The Best of AML

Every month, anti-money laundering (AML) professionals from both the public and private sectors are nominated and selected to win the ACAMS AML Professional of the Month Award. AML professionals are picked for their leadership, mentorship, knowledge and passion in the AML industry, but they are ultimately recognized for their accomplishments and successes in the AML community. Congratulations to our 2017 winners:

January

Joseph Mari, CAMS

January

Joseph Mari is currently the senior manager of major investigations in the AML financial intelligence unit at Bank of Montreal. In this role, he is responsible for coordinating complex cross-compliance investigations on an international client base, as well as leading risk intelligence initiatives associated with money laundering and terrorist financing. In addition, Mari is a subject-matter expert in blockchain and cryptocurrency, with a particular focus on regulatory issues, and he co-authored When Two Worlds Collide, an ACAMS Today article on blockchain and money laundering. Among other AML contributions, Mari is the lead coordinator for Project Protect, an initiative to combat money laundering and human trafficking.

February

Ivon Orozco, CAMS

February

Ivon Orozco is currently the Bank Secrecy Act officer at RealPage Payments Services LLC, a Fintech money services business that remits payments from residents to property owners. In this role, she oversees the running of the BSA/AML program and ensures that it is robust and successful.

March

Heather LeMaster, CAMS

March

Heather LeMaster is currently the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) senior investigator and assistant vice president at Cadence Bank. In this role, she works on complex cases within the BSA/AML investigations department and she handles the 314(a) reporting. LeMaster has over 10 years of experience in the AML and counter-terrorist financing field. In addition, she received her Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE) credentials while in her current role.

April

Daniel Sankey

April

Daniel Sankey is currently the Bank Secrecy Act officer at Coinbase. In this role, he manages a team of industry-leading investigators responsible for identifying emerging typologies and trends, developing and refining investigation operations, and regulatory filing and reporting. In addition, he manages the risk of digital currency. Prior to joining Coinbase, he was the compliance reporting analyst at Square and a financial crimes investigator at Wells Fargo.

May

Vasu Sanghani, CAMS

may

Vasu Sanghani is a certified internal auditor and she is currently the assistant vice president at Bank of the West. In this role, she collaborates with compliance managers within all lines of business, regulatory bodies and third-party vendors to ensure that the integrity and standardization of sanctions screening applications are satisfactory. In addition, she collaborates with her team to ensure that the sanctions governance systems comply with Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering regulations.

June

Gregory Dellas, CAMS

June

Gregory Dellas is currently the director of the Wealth and Markets Division of the Bank of Cyprus. Dellas previously led the Compliance Risk Management team within the International Banking and Wealth Management Division of the Bank of Cyprus, also acting as a senior local compliance officer. His team was responsible for the onboarding of high-risk clients, the evaluation of large and complex transactions, the review and approval of existing high-risk client relationships and regulatory compliance across the division. Dellas continues to provide advice, guidance and specialized training to management and staff on AML and regulatory compliance matters. In addition, Dellas initiated the setup of the ACAMS Cyprus Chapter, in order to provide a platform for AML professionals in the country.

July

Didi Molano, CAMS

july

Didi Molano, CAMS, is the director in the Institutional Clients Group (ICG) at Citi, responsible for ICG’s prioritization and transition strategy of platform solutions for the Global Enterprise-Wide AML/KYC Program. Molano is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, a Certified Project Management Professional, a Fellow of Life Management Institute, and she has an MBA in Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science degree in Actuarial Mathematics.

August

Sean Flanagan, CAMS

august

Sean Flanagan is currently head of compliance for Standard Bank―Wealth International. In this role, he interacts with various stakeholders both internally and externally (e.g., regulators, financial crime units and professional bodies). He has 25 years of compliance experience in a range of sectors including banking, asset management, funds and investment business in major jurisdictions from London to New York and offshore locations, including the Caribbean. He has also gained experience while working for the Dubai Financial Services Authority focusing on the supervision of asset managers, sovereign wealth, investment banks and funds. He holds a Master of Business Administration Degree, is a Chartered Fellow of the Securities & Investment Institute, a member of the Institute of Financial Services, a Chartered Wealth Manager, is RDR qualified and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. He has also lectured for the Securities & Investment Institute examination program and has acted as a syllabus advisor to London Metropolitan University for their MSc in Regulation & Compliance. In addition, he has multiple jurisdictional experience in executive and senior management roles.

September

Shawki Ahwash, CAMS

september

Shawki Ahwash is currently head of AML/CTF at North Africa Commercial Bank S.A.L. In this role, he is responsible for compliance functions related to AML and CTF. In addition, he has presented and provided trainings for a variety of audiences from seasoned professionals and experts to mid-level managers and professionals who just started in the AML field. Ahwash has provided trainings in fraud, cybercrime, investigations, real estate money laundering, and more.

October

Linda J. Thompson, CAMS

October

Linda J. Thompson is currently the Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering (BSA/AML) compliance officer at Canandaigua National Bank & Trust. In this role, she was responsible for overhauling the BSA/AML compliance program and she is currently cultivating an even stronger compliance culture. In addition, she is not only knowledgeable in regulations, but also in industry standards and guidance.

November

Dave Balge, CAMS

november

Dave Balge is currently the director for AML personal and commercial banking at Bank of Montreal (BMO). In this role, he works and collaborates with his team on complex AML initiatives. Balge’s career with BMO has spanned 37 years, in a series of front line and headquarter roles, including project management of a series of AML program changes. For the past eight years, he has been with the Enterprise AML Office, leading to his current role.

December

Kathalin Carvalho, CAMS

december

Kathalin Carvalho is currently the director of regulatory risk compliance at Jabil where she is responsible for the development and execution of effective legal and regulatory risk management programs for the company. She has over 15 years of experience working in Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering, risk, regulatory corporate compliance, and criminal investigations with governmental and non-governmental domestic and international institutions. Prior to working at Jabil, she was the vice president of compliance at Provest and the surveillance manager for the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) where she was responsible for the supervision, maintenance, development and implementation of the companies’ compliance and /or ethics programs. From 2005 to 2010, she worked at Banco Do Brasil and Citigroup in the areas of global AML operations and monitoring, terrorist financing, regulatory compliance, customer enhanced due diligence, USA PATRIOT Act and risk. She was also responsible for implementing a compliance program for BB Money Transfers operations in the U.S. and Brazil, in addition to supporting Banco Do Brasil’s New York, Orlando and Miami offices and liaising with state and federal regulatory authorities to fulfill the bank’s regulatory efforts. Carvalho obtained a law degree from the Universidad del Zulia. In 2001, she attained a master’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida, and she holds a master’s degree in international law and business from Stetson University College of Law in Florida. She is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and a Certified Compliance Corporate and Ethics Professional (International).

If you know someone in your network who exemplifies excellence in AML, nominate them for ACAMS AML Professional of the Month for 2018.

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