NALINI YARLAGADDA
Summary
Results-driven Financial Crime and Risk Professional with extensive experience in Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC/CDD), and Fraud Detection within banking and financial services environments. Skilled at conducting complex investigations into suspicious transactions, high-risk clients, and fraudulent activities, ensuring full compliance with BSA, OFAC, FATF, FinCEN, and regulatory frameworks.
Expert in managing end-to-end AML and KYC lifecycle processes, including enhanced due diligence (EDD), sanctions screening, adverse media checks, and suspicious activity reporting (SAR). Adept at leveraging analytical tools such as Actimize, SAS, LexisNexis, World-Check, and Dow Jones Risk & Compliance to identify financial crime patterns, assess risk exposure, and drive timely escalations.
Collaborative and detail-oriented, with a proven record of working cross-functionally with Risk, Audit, and Compliance Technology teams to strengthen control frameworks, optimize monitoring systems, and reduce false positives. Passionate about maintaining regulatory excellence, promoting ethical compliance culture, and continuously improving investigative efficiency through data-driven insights and process innovation.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior AML Compliance Analyst
Wipro
07.2024 - 10.2024
- Conducted enhanced due diligence (EDD) reviews on high-risk retail and commercial banking clients, analyzing transaction flows, source of wealth, and jurisdictional exposure. Ensured accurate risk classification and contributed to the identification of potential money laundering and terrorist financing activities in alignment with global AML standards.
- Utilized Actimize, SAS, and internal monitoring tools to investigate transaction alerts, refine detection rules, and identify suspicious activity patterns such as smurfing, funnel accounts, and rapid fund movement. Collaborated with compliance technology teams to enhance alert calibration and risk scenario logic.
- Prepared and filed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and related regulatory filings with comprehensive narratives and risk indicators. Ensured all reports met BSA, FinCEN, OFAC, and FATF compliance requirements while maintaining timely submission and high analytical accuracy.
- Executed OFAC and 314(a) sanctions screening on customer transactions and onboarding data, escalating potential matches and preparing detailed documentation for BSA Officer review. Reinforced organizational adherence to sanctions compliance frameworks and cross-border risk controls.
- Performed adverse media screening, PEP identification, and sanctions reviews using LexisNexis, World-Check, and Dow Jones Risk & Compliance. Mapped complex entity linkages across corporate hierarchies and offshore jurisdictions to strengthen the customer risk assessment process.
- Led periodic KYC/AML refresh reviews to ensure compliance with internal regulatory standards, validating documentation, beneficial ownership structures, and transaction legitimacy. Proactively identified and remediated compliance gaps during onboarding and review cycles.
- Reviewed third-party onboarding and due diligence assessments for financial institutions, evaluating risk indicators across PEP declarations, beneficial ownership, and adverse media hits. Ensured alignment with anti-bribery, anti-corruption (ABAC), and AML policy frameworks.
- Partnered with compliance technology and risk management teams to diagnose transaction monitoring logic issues and enhance case management workflows. Implemented rule refinements that reduced false positives by 20%, improving system performance and investigator efficiency.
- Supported internal audits, regulatory examinations, and third-party compliance testing by compiling and validating AML documentation, risk assessments, and monitoring reports. Developed and executed remediation plans to close identified control gaps and reinforce governance standards.
- Contributed to AML policy enhancement and process improvement initiatives, ensuring procedures aligned with evolving FATF, BSA, and FCPA expectations. Streamlined investigative workflows and escalations to improve control effectiveness and operational transparency.
- Provided training, mentoring, and technical guidance to new analysts on investigative best practices, alert disposition techniques, and escalation procedures. Strengthened overall team competence, consistency, and compliance culture across AML operations.
- Conducted complex cross-border and third-party investigations, analyzing transactions, shell entities, and red-flag jurisdictions. Supported strategic efforts to identify corruption risks and strengthen enterprise-level financial crime controls.
Compliance Analyst
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
05.2019 - 08.2022
- Managed end-to-end KYC reviews and remediation for high-risk retail and corporate clients, ensuring full adherence to FATF, FinCEN, and internal AML/KYC regulations. Maintained audit-ready documentation and consistent process integrity across all client segments.
- Conducted comprehensive CDD and EDD investigations on complex ownership and control structures to verify beneficial owners and source of funds. Utilized LexisNexis, OFAC, and adverse media tools to detect and mitigate potential financial crime exposure.
- Applied risk scoring models and client risk frameworks to prioritize high-impact reviews, focusing on clients with elevated jurisdictional, transactional, or operational risks. Enhanced detection of compliance red flags through a structured risk-based approach.
- Led targeted KYC remediation initiatives to address incomplete or outdated profiles, coordinating with front-office and documentation teams to collect missing data and validate information within required timelines.
- Oversaw the periodic KYC renewal process for corporate portfolios, ensuring timely completion of reviews and maintaining data accuracy in accordance with internal and external regulatory standards.
- Verified customer identities, ownership structures, and adverse media findings, escalating inconsistencies to compliance management for resolution. Ensured all due diligence records were updated and aligned with institutional policy requirements.
- Partnered with front-office, operations, and risk teams to expedite client onboarding readiness while ensuring all documentation and due diligence requirements were satisfied before account activation.
- Supported onboarding for high-risk and complex entity clients by conducting EDD checks, validating regulatory documentation, and providing detailed reports to mitigate exposure to financial and reputational risk.
- Compiled and presented weekly and monthly KYC compliance reports highlighting review progress, remediation outcomes, and key operational metrics for management and regulatory review.
- Performed risk-based assessments across diverse client portfolios by analyzing transaction patterns, industry sectors, and geographic risk exposure, proactively identifying areas of potential non-compliance.
- Delivered training and mentorship sessions to junior analysts on evolving KYC/CDD regulations, case documentation standards, and client communication best practices, fostering a stronger compliance culture within the team.
- Collaborated with compliance technology teams to enhance KYC workflows and system efficiency, identifying logic gaps, improving automation accuracy, and reducing overall turnaround times in client review processes.
Fraud & Risk Analyst (AML Onboarding & SAR Writing)
Bank of America N.A.
06.2013 - 06.2018
- Investigated onboarding and transactional alerts flagged for fraud and AML risk, analyzing customer profiles, account behavior, and documentation authenticity to identify anomalies and prevent financial losses. Ensured all investigations complied with internal policy and regulatory expectations.
- Conducted comprehensive check fraud investigations, reviewing signatures, payee details, and transaction irregularities to identify counterfeit, altered, or duplicate items. Leveraged tools such as Actimize and LexisNexis to enhance detection accuracy and case efficiency.
- Prepared and submitted detailed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) outlining transaction abnormalities, behavioral red flags, and investigative findings in accordance with BSA, FinCEN, and OFAC regulatory requirements.
- Performed sanctions screening and fraud pattern analysis, detecting forged endorsements, manipulated amounts, and unusual payment behaviors. Collaborated with compliance teams to escalate confirmed cases and ensure prompt resolution.
- Supported cross-border and complex fraud investigations involving potential tax evasion and terrorism financing, collaborating with AML, risk, and compliance teams to mitigate exposure and strengthen institutional controls.
- Partnered with fraud prevention and dispute teams to resolve chargebacks, merchant disputes, and account takeovers, implementing preventive measures that improved customer protection and operational accuracy.
- Conducted root-cause and trend analysis of detected fraud incidents, identifying control weaknesses and process inefficiencies. Recommended system enhancements and rule refinements that reduced false positives and operational risk.
- Delivered data-driven insights and reporting to management on fraud typologies, loss trends, and mitigation strategies, supporting ongoing improvements in fraud governance, internal training, and system tuning.
Education
Master of Science - Business Management (Concentration: Business Analytics)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
NJ, USA12.2023
BSc - Biochemistry
Andhra University
03.2008
Skills
- AML Compliance & Financial Crime Prevention Know Your Customer (KYC) Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) Fraud Detection & Investigation Risk Assessment & Mitigation Transaction Monitoring & Alert Review Sanctions & PEP Screening Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Client Onboarding & Remediation Adverse Media & Ownership Analysis Regulatory Reporting & Documentation Audit Support & Remediation Planning Cross-Functional Collaboration Training & Mentoring
Timeline
Senior AML Compliance Analyst
Wipro
07.2024 - 10.2024
Compliance Analyst
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
05.2019 - 08.2022
Fraud & Risk Analyst (AML Onboarding & SAR Writing)
Bank of America N.A.
06.2013 - 06.2018
BSc - Biochemistry
Andhra University
Master of Science - Business Management (Concentration: Business Analytics)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Core Competencies
KYC/CDD/EDD Reviews, SAR Writing & Filing, OFAC & 314(a) Screening, Transaction Monitoring & Alert Review, BSA/AML, PATRIOT Act, OFAC Compliance, Customer Onboarding & Documentation, AML Investigations & Typologies, Risk Assessments & Controls, Sanctions & Negative News Screening, Cross-functional Collaboration, Actimize, SAS, LexisNexis, World-Check, ACI, Power BI, SQL, Excel, Tableau, RDC, Compass, Deep knowledge of AML regulations and compliance requirements, including FATF, OFAC, FinCEN, BSA, and regional regulations like MAS and EU AML Directives., Strong understanding of risk assessment models, KYC/AML risk scoring, High-risk client management., Strong critical thinking, Investigative skills with the ability to analyze complex transactional data, Recognizing patterns indicative of suspicious activities., Excellent written and verbal communication skills, Preparing compliance reports, SAR filings, and investigative case summaries.