THE TEAM

John S. Karansky

Senior Adviser

About

John Karansky has 40+ years as a domestic and international financial services risk management expert with a BSA/AML/OFAC compliance, audit, operational risk, and regulatory background and specialized skill sets from organizations throughout the Americas that include Bank of America, Barclays Capital/PLC, Banco Industrial de Venezuela, Beach Bank, Colonial Bank, Eastern Financial Credit Union, Loan America Mortgage Company, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

Mr. Karansky has led various projects including on-site or virtual remote reviews, analysis, assessments and reporting of on foreign correspondents’ BSA/AML risk assessments, high-risk KYC/beneficial ownership reviews, bringing closure to past due AML customer alerts, as well as independent assessments and reporting on multiple foreign bank’s BSA/AML compliance programs domiciled in Central, South America, the Caribbean and Spain.

Previously, Mr. Karansky served as a federal BSA/AML Risk Examiner in charge, leading, or participating in the regulatory examination of BSA/AML/OFAC compliance programs in large, regional, and community banks, foreign banking organizations, and bank holding companies in the Southeast and other Federal Reserve districts. While at the Federal Reserve, he performed BSA/AML/OFAC training and community outreaches and served as a point of contact for virtual currency and marijuana-related business mitigating controls and regulatory guidance.

Prior to that, he was the Senior BSA Risk Management Officer for Colonial Bank where he managed the BSA risk management program that offered retail, wealth management, brokerage, trust, treasury, trade finance, commercial, consumer and residential lending services. As an integral part of the management team, he provided guidance and training in mitigation support of the money laundering and fraud risks associated with South Florida and the Latin America markets.

Mr. Karansky has functioned as a Corporation’s BSA/OFAC and Privacy Officer as well as directed CDD/EDD/CIP customer profile reviews and AML/fraud suspicious activity investigations and reporting of higher risk client types that have included broker-dealers, currency exchanges, trusts, mortgage, insurance and web-based operations, non-bank financial institutions, money service businesses, personal investment companies, non-government organizations/charities, embassies/consulates, cash intensive businesses, and politically exposed persons as well as foreign correspondent banks, international businesses, and foreign government entities. He has led or participated in the development of AML customer monitoring and OFAC filtering systems, BSA/OFAC risk assessments, written policies, procedures, and mitigating controls for AML, BSA, and OFAC regulations, statutes, and requirements, and reported on OFAC and FINCEN 314(a) and other law enforcement-related investigations as well as managed an organization’s legal actions and attorney-client case preparation.

He has directed, managed or participated on teams of financial, operational, and compliance audits, controlled-self assessments and COSO reviews, Merger/Acquisition due diligence, regulatory remediation and customer look-backs, as well as asset recovery involving commercial, investment, government and private banking organizations, non-bank subsidiaries and affiliates, credit unions, and mortgage brokerage and servicing activities.

Mr. Karansky has spoken at AML/BSA conferences and seminars, state banking association’s compliance schools and international roundtables that focused on a country’s anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations and statutes.

Mr. Karansky has a Master’s in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University, and holds the following professional certifications: Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Anti-Money Laundering/Certified Associate, Certified Financial Services Auditor, and Certified Bank Auditor.

The Team