Regulatory Update On Recent FinCEN Anti-Money Laundering Developments

Ed Wilson’s practice focuses on assisting private and governmental parties negotiate the laws and policies regulating payments, money, business, investment and political activity.  His primary emphasis is on solving Washington-related business and regulatory matters. Issues include cross-border business and financial transactions; government contracts; payments; anti-money laundering (AML/CFT) rules for traditional and non-traditional financial institutions; anti-corruption standards applicable in home, host and residence countries; nomination and confirmation issues in the U.S.; political activities – by U.S. and non-U.S. persons – in the U.S.; and policy and regulatory matters related to the U.S. Treasury, State and Commerce (BIS/EAR) Departments, multilateral development banks, and international organizations.

Andrew Bigart is an associate in Venable’s Regulatory Practice Group with a focus on international trade and anti-money laundering (AML/CFT) rules for traditional and non-traditional financial institutions. Mr. Bigart assists clients with ongoing regulatory compliance matters, civil and criminal investigations, and litigation before the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, the Department of the Treasury, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. 

John Cassara began his 26 year government career as a covert intelligence officer during the Cold War.  He later served as a Treasury Special Agent in both the U.S. Secret Service and US Customs Service where he investigated money laundering, trade fraud and international smuggling.  He was an undercover arms dealer for two years.  Assigned overseas, he developed expertise in Middle East money laundering, value transfer and underground financial systems.  He also worked six years for Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and was detailed to the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.  Mr. Cassara's final assignment was with Treasury's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI).  Since his retirement, he has lectured in the United States and around the world on a variety transnational crime issues.  He is also a consultant for government and industry. Mr. Cassara has authored or co-authored several articles and books, including Hide and Seek, Intelligence, Law Enforcement and the Stalled War on Terrorist Finance (2006 Potomac Books) and On the Trail of Terror Finance – What Intelligence and Law Enforcement Officers Need to Know (2010 Red Cell IG).  He wrote Demons of Gadara, the first novel to deal with terror finance.  It was released in 2013.