Crypto Currency and its Role in Sanctions Evasion - Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists

Crypto Currency and its Role in Sanctions Evasion

March 19, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM NYC

ACSS Webinar

CSS Credits: 1.25

Duration:

75 minutes

Speakers:

  • Howard Spieler | Chair, ACCS New York Chapter
  • Amanda Wick | CEO

Moderator:

Ivy Llena, Sanctions Training Coordinator, ACSS

Date:

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Time:

  • 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM NYC
  • 03:00 PM – 04:15 PM London
  • 04:00 PM – 05:15 PM Amsterdam

Description:

As the use of cryptocurrency continues to expand, so does its potential use for sanctions evasion, illicit finance, and criminal activity. This webinar will examine how digital assets are being used to circumvent sanctions regimes, drawing on real-world enforcement actions and case studies. Participants will gain practical insights into emerging evasion techniques, key red flags, travel rule implications, and best practices for financial institutions engaging with crypto firms and crypto-exposed clients.

Highlights of the webinar will include:

  • Real-world tactics in using digital assets to circumvent sanctions laws

  • Tips and best practices to identify common red flags of circumvention using cryptocurrency

  • Lessons from the latest enforcement cases related to digital asset currencies

  • Why cryptocurrency should matter to you as a compliance professionals and how it can impact your general due diligence.

Certificate of Attendance:

All active ACSS members will be able to download the certificate from the Learning Management System (under the achievements tab). 

Event Registration

Members of the Association

This webinar is included in your membership
and you will be sent login details by email a
day before the webinar.

If you would like to register for the webinar
in advance, so that it is entered into your calendar.

Non Members of the Association

You must be a member in order to attend this webinar.

To learn about ACSS membership, click here.

 

 

Speakers

Howard Spieler

Sanctions Risk Officer, Citi
Chair, ACCS New York Chapter
In June 2023, Howard joined Citigroup as a Sanctions Risk Officer for the Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory Group, where he works with first and second line stakeholders to ensure sanctions compliance with applicable regulations, policies and procedures.

Previously, Howard was a Vice President in the Global Sanctions Compliance Department at MUFG, where he collaborated on sanctions compliance program initiatives and worked on wide-ranging projects, including risk assessments, global product reviews, and consulting on complex transactions. Prior to that, he held anti-financial crime roles at Citibank and AIG, where he provided sanctions and compliance subject-matter expertise to global stakeholders.

Before that, Spieler served in the Bloomberg administration for 10 years, with seven of those years as head of compliance at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he helped develop and maintain its risk-based compliance program, which included managing regulatory reporting as well as the ongoing monitoring and assessment of a $30 billion portfolio of public-private real estate transactions

Amanda Wick

CEO
Association for Women in Cryptocurrency and Author of “The Catalysts

Moderator

Ivy Llena

Sanctions Training Coordinator
ACSS

Ivy Llena has over 14 years of experience in the learning and development field, providing capacity-building and professional development programs for corporate and social service agencies in the US and the Philippines.

Before joining ACSS, she was a program director at a non-profit organization in the Philippines, where she co-designed and co-implemented economic empowerment programs and services for survivors of human trafficking and their families. Ivy also served at the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis, where she led and contributed to inclusive economic growth initiatives.

Customer Testimonials

“I really appreciated the detail and references on the slides, very helpful”.

Scott Kinney, CAMS

Compliance Manager Global Sanctions Group, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

“Great job. Very informative”.

Brianna Long

Senior Compliance Analyst Compliance and Risk Investigations and Analysis, Convera

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