In October 2012 the ACAMS Southern California Chapter was awarded the 2012 Chapter of the Year Award! The chapter's success can be attributed, in part, to an executive board—although diverse—that has great chemistry and excels in its programming efforts. The board is constantly seeking creative ways to better meet the needs of its constituents in the furtherance of the chapter's mission. And the bottom line is that the board has fun doing it. We are proud of this accomplishment and do not plan to relinquish this award easily in 2013!

We closed out an exciting year of programming in December 2012 with a Law Enforcement Fraud Panel and Holiday Reception in Pasadena, California. A panel of law enforcement agents from various agencies presented to an audience of 66 attendees fraud trends and cases relevant to Southern California. The learning event was followed by a holiday cocktail dinner reception including the raffling of several door prizes. The chapter also matched the generosity of its attendees and presented a check of $815.07 to provide disaster relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The chapter's first event for 2013 was a discussion and information session held February 6, 2013 about the new CTR and SAR forms. Kevin Sullivan, president of The AML Training Academy and representatives from various agencies, ICE/DHS, DEA, and AUSA, were the guest speakers for the Glendale, California learning event. Elizabeth Slim, chapter co-chair and Mr. Sullivan discussed the regulatory changes with respect to the SAR and CTR forms and walked the audience through the new requirements of the forms. Law enforcement representatives then provided an overview of Cornerstone, which is ICE's comprehensive investigative initiative for fighting financial crime, and the Los Angeles HIFCA Task Force. They also highlighted a few case studies including Illegal Online Gaming and Gambling and Operation Money Movers. In addition, the agents discussed HSI's National Bulk Cash Smuggling Center and its three-pronged enforcement strategy–At the Border, En Route to the Border, and Beyond the Border.

The Southern California Chapter has a full slate of 2013 events including:

• May 10^th (Bell Gardens, CA) – Legal Gambling in California
• May 15^th (San Diego, CA) – Neighborhood BSA Round Table Discussion
• September (date/location TBD) – BSA Risk Assessments
• December (date/location TBD) – Law Enforcement Panel & Holiday Dinner Reception
• Additional Neighborhood BSA Round Table Discussions are being planned for Ventura, San Gabriel Valley, downtown Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.

The chapter looks forward to another exciting year in 2013! In addition to the chapter webpage on ACAMS.org, you can follow us on Twitter @ACAMSSOCAL or on LinkedIn (search "ACAMS Southern California Chapter").