Sanctions Space
Sanctions Space is a podcast by ACAMS that explores the latest developments and trends in sanctions compliance. It features expert interviews and analysis on regulatory changes, enforcement actions, and best practices for managing sanctions risk. The show aims to provide valuable insights for professionals in the financial crime prevention field.
Episodes
Nathalie von Taaffe on Power and Risk in an Evolving Sanctions Space
Justine sits down with Nathalie von Taaffe, a leading expert in sanctions and financial crime compliance, to explore how geopolitics — and the global race for dominance — are reshaping the compliance landscape. They discuss shifting enforcement priorities, sanctions enforcement and anti-blocking legislation, and the unintended consequences of de-risking, including financial exclusion and illicit a
Dawson Law on Iranian Sanctions, Evasion, and Global Risk
Justine Walker sits down with Dawson Law, a senior advisor on geopolitical risk and compliance. Their conversation explores potential scenarios for Iran, including protracted conflict, partial sanctions relief, and regime collapse — highlighting how economic measures and geopolitical negotiations could shape different outcomes. They also consider broader global developments, from shifting Gulf inv
Brad Brooks-Rubin on Illicit Gold, Corruption, and Sanctions
In this episode, Justine Walker sits down with Brad Brooks-Rubin, a leading expert in sanctions, illicit finance, and corruption to examine why gold — one of the world's oldest stores of value — has become a blind spot in modern sanctions and financial crime frameworks. Their conversation explores gold's central role in illicit finance, corruption, and the shortcomings of existing due-diligence an
Rachel Alpert on the Nexus of Geopolitics and Sanctions: Policy, Pressure, and Rollbacks
At the ACAMS Assembly Hollywood, Justine Walker sits down with Rachel Alpert, a leading authority on national security, sanctions, human rights, and global strategy, to unpack how geopolitics and sanctions are increasingly intertwined. Their conversation explores how sanctions are shaping global diplomacy—including their role in negotiations with Iran—against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical
Jonathan Burke on Evolving Threats, Technology, and Regulation
At the ACAMS Hollywood Assembly, Justine sat down with Jonathan Burke, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing. Their discussion explores the evolving terrorist financing risk landscape, the importance of aligning regulation with critical threats and institutional vulnerabilities, and how technology is reshaping fraud at an unprecedented scale and speed.
Jonathan Burke leads t
Oksana Ihnatenko on Supporting Ukraine
At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Oksana Ihnatenko, RUSI, and ACAMS Rising Professional of the Year. Their discussion includes Oksana’s research and work to build public-private partnerships in Ukraine, how Ukrainians view current sanctions policy, and how Ukraine’s reconstruction can be funded.
Oksana Ihnatenko is a Researcher for the Supervising and Monitoring Ukraine’s R
Carole House on AI, Cyber and Sanctions
At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Carole House, Senior Distinguished Fellow, ACAMS. Their discussion includes the AFC implications of generative artificial intelligence, including increasing sophistication of deepfakes and the resulting ‘authenticity crisis’, how we can build resilience to the threat, and trends in cyber-enabled sanctions evasion.
Carole House recently joine
Alex Zerden on the Middle East, Crypto, Cartels and Changing U.S. Priorities
At the ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, Justine sat down with Alex Zerden, Capitol Peak Strategies. Their discussion covers a range of U.S. sanctions priorities, including significant action undertaken on both drug cartels and Iran, easing measures on Syria, and the implications of a U.S.-backed stablecoin.
Alex Zerden is the Founder and Principal of Capitol Peak Strategies, a risk advisory firm based i
Stephanie Baker on Punishing Putin
At the ACAMS Europe Assembly in Paris, Justine sat down with Stephanie Baker, Senior Writer, Bloomberg. Their discussion includes how Russia has exploited loopholes to circumvent sanctions and export controls and continue financing its war, how Russia’s wartime economy may impact peace negotiations, and how the new economic tool of ‘secondary tariffs’ could potentially play out.
Stephanie recentl
Laura Ferris on Sanctions, Corruption, and Illegal Logging
On the margins of the ACAMS Hollywood Assembly, Justine sat down with Laura Ferris, The Sentry, to discuss illicit financial flows linked to environmental crime. Their discussion includes assessing the distinct overlap between environmental crime, sanctions, and corruption, as well as a spotlight on the illegal logging trade – including how funds are laundered, the current state of global action t
Kimberly Donovan on Geopolitics and the Emerging Axis of Evasion
‘As we start to piece this all together, we found that there were certain trends and typologies that were very similar in terms of how China was working with Russia, as well as how China was working with Iran, and then just kind of shaping out this broader network of actors.’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast – recorded at the ACAMS Hollywood Assembly - Justine is joined by Kim
Marshall Billingslea on U.S. Sanctions Policy and Priorities
‘I think that the administration is prudently reviewing the sanctions to determine what measures could be eased, in what sequence, in the event that Russia does prove amenable to negotiations. I, for my part, believe that we will have to go down the path of additional punitive measures first.’
-Marshall Billingslea on potential sanctions easing on Russia
In the latest episode of the Sanctions S
Edward Fishman on the Age of Economic Warfare
‘We’re living in an age of economic warfare. Sanctions, export controls, tariffs – they’re now the primary way that states compete with one another.’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Edward Fishman, author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare and a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy, among other roles. T
Elaine Dezenski on U.S. Sanctions and Economic Statecraft in 2025
‘Navigating the fault lines between the U.S. and China and this accelerated convergence of economic statecraft – not just how sanctions might be deployed, or export controls, but also tariffs and investment review – all of which are going to figure into this new space.’
-Elaine Dezenski on key risks to be thinking about
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by
AML Legends Talk Sanctions
‘I believe that it’s become very complex for financial institutions to actually comply. The ask by the Treasury to focus on sanctions evasion is really, in many ways, the bridge back to AML’
-Bill Fox on the global sanctions landscape and what it means for FIs
‘The only sector that really can enforce [sanctions] are the financial institutions sector. We are the police – even though we say all th
Jasleen Bains on the Terrorism-Crypto-Sanctions Nexus
‘Looking at KYE (know your ecosystem), you’re able to essentially review the transaction that is not directly with you, and so you can see where the tokens are landing before potentially they’re going towards some sort of illicit flow or to an illicit actor.’
-Jasleen Bains on how to mitigate CTF risks
Recorded at ACAMS Las Vegas Assembly, in this latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, J
Jessica Bartlett on Adapting to Evolving Sanctions Risks
‘We’re all going to be on this journey, I don’t think we’re going to be in a world where no one’s going to use AI because it’s too hard, we are going to use it, the question is how do we make sure to implement it and execute it so that it’s efficient and credible’.
-Jessica Bartlett
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Jessica Bartlett, Managing Director and
Gavin Coles and Kylie Oliver on the Australian Sanctions Perspective
‘As the other core markets for Russia are closing down and tightening the grip, they’re looking for other mechanisms. And we may be seen as an easier mechanism because we haven’t had the benefit of the learnings of the European and the American banks, where they have been really having to grapple with this on a day-to-day basis. We’re now really having to turn our attention to that indirect risk.’
Toms Platacis and Paulis Iljenkovs on Countering Sanctions Evasion
‘there must a deterrent effect, that people must be afraid to breach sanctions, especially when it involves common high priority goods or items that generate a lot of revenue to the Russian government to wage war in Ukraine. By proper deterrent effect, I mean real convictions with proper jail times or very hefty fines levied against those who have been intentionally involved in breaching sanctions
John Smith and Chloe Cina on the Sanctions Enforcement Landscape
‘It’s one of the most important developments I think you’ll see coming out of the US in terms of sanctions enforcement, probably for years’
-John Smith on the extension of OFAC’s statute of limitations to 10 years for sanctions violations.
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by John Smith, co-head of Morrison Foerster’s National Security practice and former
Giles Thomson on UK Sanctions Priorities and Enforcement
‘We’ve got new legal powers which we will be using… but also the scale of how we’re operating has, for OFSI at least, changed. Both in terms of the volume of self-disclosures and other intelligence we’re getting from different sources… and secondly how capabilities at OFSI are changing and transforming.'
-Giles Thomson on changes in the UK sanctions enforcement landscape
In the latest episode
Matthew S. Axelrod on the Critical Importance of Export Controls
'they have a critically important role to play. I think we’re at an inflection point… export controls have never been more important – and the reason why is because of the nature of the national security threat, which has really changed over the last decade or two.'
-Assistant Secretary Axelrod on the importance of the role of financial institutions with respect to export controls.
In the late
David Mortlock on Sanctions Enforcement and Asset Recovery
‘The last time this was done - with Iraq - you had two things we’re not going to have here, which is number 1 a [UN] Security Council Resolution, and number 2 the consent of the government of Iraq. We are not getting either in the case of Russia, at least in the near term. And so the credibility of the international mechanism is going to be really important. And so I think it can be done but, look
Edmund Fitton-Brown on Yemen and the Houthis
‘You’re not in this classic terror finance space where you are looking at a group like Al Qaeda and people trying covertly to move donations or other forms of money to terrorist groups who have no ability to raise money through conventional means.’
-Edmund Fitton-Brown
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Advisor at the Counter Ex
Peter Harrell on Global Sanctions in 2024
‘There are going to be frictions – I think what we can hope for is that both sides will try to figure out a way to just kind of manage through the bumps in the relationship, and so while there will be challenges, and while there will be bumps, at the strategic level the relationship will remain broadly stable – at least that’s the hope.’
-Peter Harrell on US-China relations in 2024
In the latest
Melissa Duffy on Strategic Trade and Export Controls
‘It’s the biggest deal. It’s the tip of the spear in the regulators effort to constrain Russia’s war ability’ -Melissa Duffy speaking about strategic trade and export controls
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Melissa Duffy, Partner, Trade and National Security at Fenwick & West LLP. Speaking on the margins of the ACAMS Vegas conference, they discuss the i
Jason Blazakis on the Future of the Wagner Group
‘I think the risk is still high. It’s going to take some time for the Wagner Group’s new leaders to step into those roles… I still see the organization as a significant threat to international peace and stability’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Jason Blazakis, Professor of Practice, Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies; Director of Center on Terrorism
Jonathan Schnatz on the IRS:CI and Countering Sanctions Evasion
‘What we’re really seeing is the use of professional enablers, both by oligarchs to continue to hide their assets, and also in the export controls sanctions cases where they’re using shell corporations to hide the true shipment of goods’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Jonathan Schnatz, Special Agent and Senior Analyst at the U.S. Internal Revenue Servi
Craig Timm on the Role of the US Department of Justice in Strengthening Sanctions
‘The amount of resources they have going into this is significant - there are people in every state in the country focused on this… and I expect you will see more and more actions as the year goes on’ -Craig Timm on looking to the horizon for DOJ on sanctions
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Craig Timm, Senior Director of Anti-Money Laundering at ACAMS.
Matt Zweig on the Dynamics of US Congressional Sanctions Policy
‘I always like to describe Congress as writing in pen, and the administration as writing in pencil’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Matt Zweig, Senior Director of Policy at FDD Action. They discuss how sanctions are introduced within the US political system, who the key movers and shakers are, and looking ahead to future Congressional sanctions prioriti
Toms Platacis on the Frontline of Sanctions Implementation
‘Unfortunately, I must say that you don’t have to be a criminal mastermind to come up with a sanctions evasion or circumvention scheme… most of the time, they’re not very sophisticated’
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Toms Platacis, Acting Head of Latvia’s Financial Intelligence Unit. They discuss current sanctions evasion typologies in Latvia – ranging
Nathalia Dukhan and Naureen Chowdhury Fink on the Wagner Group
‘We should not consider Wagner as a traditional mercenary group, but more as a powerful weapon used by Russia and we should all feel threatened by its expansion because it’s a rising global threat’ -Nathalia Dukhan on the threat posed by the Wagner Group
In the latest episode of the Sanctions Space Podcast, Justine is joined by Nathalia Dukhan, Senior Investigator at The Sentry, and Naureen Chow
Justyna Gudzowska and Dan Tannebaum on Looking Ahead to 2023
‘As we look at Ukraine, as we look at these unprecedented sanctions, we really have to close the loopholes that are created by the Wagner Group’s presence in many countries around the world, in particular in Africa.’
The Sanctions Space Podcast is back! Justine is joined by Justyna Gudzowska, The Sentry, and Dan Tannebaum, Atlantic Council. Their discussion includes the illicit activities of the
Alexander Rodnyansky & Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi - Russia Sanctions & Supporting Ukraine Reconstruction
ACAMS was honoured to be joined at our Europe conference by two advisors of the Office of the President of Ukraine - Professor Alexander Rodnyansky and Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi. In the margins of the event, Alexander and Markiyan sat down with Justine for this Sanctions Space Podcast Episode - their discussion includes the measures they're looking at to styme Russia's ability to fund its invasion, t
Tom Keatinge on the Scale and Scope of Russia Sanctions
“the oligarchs are symbolically important and also, if anybody is going to have an opportunity to whisper in the ear of Vladimir Putin and say ‘what you’re doing is completely wrong, completely inappropriate, unacceptable, you need to reverse what you’re doing’, it’s going to be one of those people. “
Following their appearance as witnesses to both the Treasury Select Committee and Foreign Affair
Emily Rees on the Global Trade Implications of the Ukraine Crisis
‘’In one week we have seen governments change their historical policy positions in what is really now being considered to be a watershed moment, particularly for defense policy.”
In this episode, Justine is joined by Emily Rees, international trade policy expert and Founder, Trade Strategies, in which they discuss the enormous trade implications and challenges that will result from Russia’s invas
Special Episode: Kieran Beer and Dr. Justine Walker on Russia and ACAMS 2nd Global Sanctions Summit
In this special episode, our two ACAMS podcasts meet for the second time - Financial Crime Matters and the Sanctions Space.
Following conclusion of the second ACAMS Global Sanctions Summit, Justine and Kieran convene to discuss the current Russia-Ukraine crisis. Drawing on summit deliberations they explore the current state of play of the international sanctions response, including the prospect
George Voloshin on Potential Sanctions Dynamics of EU-Russia Ties and Trade
“we should acknowledge the simple fact that, in economic terms, Russia matters much more to the EU than it does to the US, and that the EU matters to Russia much more than the US does to Russia.”
In this episode, Justine is joined by George Voloshin, corporate intelligence expert and ACAMS CGSS instructor, in which they discuss Russian-EU trade and considerations for entities with Russian exposur
Dr. Maria Shagina on What to Watch on the Ukraine/Russia border and the Table of Sanctions Options
‘Diplomacy is not dead, but significant differences remain… and Russia’s intentions vis-à-vis Ukraine still remain clear. That means the path of deterrence, the path of economic sanctions, remains highly relevant’.
In this episode, Justine is joined by Maria Shagina, Visiting Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, where they discuss the state of play for diplomatic efforts
Sue Eckert on the Afghanistan Humanitarian Situation and UNSC Resolution 2615
‘humanitarian groups cannot be expected to provide assistance in these complex areas without some risk… we have to accept that this is a situation where you cannot eliminate risk, it has to be managed’
In this episode, Justine is joined by Sue Eckert, Senior Associate (Non-resident), Humanitarian Agenda, Center for Strategic and International Studies, where they discuss United Nations Security C
Adam M. Smith on Afghanistan Humanitarian Considerations
‘there’s never been a situation, of which I’m aware, in which an entity like the Taliban…are designated, and have long since been designated, and now are controlling an entire country’
In this episode, Justine is joined by Adam M. Smith, Partner, Gibson Dunn, to talk about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, including the implications from the Central Bank funds being frozen, to what exte
Hans-Jakob Schindler on the Taliban, sanctions, and implications for Afghanistan
In this episode, Justine is joined for the second time by Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project, to talk about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, including the Taliban’s revenue streams (such as the drug trade), the relationship with Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, and the potential implications for sanctions, foreign investment, and international recog
Jonathan Hackenbroich on Geo-Economics, Nord Stream 2, and Financial Resilience
‘we’ve entered a great power competition, that’s not between two blocs… but rather between two very highly integrated economic spheres’
In this episode of the Sanctions Space podcast, Justine sits down with Jonathan Hackenbroich, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), to discuss economic coercion in the geo-political landscape, building resilience to sanctions and countersanctions, and wh
SPECIAL EPISODE: Kieran Beer and Dr. Justine Walker
‘The use of sanctions has grown incredibly, the complexity of sanctions, the reach of US person globally, the use of secondary sanctions – these are all elements which have just escalated continually over recent years, and that has resulted in some pushback from other jurisdictions’
In this special episode, our two ACAMS podcasts meet - Financial Crime Matters and the Sanctions Space. Justine a
Jennifer Fowler And John Smith On Working On Sanctions In Government And Preparing For Transition
‘prepare for some very difficult times ahead, where the world’s number one and number two economies – when it comes to the US and China – will continue to fundamentally disagree on certain issues…. and that will continue to play a role in US sanctions response’
In this episode, Justine is joined by Jennifer Fowler, Director, Brunswick Group, and John Smith, Partner, Morrison and Foerster, to tal
Julia Friedlander on Finance and Foreign Policy
‘we’re really at a point where we are saying – what are sanctions really? What do they actually do? They’re somewhere between a serious finger wag… and a financial hand-grenade’
In this episode, Justine is joined by Julia Friedlander, C. Boyden Gray Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, GeoEconomics Center, Atlantic Council, to talk about the risks arising from Russian dark money, the interplay b
Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler on Counter Terrorism Sanctions
‘the rise of ISIL was a real turning point on global counter terrorism, only maybe eclipsed by 9/11'
In this episode, Justine is joined by Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project, to talk about counter terrorism sanctions, the rise of ISIL (including lessons we can learn from it) and the wider impact of global terrorism.
Hans was formerly Coordinator of the I
Ian Stewart on Proliferation
‘it’s not easy to build a nuclear weapon… the science isn’t easy, and physically making sure it goes bang as needed isn’t easy’
In this episode, Justine is joined by Ian Stewart, Executive Director of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), to talk about nuclear technology, today’s chief global proliferation risks, how to get engaged in counterproliferation financing work, and Academy Awa
Ellie Geranmayeh on the Middle East
‘one track of my work is trying to bring different strands of people in different societies together… to look at the same problem from different angles and hopefully try and find some creative solutions’
In this podcast episode, Justine is joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, Deputy Director for the MENA programme and Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, to talk about confli
Dan Wang on China
‘China has always taken seriously industrial policy and some degree of import substitution, and these US actions are now really kicking that effort in to high gear’.
In this, our first Sanctions Space podcast episode, Justine Walker is joined by Dan Wang, Technology Analyst at Gavekal, to talk about China’s role as a science and technology powerhouse, the impact and response of recent US sanctio
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