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Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM New York Time

Address of Venue: Crowell & Moring LLP Two Manhattan West, 375 9th Ave New York, NY 10001

Join the ACSS New York Chapter for a timely and provocative panel discussion examining the evolving sanctions landscape at the intersection of narcotics trafficking, cartel networks, and financial crime risk.

What We’ll Cover:

  • The FTO Question: What does the designation of major cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations mean for financial institutions, and how does it reshape your sanctions and AML exposure overnight?
  • Illicit Corridors: The deepening role of China and India in the fentanyl supply chain, and what compliance teams need to know about the financial networks that support them
  • Fentanyl Disruption: How OFAC, FinCEN, and allied regulators are deploying sanctions as a tool to disrupt trafficking networks, and where the gaps remain
  • Red Flags in Practice: Identifying high-risk clients and suspicious transaction patterns linked to cartel activity, narco-financing, and fentanyl-related money flows, with practical guidance for frontline compliance teams
  • High-Risk Client Exposure: How to assess and manage relationships where cartel nexus, trade-based money laundering, or illicit corridor activity may not be immediately obvious, but the indicators are there
  • The War on Drugs, Revisited: A candid conversation about whether the sanctions toolkit is equal to the threat, and what “winning” even looks like.

This is a conversation designed for practitioners who operate at the front line of financial crime compliance, and who need to understand not just the rules, but the risk landscape driving them.

This event is proudly sponsored by Crowell and Moring.

Agenda

  • 5:30 – 5:50: Registration
  • 5:50 – 6:00: Welcome
  • 6:00 – 7:00: Panel Discussion
  • 7:00 – 7:15: Q&A with our panelists
  • 7:15 – 7:30: Post event quiz with prizes
  • 7:30 – 8:30: Networking over drinks and appetizers
Certificates of Attendance for Chapter Events

All ACSS members who attend Chapter Events will be identified and issued a Certificate of Attendance through our system. Certificates can be used to earn ACSS credits, which contribute to recertification and eligibility for ACSS certification.

ACSS CSS/CXS Points |  3.0 

Please contact our Helpdesk at sanctionsassociation.org for more information.

Event Location

7 World Trade Center · New York, NY 10006

Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists

The Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS) is the premier global organization dedicated to advancing the professional knowledge and skills of sanctions and export control practitioners. ACSS is committed to offering top-tier training programs, including the Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS) credential, which serves as the benchmark for professionals in this field. Our mission is to set and uphold standards for the sanctions profession, provide globally recognized qualifications, and build a vibrant, interconnected community of professionals worldwide. ACSS promotes the importance of sanctions compliance by delivering authoritative and respected content, serving the professional interests of our members, and enhancing their career paths. We aim to be the leading voice advocating for sanctions professionals, with a commitment to fostering best practices and safeguarding global trade and financial systems. Sanctions, as defined by leading experts, are the intentional withdrawal or threat of withdrawal of customary trade and financial relations by a government to influence the policies of a target country. This definition reflects the core understanding of economic sanctions and guides the mission of ACSS in shaping effective, compliant practices across industries globally.

 

Caroline Brown

Partner
Crowell and Moring

Ray Donovan

Former Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) | Lead Agent in the Capture of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán | Chief Executive Officer, Stack21 Solutions

Howard Spieler

Chapter Chair

New York Chapter | Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS)