ACSS New York Chapter - Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists

ACSS

New York Chapter

About Chapter

Come join us to promote sanctions awareness and create a community for sanctions professionals in the New York area! The mission of the ACSS New York Chapter will be to serve, inform, and advance sanctions professionals in New York as well as the Tristate area. The Chapter holds regular events centered around hot topics in the sanctions industry that impact sanctions and export controls professionals.

All ACSS members can join their local Chapter for free. If you are already an ACSS Member, all you need to do is update your membership profile. Click here to access your membership profile.

NOTHING LIKE OUR CHAPTER EXISTS TO PROMOTE SANCTIONS AWARENESS IN THE NEW YORK AREA. COME BE A TRAILBLAZER WITH US!

Board Members

Howard Spieler

Chapter Chair

Global Lead, Sanctions Risk: Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory
Citi
Show more
In June 2023, Howard joined Citigroup as Global Lead, Sanctions Risk: Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, 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.

Between 2016 and June 2023 Howard served on the volunteer board of the ACAMS New York Chapter, with the last five years as as the Chapter Co-Chair. Howard holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Kean University, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from St. John’s University, and a Bachelor of Arts with a focus on political science from the University at Albany, State University of New York. Additional information about Howard’s education and professional experience may be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardspieler.

David Chenkin

Legal Representative

Managing Partner
Zeichner Ellman & Krause LLP
Show more
David B. Chenkin is the managing partner of law firm, and a Certified AntZeichner Ellman & Krause LLPi-Money Laundering Specialist. Chenkin represents major financial institutions and individuals in civil, criminal, regulatory and compliance-related investigations initiated by Congress and federal, state and local prosecutors and regulators. He also provides financial crime training to law enforcement, the private sector and other law firms. Chenkin is the recipient of Homeland Security Investigation’s HSI-New York Citizen’s Legacy Award, which he received for his efforts in counseling HSI agents in building relationships with the financial community.

Adam Frey

Industry Representative

Managing Director
K2 Intelligence
Show more
Adam Frey is a managing director at K2 Intelligence in its U.S. Investigations and Disputes practice, and he also works closely with the firm’s Financial Crimes Risk and Compliance practice. Adam helps clients ensure that their anticorruption, international financial sanctions, and BSA/AML compliance programs, policies, and procedures are effective and up to date. Adam also as a key member of several of K2 Intelligence’s independent consultant teams. In that capacity, Adam works at the direction of federal, state, and/or international regulators to monitor and assess global financial institutions’ compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) enforcement actions and related consent orders.

Adam previously worked as an associate at an international law firm based in Washington, D.C. His practice focused on complex litigation; white collar criminal defense, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations; international sanctions; and advising U.S. corporations on the extraterritorial application of U.S. laws.

Adam also has extensive experience in Middle East foreign policy, having served as a professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee responsible for Middle East and South Asia policy, including towards countries subject to OFAC Sanctions.

Adam received a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. from Duke University.

Todd Maddison

VP, Regulatory Relationship Manager

CAMS / Certified Sanctions Specialist
HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. (HNAH)
Show more
Todd Maddison’s extensive experience around Sanctions and Compliance includes key roles in several of the largest banks in the world over the last 30 years. Currently at HSBC as a Regulatory Exam Manager, Todd has previously held leadership roles in Sanctions at Rabobank, in AML at HSBC, consulting at Bank of China, and front office and Compliance roles at Dreyfus mutual funds and JP Morgan Chase. Todd holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in History from the State University of NY at Oneonta, FINRA Series 6,7,24,63 and 79 licenses, and maintains the CAMS and Certified Sanctions Specialist certifications.

Aaron Wolfson

Law Enforcement/Regulatory Representative

Partner
King & Wood Mallesons
Show more
Aaron Wolfson is a partner in King & Wood Mallesons New York Office. Aaron specializes in advising clients on economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, and corruption and export control matters. Aaron represents clients both domestically and internationally.

Aaron has extensive public- and private-sector experience. As a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, he led numerous investigations and prosecutions of global financial institutions for violations of U.S. sanctions laws. He also served as a Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, where he was a member of a trial team that prosecuted fraud and price fixing in the municipal bond industry. Mr. Wolfson also held senior positions in a global investment bank’s Anti-Money Laundering and Economic Sanctions programs.

Aaron appears before both regulatory and criminal-justice agencies, including OFAC, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In 2009, Mr. Wolfson was honored with the “Department of Justice National Asset Forfeiture Award for Outstanding Investigation.” In 2010, he was awarded the Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General’s “Award for Distinguished Service.

Salvatore Scotto

Foreign Financial Institution Representative

Senior Vice President
Bank of China
Show more
Salvatore is a globally recognized thought leader in Financial Crimes Compliance. He is a tested banking and government professional with experience in Anti Money Laundering, Office Foreign Assets Control and international sanctions compliance, internal control, consumer banking, securities, trade services & payment operations and e-commerce products. Salvatore has extensive experience in both technical and management aspects of developing and coordinating robust compliance programs, and the remediation of regulatory enforcement actions, MRAs, Consent Orders, and Deferred Prosecution Agreements. Salvatore is considered a Subject matter expert in regulations pertaining to Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML), U.S.A. Patriot Act, U.S. and International Economic and Trade sanctions, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Salvatore is a frequent speaking for industry groups on AML, Sanctions and Compliance topics. Salvatore is currently employed by Bank of China, as Senior Vice President in the Legal & Compliance Department as Head of Sanctions. In this current role, Salvatore is accountable for the remediation of sanctions related opportunities and is implementing a comprehensive sanctions compliance risk framework for the bank. Previously, he has implemented for major domestic and foreign financial institutions AML and Sanctions compliance related programs and technology efforts. In addition to Private Sector experience, Salvatore worked for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Office of Foreign Assets Control, as a Senior Compliance Officer. In this capacity, Salvatore was involved with sanctions program implementations, advisory, program compliance, outreach and enforcement. Salvatore also represented the US Government in various interactions with other U.S. agencies, Foreign Governments and Private individuals.

Nicole Succar

Partner

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
Show more
Nicole Sayegh Succar is a Counsel with Crowell & Moring LLP focused on economic sanctions and anti-money laundering legal, risk management and compliance advisory and investigations counseling services. She was previously the U.S. Head of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc.’s Sanctions Advisory Team, and during her time with HSBC also held interim roles as the Asia Regional Head of Sanctions and LATAM Head of Sanctions, respectively. Prior to that Nicole was a Sanctions Officer with The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control(OFAC).

ACSS CHAPTER FAQs

Who can join an ACSS Chapter?

Anyone can join an ACSS Chapter! Our Chapters are a place for our members to form a community on the ground, network, and share knowledge with like-minded sanctions professionals. If you are an ACSS member, click here to sign up today.

Is there a Chapter Membership fee?

If you are an ACSS Member, Chapter Membership is included as one of your many benefits! Just check the Chapter page and sign up to the Chapter in your location.

What if there is no Chapter in my location?

If you don’t currently see a Chapter in your city/state/country, let us know! We are always very interested to hear from you if you and your colleagues believe there may be a need for a Chapter in your location. Just email: helpdesk@sanctionsassociation.org.

I'm not sure if I want to become an ACSS Member, what are the benefits?

Chapter Membership is one of the many benefits to being an ACSS Member. To find out about all the benefits ACSS membership has to offer, click here.