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Anti-financial crime (AFC) professionals have a wealth of knowledge—but as with all trades, they do not start off that way. So where can professionals who are either new or transitioning into the industry learn introductory AFC concepts? With the Back to the Basics column, ACAMS Today will cover topics such as how to write a suspicious activity report, Bank Secrecy Act policy do’s and don’ts, why cryptocurrency matters in AML and more, all compiled in one place.

Our regular contributor is Chris Bagnall, who has spent his anti-financial crimes career taking complex problems and dissecting them into easy-to-understand formats. If you would like to contribute to this column or have any topics you would like to suggest, email editor@acams.org.

Your First 30 Days as an AML Compliance Officer

With the rising threat of money laundering and terrorist financing, regulators are more vigilant in preventing financial crimes. To assist the authorities in curbing these crimes, the anti-money laundering (AML) regulations mandate financial institutions, virtual assets service providers (VASPs), and certain nonfinancial businesses and professions...
Why Terrorist Organizations Use Human Trafficking

Editor’s note: This article is the second part of a two-part series on human trafficking and terrorist organizations. The first part is available on ACAMSToday.org. Human trafficking (HT) is used by terrorist organizations to exploit individuals and to carry out or support terrorist activities. In...
The Nexus Between Terrorism and Human Trafficking

Editor’s note: This article is the first part of a two-part series on human trafficking and terrorist organizations. Human trafficking (HT) constitutes a serious human rights violation and is one of the most profitable criminal enterprises, attracting both small local groups and international networks. In...

Editor’s note: This article is the first part of a three-part series on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sex trafficking (CST). ***Disclaimer/trigger warning: This article discusses sexual offenses committed against children. Reader discretion is advised. "Child pornography” is a term that many of...