Open to opportunities

Ilham Kassim

@ilhamkassim

Message

I am a compliance and financial crimes leader specializing in AML, sanctions, and fintech programs.

United States

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What I'm looking for

I seek a senior compliance role to build and scale AML, sanctions, and fraud programs, embed risk-aligned controls with product and engineering, lead teams, and ensure clean regulatory outcomes at a growing fintech or mission-driven financial services firm.

I am a compliance and financial-crimes leader with deep experience building AML, sanctions, and fraud programs across fintech and federal advisory environments. I focus on delivering clean regulatory outcomes and embedding risk-aligned controls into product and engineering lifecycles.

I have led enterprise BSA/AML and sanctions programs, integrated modern vendor solutions, and designed risk frameworks and Red Flags matrices adopted as compliance standards. I have driven successful regulatory exams and remediations, and formalized SAR and FIU protocols to improve law enforcement engagement.

I scale teams and create succession models to stabilize operations amid turnover, build staffing plans and long-term FinCrime strategies, and deliver high-visibility compliance training to raise organizational awareness. I partner cross-functionally to embed controls across onboarding, payments, and servicing workflows.

My approach balances technical tool selection, data-driven monitoring, and pragmatic governance to support growth while managing regulatory and operational risk. I am committed to mentoring talent and aligning compliance priorities with business objectives.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Director, Financial Crimes

Current

Flexible Finance

Apr 2023 - Present (2 years 4 months)

Lead BSA/AML and sanctions program for a multi-entity lending platform in build stage; integrated vendors (Sardine, Socure) and established PEP screening and elder exploitation SOPs. Designed an enterprise risk assessment and Red Flags matrix adopted as the compliance standard and built staffing and investigations plans presented to senior leadership.

Sanctions Risks Risk Assessment Team Leadership

Head of Financial Crimes & FIU

Wealthfront

Mar 2019 - Apr 2023 (4 years 1 month)

Oversaw BSA/AML, sanctions, and fraud operations for a $27B AUM fintech and built the FIU and SAR protocols. Directed a 13-month FINRA AML exam that closed with 0 findings and remediated inherited SEC gaps while integrating case management tools to streamline alert triage.

Sanctions AML Operations FINRA Exam Remediation Case Management Fraud Operations

Compliance Monitoring Specialist

Square

Aug 2016 - Feb 2019 (2 years 6 months)

Launched Square Capital’s first monitoring and testing program for commercial lending and ensured compliance with ECOA, UDAAP, MLA, TILA, and BSA through structured reviews. Developed dashboards and KPIs to report audit findings to leadership and improve remediation tracking.

Compliance Monitoring Testing BSA Dashboards KPIs Audit Reporting

Senior Sanctions Analyst

Visa

Aug 2014 - Mar 2016 (1 year 7 months)

Served as OFAC sanctions SME conducting alert reviews and investigations across payments and issuing channels. Supported audits and risk assessments while onboarding and mentoring junior analysts to improve detection and escalation processes.

Sanctions Risks OFAC Alert Review Investigation Risk Assessment Mentoring Audit Support

Associate, FINIT & Counterterrorism

Booz Allen Hamilton

Dec 2007 - Apr 2014 (6 years 4 months)

Led cross-border illicit finance investigations for FinCEN and OFAC, analyzing MSB, SWIFT, CHIPS, crypto, and mobile money activity. Authored SOPs and FATF training guides that improved team delivery and client trust.

FinCEN OFAC SOP Development Training