Author: OR_wpadmin
Are You Storing Your AML/KYC Data in the Bed of Procrustes?

There’s no substitute for knowing… In previous posts, I’ve attempted to convey some sense of the linguistic and cultural diversity that personal names exhibit, especially when these names are converted from other writing systems and social contexts into the Roman (A-Z) alphabet and the naming system that predominates in the …
KYD In Action: Names from the Islamic World

In this post, I’d like to provide an overview of the ways Islamic names encountered in AML/KYC contexts can differ from familiar Anglo/European names. I will emphasize those aspects that cause complications both for automated processing (searching and matching) and for human interpretations. In several previous posts, I have covered …
NY Regulators Tighten The Screws For KYC and Sanctions Filtering

Those murmurs of hushed exasperation that have been gathering in Lower Manhattan since early December aren’t all about the collapse of energy stocks. A good many emanate from the financial institutions that make New York their home. And the issues that have the bankers mumbling are, in their way, just …
Know Your Data: OFAC and Hispanic Names

Why KYD Matters In my previous post, there was a chart that shows the extent to which a relatively small number of name-models predominate in OFAC SDN data. My ultimate purpose in providing that graphic was two-fold: To show that reliance on mediocre, Anglo-centric name-screening techniques such as SOUNDEX and …
From the headlines to your AML/KYC system: the strange case of Mr. Wu
KYD… So You Can KYC
Bigger fish to fry? Issues with OFAC SLSA (continued)
How Does OFAC Work? Total Recall — Or Not
The Cultural Myopia in OFAC Search Tool & Lists Puts Banks at Risk

What makes a name “Anglo”? In my last post, I suggested that much of the confusion surrounding what might count as “minimally compliant” and/or “due diligence” by OFAC is a result of the way they describe and exemplify the recommended decision making process for name screening. IMHO,this process is culturally …