LAS VEGAS, Oct. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amid escalating financial crime risks, ACAMS hosted its annual Assembly Las Vegas conference Sept. 16-18 at the ARIA Resort & Casino, drawing more than 2,500 compliance professionals, regulators, law enforcement officials and financial sector leaders from around the world. 

As ACAMS’ largest event of the year, the three-day conference explored the most pressing threats to the global financial system – from generative AI and stablecoins to fraud schemes, sanctions evasion, and the illicit fentanyl trade – while emphasizing the need for cross-sector collaboration and information sharing. The program also highlighted how rapid technological innovation and digital disruption are reshaping the anti-financial crime landscape, creating new risks that will require an effective, and adaptable, response. 

“This year’s Assembly reflects both the urgency and the opportunity in our industry,” said Neil Sternthal, CEO of ACAMS. “As financial crime threats evolve, so must our solutions – grounded in innovation, collaboration and strategic foresight. The Assembly is where those solutions, and subsequent actions, take shape.”

Featured keynote speakers included John K. Hurley, Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury, and Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. They were joined by senior officials from the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, FBI and executives from PayPal, TD Bank, Mastercard, Charles Schwab, American Express, JP Morgan, and other leading institutions to discuss how stronger public-private cooperation can improve threat detection, close compliance gaps, and disrupt criminal networks.

The agenda featured more than 170 speakers in over 65 expert-led sessions, workshops and presentations addressing top priorities in anti-financial crime efforts, including:

• Fraud trends and prevention: From synthetic identities to elder fraud and Medicare/Medicaid schemes, experts shared strategies to detect and disrupt increasingly complex fraud networks.
• AI adoption and governance: Guidance on responsibly deploying machine learning and agentic AI in compliance operations.
• Crypto and fintech regulation: Updates on stablecoin legislation, regulatory expectations and oversight of digital assets and fintech partnerships.
• Public-private cooperation: Case studies highlighting how financial institutions, regulators and law enforcement collaborate to counter cartel financing, fentanyl trafficking and cross-border money laundering.
• Sector-specific compliance challenges: Tailored sessions for casinos, online gaming platforms and community banks focused on strengthening AML programs in high-risk or resource-constrained environments.

With exceptional attendance and a forward-looking agenda, The Assembly Las Vegas reaffirmed ACAMS as the global leader uniting the community that prevents, disrupts, and protects against financial crime.

About ACAMS®
ACAMS is the leading international membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities for anti-financial crime education, best practices, and peer-to-peer networking to AFC professionals globally. With over 115,000 current members across 195+ jurisdictions and territories, ACAMS is committed to the mission of combatting financial crime through the provision of anti-money laundering/counterterrorism-financing, anti-fraud and sanctions knowledge-sharing, thought leadership, risk-mitigation services, and platforms for public-private dialogue. The association’s CAMS certification is the gold-standard qualification for AFC professionals. It also offers CGSS certification for sanctions professionals, CAFS certification for anti-fraud professionals, and CCAS certification for AFC practitioners in the crypto space. ACAMS’ 65+ Chapters globally further amplify the association’s mission through training and networking initiatives. Visit acams.org for more information.

Nicole Lombardo
Caliber Corporate Advisers
acams@calibercorporateadvisers.com