Katelyn Lay-Wright
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
Financial Crimes and AML Compliance professional with 7+ years of experience conducting complex AML investigations, Know Your Customer (KYC) reviews, Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), sanctions screening, and enterprise risk assessments. Proven expertise in identifying emerging financial crime typologies, preparing executive-level risk memoranda, collaborating across compliance and business functions, and driving regulatory risk mitigation initiatives. Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) with extensive experience supporting high-risk customer investigations and financial crime compliance programs.
Overview
1
1
Certification
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Consumer Credit Report Specialist
Bloom Credit
03.2026 - Current
- Reports directly to Sr. Manager of Operational Risk & Compliance
- Investigates both direct and indirect credit bureau disputes and ensures compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Responsible for timely responses relating to Bloom product questions and consumer complaints
- Identify solutions to manage increasing consumer inquiry volume
Sr. AML Risk Manager
Capital One
11.2020 - 04.2023
- Conducted risk-based investigations and prepared executive-level memoranda documenting investigative findings, customer risk assessments, Enhanced Due Diligence outcomes, control recommendations, and emerging financial crime trends for senior leadership approval.
- Partnered with Data Analysts and Business Analysts to enhance AML monitoring, improve risk detection models, and strengthen financial crime controls through SQL, Python, and transaction analysis.
- Collaborated across AML, Fraud, Sanctions, Legal, Compliance, and external law enforcement agencies to investigate high-risk activity and strengthen enterprise financial crime controls.
- Performed ongoing risk assessments, due diligence reviews, policy enhancements, and control assessments to mitigate regulatory and financial crime risk.
AML Sr. Investigator I
Capital One
07.2019 - 11.2020
- Draft Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) in accordance with federal regulations, time restrictions and quality standards and won numerous awards for Law Enforcement recognition
- Sought trends to identify increase in cryptocurrency activity
- Worked closely with EDD, SIU and Sanctions Team to ensure proper monitoring
- Successfully mentored investigators on a Personal Improvement Plan (PIP) and ultimately assisted in investigator promotions
- Identify emerging trends and work cross-functionally with multiple Lines of Businesses (LOBs) to create actionable recommendations to Senior Leadership
AML Investigator II - List Screening Ops (LSO)
Capital One
04.2016 - 07.2019
- Perform holistic reviews and respond to Law Enforcement (LE) Requests of customer accounts and account activity utilizing risk-based approach
- Investigate and perform customer reviews and related accounts against multiple lists of entities to include Politically Exposed Persons, Special Interest Persons, Relatives and Close Associates, Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) and Sanctioned Entities
- Escalate complex investigations and drive collaboration across Complex Investigations Team, Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and Transaction Monitoring Ops (TMO) by identifying trends
- Conducted detailed investigations and prepared Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) in accordance with BSA/AML regulatory requirements while maintaining exceptional quality standards.
- Review multiple product types to conduct complex investigations while remaining compliant with Know Your Customer (KYC) and Due Diligence requirements
- Investigate wires from high-risk jurisdictions to mitigate risk from potential OFAC-listed entities
Compliance Specialist
NextSource Inc
11.2015 - 04.2016
- Examined and transferred fraudulent check data to input into alert generating systems
- Summarize alerts with thorough and concise noting to be escalated for advanced investigation and research
- Investigate, screen and monitor customers while complying with Capital One, N.A.’s Anti-Money Laundering processes and procedures
Education
Master of Science - Criminalistics and Criminal Science
University of Cincinnati
01.2015
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University
01.2014
Skills
- High-Quality/High Productivity investigations
- Maintaining regulatory compliance
- Subject Matter Expert (SME)
- Performs risk-based Know Your Customer (KYC) reviews and KYC Refresh
- Knowledge of Enhanced Due Diligence
- Knowledge of Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and OFAC Sanctions regulations
- Periodic reviews and lookbacks
- Collaboration with Stakeholders
- Transaction Monitoring
- Customer Risk Ratings
- Counterterrorism (CFT) financing
- Wire Transfer Analysis
- Seeks Emerging Trends
Accomplishments
- Received two first-place awards from the Capital One CFO for developing Human Trafficking risk monitoring
- Recognized by law enforcement for high-quality Suspicious Activity Reports.
- Maintained top-tier productivity and investigation quality while serving as a team lead and mentor.
- Mentored investigators resulting in successful performance improvement and promotions.
Certification
- Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)
- Fair Credit Reporting Act Certified (FCRA)
Timeline
Consumer Credit Report Specialist
Bloom Credit
03.2026 - Current
Sr. AML Risk Manager
Capital One
11.2020 - 04.2023
AML Sr. Investigator I
Capital One
07.2019 - 11.2020
AML Investigator II - List Screening Ops (LSO)
Capital One
04.2016 - 07.2019
Compliance Specialist
NextSource Inc
11.2015 - 04.2016
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Science - Criminalistics and Criminal Science
University of Cincinnati
TOOLS
- Excel (advanced functions)
- SQL
- Python
- Transaction Monitoring Systems
- Case Management Tools
- GSuite
- High-Risk Wire Monitoring Tools
- Slack
- SAR filing systems