Description

I help fintech and payments companies build AML/KYC and BSA/AML programs that pass sponsor bank review and scale without regulatory risk.

From onboarding (KYC/KYB) to transaction monitoring, sanctions, and risk frameworks—I design compliance systems that actually work in real-world fintech environments.

With 9+ years in financial crime compliance across banks and fintechs, I’ve built and led programs from the ground up for payments platforms, embedded finance models, and cross-border environments. My work focuses on translating complex regulatory requirements into controls that actually work—without slowing down product growth.

I’ve partnered closely with sponsor banks, product, and engineering teams to design onboarding, transaction monitoring, and risk frameworks that balance compliance with operational efficiency. I’ve also served as an interim Head of Compliance for early-stage startups preparing for bank partnerships and regulatory scrutiny.

Typical engagements include:

AML/KYC program reviews and gap assessments
Sponsor bank and regulatory readiness
Risk and control framework design
Transaction monitoring and onboarding strategy

I take a risk-based, business-aware approach—focusing on what matters most so you can scale with confidence.

Languages

English
Native or bilingual

Workplace preferences

Remote only

Primarily works remotely

Startups, Fintechs, and Sponsor Banks
Fintech Compliance Strategist
January 2025 - Today (1 year and 7 months)
Advise fintech startups on the design, build, and scale of BSA/AML, KYC, sanctions, and fraud programs across multiple jurisdictions.
Lead program gap assessments, regulatory readiness reviews, and sponsor-bank alignment efforts, including compliance oversight for embedded finance and payment flows involving sponsor-bank FBO structures and third party money movement across BaaS partners and fintech clients.
Develop and implement compliance policies, risk assessments, and internal controls tailored to payments and embedded finance models.
Serve as interim Head/Director of Compliance for early-stage startups during regulator and bank onboarding.
AML/KYC Compliance Strategy Fintech Risk Management Regulatory Readiness
Karma Wallet
Director of Compliance
TECH
August 2023 - January 2025 (1 year and 5 months)
United States
Owned end-to-end compliance operations, including BSA/AML, KYC, sanctions, fraud prevention, and transaction monitoring.
Acted as primary compliance liaison to the sponsor bank, providing regular reporting on control gaps, remediation timelines, and program effectiveness.
Built and operationalized the company's first BSA/AML, CIP, EDD, and sanctions compliance framework from the ground up, defining risk policies, monitoring controls, and escalation protocols for a fintech payments platform during early banking integration.
Led internal audits, vendor risk reviews, and compliance tool evaluations; implemented control enhancements to close identified gaps.
Designed and delivered company-wide compliance training programs to establish accountability, escalation standards, and audit-ready documentation.
Reported directly to executive leadership on compliance risk posture, regulatory exposure, and program maturity.
AML/KYC Risk Management Compliance Strategy Transaction Monitoring Internal Controls
Productfy
Senior BSA/AML Compliance & Fraud Specialist
TECH
October 2022 - June 2023 (8 months)
United States
Owned transaction monitoring operations, including alert investigation, SAR drafting/finalization, and escalation.
Served as direct compliance liaison to sponsor bank with weekly transactional reporting and monthly sanctions activity summaries, including review of embedded finance partners' BSA/AML programs and control frameworks.
Enhanced KYC, CDD, EDD, and sanctions workflows for fintech partners, including reviews involving digital asset, stablecoin, and crypto-adjacent business models; partnered with engineering and product on rule logic and alert optimization.
Investigated transaction monitoring alerts and documented findings within case management systems while preparing SAR narratives and supporting documentation for escalation decisions
Designed and optimized transaction monitoring rules and escalation workflows in partnership with product and engineering teams, balancing fraud detection accuracy with onboarding speed and operational efficiency.
Reduced false positives and operational friction while maintaining regulatory defensibility.
Fraud Prevention Fintech KYC/KYB AML/CTF Transaction Monitoring