Rachel Alpert on the Nexus of Geopolitics and Sanctions: Policy, Pressure, and Rollbacks

Rachel Alpert on the Nexus of Geopolitics and Sanctions: Policy, Pressure, and Rollbacks

At the ACAMS Assembly Hollywood, Justine Walker sits down with Rachel Alpert, a leading authority on national security, sanctions, human rights, and global strategy, to unpack how geopolitics and sanctions are increasingly intertwined. Their conversation explores how sanctions are shaping global diplomacy—including their role in negotiations with Iran—against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical volatility. Together, they examine how developments in Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, and Russia are influencing sanctions risk, enforcement priorities, and regulatory expectations worldwide, and what this evolving landscape means for organizations navigating compliance today.

Jonathan Burke on Evolving Threats, Technology, and Regulation

At the ACAMS Hollywood Assembly, Justine sat down with Jonathan Burke, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing. Their discussion explores the evolving terrorist financing risk landscape, the importance of aligning regulation with critical threats and institutional vulnerabilities, and how technology is reshaping fraud at an unprecedented scale and speed. Jonathan Burke leads the U.S. Department of Treasury's counter terrorist financing and anti-money laundering efforts. His career spans more than 20 years across foreign policy, national security, and financial services.

Oksana Ihnatenko on Supporting Ukraine

At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Oksana Ihnatenko, RUSI, and ACAMS Rising Professional of the Year. Their discussion includes Oksana’s research and work to build public-private partnerships in Ukraine, how Ukrainians view current sanctions policy, and how Ukraine’s reconstruction can be funded. Oksana Ihnatenko is a Researcher for the Supervising and Monitoring Ukraine’s Reconstruction Funds (SMURF) project at the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, based in Kyiv. Her research focuses on Ukraine's adherence to FATF standards, fighting financial crime, anti-money laundering efforts, and issues surrounding reconstruction. You can read more here. https://www.rusi.org/people/ihnatenko

Carole House on AI, Cyber and Sanctions

At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Carole House, Senior Distinguished Fellow, ACAMS. Their discussion includes the AFC implications of generative artificial intelligence, including increasing sophistication of deepfakes and the resulting ‘authenticity crisis’, how we can build resilience to the threat, and trends in cyber-enabled sanctions evasion. Carole House recently joined ACAMS as a Senior Distinguished Fellow. Among Carole’s many prominent and senior roles, she previously served as the White House National Security Council (NSC) special advisor for cybersecurity and critical infrastructure policy.

Alex Zerden on the Middle East, Crypto, Cartels and Changing U.S. Priorities

At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Alex Zerden, Capitol Peak Strategies. Their discussion covers a range of U.S. sanctions priorities, including significant action undertaken on both drug cartels and Iran, easing measures on Syria, and the implications of a U.S.-backed stablecoin. Alex Zerden is the Founder and Principal of Capitol Peak Strategies, a risk advisory firm based in Washington, DC. Capitol Peak works with leading financial institutions, companies and organizations to navigate emerging technologies, financial regulation, and economic crisis.