Bank Examiners’ Perspective: Do’s And Don’ts in an OFAC Compliance Program. - Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists

Bank Examiners’ Perspective: Do’s And Don’ts in an OFAC Compliance Program.

Dec 11, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM NYC

FREE Webinar

CSS Credits: 1.25

Duration:

75 minutes

Speakers:

  • Christy Cornell-Pape|FDIC
  • Neel Patel|Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Moderator:

Amber Vitale

Date:

Thursday, Dec 11, 2025

Time:

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

Description:

BSA/AML exams can be one of the most stressful times of the year for the OFAC team – but they don’t have to be. Join this ACSS webinar, organized by our Government Relations Taskforce, for an inside look at what examiners are actually evaluating during BSA/AML exam – with a focus on OFAC compliance.
The examiners share insights on what regulators focus on, the most common OFAC compliance pitfalls, best practices and how institutions can better prepare for the exam day. Whether you are new to OFAC or a seasoned officer preparing for your next exam, this session leaves you feeling more prepared and exam-ready.

What the webinar aims to cover:

    • Understand the examiner’s perspective so you can focus on what matters.

    • Which elements of the OFAC program actually get scrutinized.

    • Best practices and common missteps when it comes to OFAC Compliance.

    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

    Register for this FREE webinar today! Tell your friends, clients, customers and colleagues about it.

    ACSS webinars conduct audience polls that will give you vital benchmarking data so you can measure your sanctions compliance against others.

    ACSS Members who attend the live session can download their Certificate of Attendance from our member-only platform.

    Self-Registration

    Speakers

    Christy Cornell-Pape

    FDIC AML Expert
    California, United States

    Christy Cornell-Pape is serving as Acting Chief over the Anti-Money Laundering and Cyberfraud Sections in Washington, D.C. She has been in this temporary position for over a year. When not in this role, Christy is a Supervisory Examiner in the San Francisco Field Office (10 years) and was previously Case Manager – Special Activities (16 years) in the San Francisco Regional Office. Christy has been an anti-money laundering and fraud subject matter expert since 1999, first encountering fraud at several bank examinations in her formative years with the FDIC. Christy is a native Californian who traversed from Southern to Northern California via Louisiana thanks to her husband’s penchant for higher education. (She IS still married.) In her spare time she is a performing artist, dance teacher, and dog mom.

    Neel Patel

    Supervisory Bank Examiner for OFAC & AML
    Federal Reserve Bank of New York

    Neel is a Supervisory Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) and currently works on compliance exams for the Large and Foreign Banking Organizations portfolio, since June 2018. Prior to the FRBNY, Neel worked at PwC in the Financial Crime Unit, where he consulted institutions on compliance with AML and Sanction matters. Neel was previously a litigation attorney with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP where he represented financial institutions on regulatory matters including BSA/AML and OFAC issues.

    Neel is a qualified attorney in New York. He is also registered on the roll of solicitors in England and Wales. In addition, Neel is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).

    In his spare time, he enjoys travel, spending time with his young children and watching his favorite team (Arsenal) attempt to win the Premier League.

    Moderator

    Amber Vitale

    Amber Vitale is an independent sanctions and AML advisor with more than 20 years of experience in OFAC enforcement, legal practice, banking compliance and consulting. Known for her practical insights and collaborative approach, she is a recognized expert in economic sanctions and has advised global financial institutions, law firms, industry groups and government agencies on matters ranging from program assessments and remediation to enforcement actions and litigation. In addition, Amber has successfully led teams conducting OFAC enforcement investigations, providing sanctions advisory guidance to bank colleagues and senior management and executing various client projects, including many remedial measures pursuant to consent order or other regulatory oversight.

    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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