On Wednsday 11 MAR 20, LTC Sargis Sangari, CEO NEC-SE, moderated two special sessions for the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (#ACAMS) Chicago Chapter Event, held at IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, Auditorium on 1st floor, 565 West Adams St, Chicago, IL 60661.

1st Session – Impact, Risks and Mitigating Controls for Trafficking and Money Laundering in Art and Antiquities

From the looting of ancient Middle East artifacts showing up in the West for funding terrorism to the latest U.S. legislation, becoming familiar with the risks is important for the financial industry. LTC Sargis Sangari, USA (Ret.) CEO NEC-SE and Founder UAA and Matthew Thomas, Sr. Client Manager, Strategic Accounts – Corporate Investigative at Thomson Reuters moderated a discussion about the impact, risks, and mitigating controls for trafficking and money laundering in art and antiquities. Joining LTC Sargis Sangari and Matthew Thomas was Tess Davis, Executive Director of The Antiquities Coalition.

2nd Session – Impact of the Iranian Quds Force, IRGC, Hezbollah, their Financial Patterns and Iran Sanctions

This session focused on an engaging discussion about the impact of the Iranian #Quds Force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC), #Hezbollah proxies, their financial patterns, and Iran sanctions. LTC Sargis Sangari, USA (Ret.) CEO NEC-SE and Founder UAA and Matthew Thomas, Sr. Client Manager, Strategic Accounts – Corporate Investigative at Thomson Reuters led the discussion. Joining LTC Sargis Sangari and Matthew Thomas were Michael Pregent, Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute, and Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor, Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The second session exchanges led to the creation of a one slide mission statement which was given to the Anti-Money Laundering (#AML) Professionals under a mission statement to disrupt the financial support of nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and human rights abuses, denying the Iranian regime all paths to nuclear weapons and neutralizing Iranian malign influence.

From left to right:
1. Matthew J. Thomas, co-moderator, Sr. Client Manager, Strategic Accounts – Corporate Investigative at Thomson Reuters.
2. Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor, Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). 
3. Michael Pregent, Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute. 
4. LTC Sargis Sangari, USA (Ret.), moderator, CEO Near East Center for Strategic Engagement and Founder & President United Assyrian Appeal
5. Jack Oskvarek, CAMS, CAFP, AMLP, Chicago Chair, Association of Certified Anti Money-Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) and Executive Director of Wintrust Financial Corporation. #ACAMS #moneylaundering #FDD#HudsonInstitute #aml #sanctions