Mastering Financial Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering

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Mastering Financial Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering

Instructors: Paweł Mielniczek

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Interpret global AML regulations and apply a Risk-Based Approach (RBA) to organizational compliance.
Establish effective compliance governance by defining MLRO roles, accountability, and management oversight.
Conduct compliance gap analyses to identify control weaknesses and prioritize remediation.
Implement KYC/CDD processes, monitor transactions, and prepare defensible Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Fraud detection

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There are 4 modules in this course

Master the end-to-end lifecycle of financial compliance and anti-money laundering (AML) in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. This course equips you to interpret global frameworks such as FATF recommendations, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and EU AML directives, and apply them using a practical, risk-based approach (RBA).

You will learn how to design compliance programs that go beyond checklist execution—covering governance, gap analysis, KYC/CDD processes, transaction monitoring, and Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) preparation. The course also demonstrates how to use Generative AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini to streamline policy drafting, regulatory analysis, and risk assessment. Designed for compliance professionals, fintech teams, and finance practitioners, this course provides a structured, audit-ready framework to manage regulatory risk, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen financial crime detection across global business environments.

This module demystifies the complex web of global financial regulations, moving beyond rote memorization to practical application. It helps learners navigate the interplay between global standards (especially the FATF 40 Recommendations), US enforcement (BSA/Patriot Act), and EU AML Directives and AMLA, while establishing a practical Risk-Based Approach (RBA) and leveraging Generative AI to interpret changing legal requirements.

What's included

11 videos4 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

11 videosTotal 77 minutes

Intro Video to Course  4 minutes
Module Introduction  3 minutes
Comparing Global Standards: FATF Recommendations vs. Local Laws 8 minutes
Analyzing the Extraterritorial Reach of US and EU Regulations 9 minutes
Mapping Regulatory Obligations to Business Contexts with AI 8 minutes
The Philosophy of the Risk-Based Approach (RBA) 6 minutes
Building the Risk Scoring Matrix 9 minutes
Scoring and Weighting Risks 9 minutes
Leveraging AI for Regulatory Intelligence and Updates 6 minutes
Summarizing Complex Directives and Regulations with AI 8 minutes
Engineering Prompts for Accurate Legal Interpretation 8 minutes

4 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Welcome to the Course: Course Overview5 minutes
FATF 40 Recommendations 5 minutes
EBA Guidelines on ML/TF risk factors 5 minutes
Wolfsberg Group Principles for Auditing for Effectiveness 5 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Navigating the Global Regulatory Landscape20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 15 minutes

Hands-On-Learning: Build a Risk Assessment Matrix15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

From Regulation to Worklist: Your ‘Obligation Brief’ in the Real World10 minutes

This module establishes the structural backbone of a compliance program. It covers securing management buy-in ("Tone at the Top"), conducting rigorous Gap Analyses to identify vulnerabilities, and leveraging AI to engineer audit-ready policies and procedures.

What's included

10 videos3 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 80 minutes

Module Introduction  2 minutes
Articulating the ROI of Compliance to Secure Board Buy-In 9 minutes
Defining Governance Structures and MLRO Independence 8 minutes
Assessing Organizational Compliance Culture and Maturity 7 minutes
Fundamentals of Audit Methodology: Design vs. Operating Effectiveness 9 minutes
Setting Up a Compliance Gap Analysis Tracker 8 minutes
Identifying Control Gaps in a Compliance Scenario 8 minutes
High-Level Policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) 8 minutes
AI-Assisted Policy Drafting 10 minutes
Validating and Refining AI-Generated Compliance Documentation 11 minutes

3 readingsTotal 15 minutes

FATF GUIDANCE Money Laundering National Risk Assessment Guidance 5 minutes
World Bank – “Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing: A Practical Guide for Supervisors” 5 minutes
Digital Identity Guidelines - NIST SP 800-63-4 5 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Building the Foundation: Governance, Audit, and Policy20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 15 minutes

Hands-On-Learning: Conduct a Compliance Gap Assessment15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Policy vs. SOP: What Would You Rewrite First in Your Program?10 minutes

This module moves from policy to implementation, focusing on the critical "Know Your Customer" (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes. Learners will master modern digital onboarding, techniques to unmask Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) in complex structures, and strategies to manage sanctions screening alerts efficiently using AI.

What's included

10 videos3 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt

10 videosTotal 76 minutes

Module Introduction  2 minutes
Core Pillars of Customer Identification Programs (CIP) 6 minutes
Designing a Compliant Customer Onboarding Workflow 11 minutes
Digital Identity Verification 6 minutes
Understanding Corporate Structures: Shell Companies and Ownership Layers 7 minutes
UBO Investigation Techniques: Tracing Ownership via Public Registries 10 minutes
Calculating Beneficial Ownership: Visualizing Control and Percentages 10 minutes
Understanding Screening Algorithms: Exact vs. Fuzzy Matching 8 minutes
Configuring Matching Thresholds to Balance Risk and Efficiency8 minutes
Adjudicating Sanctions Alerts and False Positives with AI 8 minutes

3 readingsTotal 15 minutes

EU Commission – eIDAS Levels of Assurance 5 minutes
What is Beneficial Ownership Transparency?5 minutes
OpenSanctions Documentation Page 5 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

The First Line of Defense: Smart KYC, CDD, and Screening 20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 15 minutes

Hands-On-Learning: The ‘Who Owns This?’ Challenge 15 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Design Your ‘Friction Budget’: Where Should Onboarding Get Tough10 minutes

The final module focuses on "Detective Controls"—catching the bad actors who made it past the front door. We explore Transaction Monitoring typologies, how to spot "Red Flags," and the art of writing a defensive Suspicious Activity Report (SAR). We conclude with preparing for the inevitable: the regulatory examination.

What's included

11 videos3 readings1 assignment2 peer reviews1 discussion prompt

11 videosTotal 68 minutes

Module Introduction  2 minutes
Key Money Laundering Typologies: Smurfing and Trade-Based Schemes 8 minutes
Differentiating Between Behavioural Analysis and Threshold Monitoring 6 minutes
Identifying Data Anomalies and Transaction Spikes 8 minutes
Drafting Effective SAR Narratives: The 5 Ws Framework 5 minutes
Accelerating SAR Drafting with Generative AI 8 minutes
Creating Defensible Documentation for Regulatory Exams 5 minutes
The Feedback Loop: Updating Risks Based on Investigations 7 minutes
Preparing Evidence and Strategies for Regulatory Examinations 7 minutes
Managing Remediation and Drafting Management Action Plans (MAPs) 8 minutes
Course Wrap-Up2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 15 minutes

Bank of England - Implementation of Basel 3.1: Final rules (Policy statement 1/26) 5 minutes
FinCEN Clarifies Suspicious Activity Reporting Requirements 5 minutes
Hong Kong Monetary Authority – Guidance Paper on Transaction Monitoring, Screening and Suspicious Transaction Reporting 5 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Detective Controls: Transaction Monitoring, Investigations, and Reporting20 minutes

2 peer reviewsTotal 45 minutes

Hands-On-Learning: Draft a SAR Narrative15 minutes
Project: Execute a Full-Cycle AML Investigation and Remediation (NeoPay Case)30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Avoiding the ‘Repeat Finding’: What Would You Fix Permanently?10 minutes

Instructors

Paweł Mielniczek

20 Courses33,303 learners

Offered by

Starweaver

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