December 2025 – February 2026 Archives

AFC Challenges, Compliance, December 2025 – February 2026, Global Financial Crime Review, Human Trafficking, Practical Solutions

The World Cup: A magnet for financial crime

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

When the FIFA World Cup starts, the world comes together in celebration. However, while fans are focused on the games, criminal networks see an opportunity. Human traffickers, fraudsters, money launderers and even terrorist financiers are aware that major events like this create an ideal environment...

AFC Challenges, Compliance, December 2025 – February 2026, Global Financial Crime Review

From harmless wagers to global crime in sports betting

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

Placing bets in crypto on the amount of warnings (or “yellow cards”) given out in a third Estonian football league match on obscure betting platforms accessed via the Telegram messaging app might sound like a questionable, yet relatively harmless pastime for a Sunday activity. Unfortunately,...

Awards, December 2025 – February 2026

ACAMS celebrates AFC professionals with ACAMS Awards

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

In September at ACAMS’ The Assembly Las Vegas at the Aria Resort and Casino, three members and one ACAMS chapter were honored for their accomplishments during a special awards presentation. During the ceremony, Mavis Bennett received the ACAMS Today Article of the Year Award, Matthew...

AFC Challenges, AFC Policy, December 2025 – February 2026, Understanding AI

AML/AFC trends in 2025 and emerging topics for 2026

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

Financial crime risks are evolving faster than the frameworks designed to counter them, and in 2025, institutions around the world faced a critical inflection point. This was shaped not only by compliance and regulatory pressures, but also by broader macro forces: the acceleration of post-pandemic...

AFC Challenges, AFC Policy, Compliance, December 2025 – February 2026

The end of the “de minimis” exemption: Strengthening U.S. trade controls

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

In August 2025, the U.S. formally ended its long-standing duty-free exemption for low-value imports, called “de minimis.” This represented a policy shift that marked one of the most consequential changes in U.S. customs law in decades. Previously, goods valued at less than $800 could enter...

AFC Challenges, Compliance, December 2025 – February 2026, Fraud

Fraud trends in 2026: What to expect

December 10, 2025December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

Fraud continues to evolve quickly, challenging even the most prepared financial institutions. The FBI reported that in 2024 alone, Americans lost over $16.6 billion to increasingly complex schemes. Fraud continues to evolve quickly, challenging even the most prepared financial institutions (FIs). The FBI reported1 that...

AFC Challenges, Compliance, December 2025 – February 2026, Practical Solutions, Tech Scope, Understanding AI

Guide to successfully implementing AFC systems

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

Implementing a new anti-financial crime (AFC) system is a complex and large project because of the amount of data required to enable the system and the regulatory expectations for the system’s capabilities and performance. Whether a system is being introduced to replace outdated technology, to...

December 2025 – February 2026, Practical Solutions

Narrowing the gap and building relationships between LE and FIs

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

In the ever-evolving landscape and the seemingly non-stop escalation of global financial crime, a convergence of perspectives is essential, encompassing both police priorities and methods with those of financial institutions (FIs). It sounds counterintuitive and may shock people to realize that police and FIs confront...

December 2025 – February 2026, Member Spotlight

Lucas Naldi, CAMS—Sao Paulo, Brazil

December 10, 2025December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

With over 10 years of experience, nine of which have been dedicated to anti-money laundering/counter terrorist financing, Lucas Naldi is an AML specialist recognized for his career path that connects the rigor of the traditional financial system with the agility of financial technology. Naldi is...

December 2025 – February 2026, Member Spotlight

Monika Kobosko, CAMS—Warsaw, Poland

December 10, 2025 /Leave a comment

Monika Kobosko is head of Group Compliance Financial Crime Testing and Analysis at Nordea, where she leads a multi-disciplinary team delivering independent testing and advanced analytics to assess the effectiveness of financial crime controls across the group. With over 15 years in banking and financial...