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ACFCS announces recipients of certification scholarships for professionals in crypto roles

Crypto Currency Coin

Recipients chosen from more than 300 applicants globally to support professionals addressing financial crime risk in the burgeoning cryptocurrency space

In the financial crime arena, few topics have generated as much concern and confusion in recent years as cryptocurrencies. Alternately hailed as the future of finance and derided as a dodgy money laundering risk, the crypto world has persisted through the hype and the hate to carve out a space in the legitimate financial system. At this point, a working knowledge of cryptocurrencies is essential for nearly any financial crime professional.

Against that backdrop, the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists launched a scholarship program for individuals in roles combating financial crime risk in the crypto realm as part of its “Quarterly Focus” on cryptocurrencies. The scholarship offers complimentary registration for the Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS) certification, the full suite of prep materials, and a year of membership in ACFCS.

After receiving over 300 applications from professionals across 20 countries, ACFCS is proud to announce the 25 recipients of its scholarships. Those chosen for the scholarship submitted applications with compelling professional and often personal experience related to cryptocurrencies.

The winners come from a wide array of professions, industries and geographic areas, including seasoned compliance professionals at crypto exchanges in the US and Canada, crypto investigators in law enforcement in the US and UK, and traditional financial institutions with a nexus to crypto. These recipients reflect the diversity of roles, actors and skill sets needed to properly understand and address the financial crime risks in this emerging field. ACFCS prioritized applicants in regulatory and law enforcement roles, and those still relatively new in their careers.

“As an association, we are dedicated to helping professionals be ready for the future of financial crime,” ACFCS President Joseph Yerant said. “Cryptocurrencies are a financial technology of growing importance, and we have an obligation to support organizations and professionals working to ensure that financial crime threats are confronted head on as the crypto space expands.”

The full list of scholarship recipients is below. ACFCS will be running in-depth profiles on these professionals in the coming weeks.

First Last Organization Title

Simon

Butler

Royal Holloway, University of London

PhD Cyber
Security Researcher

Steven

Carter

South East Regional Organised Crime Unit

Detective Constable,
Cyber Financial Investigator

Brian

Cleary

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Project Manager
(Strategic and Industry Initiatives)

Shawndra

Collins

Coinbase

Investigations Analyst

Kolade

Falua

Square

Sanctions Lead

Yaya

Fanusie

Center for a New American Security

Fellow

Zachary

Figueroa

bitFlyer USA, Inc.

Legal Advisor

Seth

Greene

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department

Financial Crimes Supervisor

Rochelle

Keyhan

Collective Liberty

CEO

Felix

Lomahan

Signature Bank

Senior Compliance / FIU Analyst

Andrew

MacKay

HSBC Malta

Country Head of Financial Crime Threat Mitigation

Kristine

Markus

Commerzbank AG

Assistant Vice President, Deputy Head of Information Management at Global Financial Crime Unit

Daniel

McSweeney

Internal Revenue Service

Revenue Officer

John

Medina

Circle Internet Financial

AML Analyst

Leah

Myer

Human Trafficking Justice Project

Founder and Senior Researcher

Farris

Moore

Homeland Security Investigations  

Special Agent

Marie-Noel

Nsana

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China

VP, AML Compliance Quality Analyst

Bo

Oney

Coinsource

Chief Compliance Officer  

Amr

Rashed

Egyptian Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Combating Unit

Head of International Cooperation

Sergii

Rybchenko

Council of Europe  

Senior Project Officer

Stephen Brent

Sargeant

Bitfinex  

AML Investigator  

Stanley

Small

Financial Intelligence
Centre of South Africa  

Financial Crime Analyst  

Alysha  

Tierney  

City of New York Police Department

Intelligence Research Specialist  

Gilbert  

Valentine  

Athena Bitcoin  

Chief Compliance Officer

Nick

Wright

South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU) Cyber Crime Team  

Detective Constable

See What Certified Financial Crime Specialists Are Saying

"The CFCS tests the skills necessary to fight financial crime. It's comprehensive. Passing it should be considered a mark of high achievement, distinguishing qualified experts in this growing specialty area."

KENNETH E. BARDEN 

(JD, Washington)

"It's a vigorous exam. Anyone passing it should have a great sense of achievement."

DANIEL DWAIN

(CFCS, Official Superior

de Cumplimiento Cidel

Bank & Trust Inc. Nueva York)

"The exam tests one's ability to apply concepts in practical scenarios. Passing it can be a great asset for professionals in the converging disciplines of financial crime."

MORRIS GUY

(CFCS, Royal Band of

Canada, Montreal)

"The Exam is far-reaching. I love that the questions are scenario based. I recommend it to anyone in the financial crime detection and prevention profession."

BECKI LAPORTE

(CFCS, CAMS Lead Compliance

Trainer, FINRA, Member Regulation

Training, Washington, DC)

"This certification comes at a very ripe time. Professionals can no longer get away with having siloed knowledge. Compliance is all-encompassing and enterprise-driven."

KATYA HIROSE
CFCS, CAMS, CFE, CSAR
Director, Global Risk
& Investigation Practice
FTI Consulting, Los Angeles

READY TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TOWARDS
CFCS CERTIFICATION?