Bio

Michael Fasanello is a seasoned private sector compliance executive and thought leader specializing in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter Terrorist Financing (CTF), global economic and trade-based sanctions, and illicit finance, with a current focus on the digital assets and blockchain technology space. Having spent nearly a decade in the public sector serving various agencies of the United States Justice and Treasury Departments, Michael most recently rejoined the crypto compliance and investigations industry where he provides subject matter expertise in counter-illicit finance investigations, policy guidance, and implementing effective regulatory compliance. Earlier private sector experience involved managing teams of transaction monitoring and enhanced due diligence (EDD) specialists and advising financial institutions on emerging trends in AML and sanctions regulation. Michael has modernized enterprise-wide AML and Sanctions programs, advised on risk management and regulatory policy, analyzed institutional risk tolerance, and conducted extensive specialized training. In the public sector, Michael served with Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Policy Division, where he advised the Office of Regulatory Policy in developing and interpreting federal regulations under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). Areas of special focus included beneficial ownership transparency under the Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Customer Identification Program (CIP) rules, Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs), and unregulated or under-regulated industries. Prior to his work at FinCEN, Michael handled Global Economic Sanctions and embargo cases for Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) involving personal, commercial, and humanitarian services; import/export and trade financing transactions; foreign travel requests; legal services requests for Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs); and wire transactions involving blocked funds transfers. Country-specific program emphasis included Iran, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe. Law enforcement-specific program emphasis included the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Act, Specially Designated Nationals (entities and individuals), and Transnational Criminal Organizations. Michael also has a solid foundation in Civil and Criminal law with prior experience ranging from small solo-practitioner law firms, to top-rated firms with a national presence, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies and the courts.