to Staffing an AML Compliance Team

In my over 35 years of providing recruitment and staffing services to the financial industry, I have been through the ups and downs of talent shortages, retention issues, and compensation variances. These are commonplace issues that occur in many departments due to economic reasons, budgets, training gaps, etc.  However, it seems that these challenges are […]

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Look Backs: A Documentation Preparedness and Technical Perspective

There is so much pressure these days to get it done right the first time… even though no BSA/AML solution or program is 100% perfect.  And if look-backs (recommended or mandated) are not completed successfully, you will find yourself in a never ending pitfall of data quality issues, growing BSA/AML requirements, changing face of risk and compliance priorities, […]

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Independent Verification and Validation: the Definition, the Origin and Why You Should be Doing One

Introduction Independent verification and validation, IVV, model validation, validation or; as Shakespeare might say, a validation by any other name is still a validation. Regardless of the name it has evolved and been redefined over time.  This article will cover the origin, OCC guidance, regulatory pressure, IVV methodology, reporting, independence, and vendor due diligence in […]

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AML Model Validations: What You and Your Peers Are Doing, Not Doing, and Should Be Doing

In order to stay compliant with today’s financial standards, most banks utilize some type of anti-money laundering (AML) program, which includes software. These programs follow BSA, OFAC, CDD/KYC, and FinCEN 314(a) guidelines to make sure banks are following AML compliance laws on a daily basis. It’s necessary to review the software and governance program involved […]

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Banking and Marijuana, When State and Federal Laws Collide

It’s legal, it’s not legal. To quote comedian George Carlin, “well, which one is it, have it make up its mind and come on back.” As bankers, compliance professionals and advisors, we don’t have the luxury of waiting for business opportunities, financial gains and other such pivotal moments to pass us by; and with an […]

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How Secure is Your AML System?

Inherently, as a financial institution doing business every day, you capture sensitive data about your customers. That sensitive data includes customer, account, and transaction data, and is housed in your Anti-Money Laundering (AML) system, if not other places as well. Your accounting system is likely well protected from insider fraud and internet attacks, but your AML […]

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BSA Success = “Culture of Compliance”

Introduction On March, 3, 2015, the New York Regional Director for the FDIC, John Conneely, conducted a regulatory teleconference along with Special Activities Case Managers Kristi Keating and Rebecca Williams, which focused on BSA hot topics, trends and tips to maintain Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) compliance. This article is intended to educate board members, […]

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