Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence to Deliver Keynote Address

LAS VEGAS, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The BSA-AML Compliance Group is delighted to announce that the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, will be a keynote speaker at the Annual BSA-AML Gaming Conference held August 13-15 at Caesars Palace Las Vegas.

Under Secretary Nelson's team leads U.S. government efforts to counter illicit finance to protect the U.S. financial system, and to respond to national security threats, domestic and overseas. The Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence applies Treasury's policy, enforcement, intelligence, and regulatory tools to identify, disrupt, and disable terrorists, criminals, and other illicit actors. The Directors of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, among others, report to this office.

Prior to joining Treasury after being nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Under Secretary Nelson was the Chief Legal Officer at LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. His previous government service includes roles as a senior advisor and general counsel in the California Department of Justice, where he oversaw efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations, dismantle human trafficking networks, and build state and international partnerships to stop money laundering and high-tech crimes. Earlier in his career, he served as a special counsel and then deputy chief of staff of the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

In addition to Under Secretary Nelson, the conference will feature some of the leading experts in anti-money laundering compliance in the gaming industry including Guy Ficco, the head of IRS-Criminal Investigation Division; James Barnacle, Deputy Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Samuel Barnett, a Policy Advisor in the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes (TFFC); and Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Mitchell, who will discuss the prosecutions of several illegal bookmakers in Southern California, the MGM Grand Casino and its former president, the Cosmopolitan Casino, and a money service business. Dr. Brittnie T. Watkins, Member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, will open the conference with remarks to welcome the audience.

The annual BSA/AML Gaming Conference is the largest and most comprehensive anti-money laundering compliance conference in North America dedicated to the gaming industry. Last year, individuals from forty-one states plus Puerto Rico, four foreign countries, and over a hundred tribal gaming properties attended the conference.

"We are honored again to welcome so many high-level government officials, academics, and compliance experts who have agreed to share their knowledge and insights with the compliance community. Their presence underscores the importance of this conference to the gaming community and our financial system," said James Dowling, CEO of the BSA-AML Compliance Group, and the Dowling Advisory Group. "We're committed to providing a forum for attendees to connect, network, share their experiences, and learn from true experts in their fields."

Attendees will have a chance to meet face-to-face with IRS-BSA Examiners, state gaming regulators, and criminal law enforcement to learn about money laundering, emerging illicit finance typologies, fraud, and cyber threats to their casinos. 

The conference agenda will include topics such as Advanced Surveillance Techniques Using AI and Facial Recognition; the National Money Laundering Risk Assessment and the 2024 National Illicit Finance Strategy; Recent BSA/AML Enforcement Actions; IRS Compliance Examinations; Cyber Threats and the Gaming Industry; BSA Officers Panel; Leveraging Marketing & Hosts to Support Compliance; Hot Topics in BSA/AML Compliance; and much more. The Conference also offers an optional "Fundamentals" day on Monday, August 12, for those who are new to the industry or want to sharpen their compliance skills.

To register for the conference, please visit https://bsaamlgamingconference.com.

Sponsorship and Exhibitor opportunities for the conference are available; please message [email protected].

About the BSA-AML Compliance Group 

The BSA-AML Compliance Group provides the gaming industry, emerging payments companies, FinTechs, and other entities with knowledge-based training related to anti-money laundering, sanctions compliance, and other illicit finance issues. 

SOURCE BSA-AML Compliance Group LLC