ACAMS Awards First-Ever News Reporter Scholarships to Members of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Network

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Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)

Dec 18, 2023, 13:07 ET

CAMS Scholarship is a path to deeper reporting capable of exposing criminals' use of shell companies, family and associate fronts, and other tactics to hiding illicit funds

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the vital role that deep-diving journalism plays in combating financial crime, ACAMS, a leading global membership organization dedicated to supporting the fight against illicit finance, has awarded CAMS Scholarships to 12 reporters who are part of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) network. These first-ever CAMS Scholarships for journalists were awarded to a group of proven financial crime-fighting reporters.

Spanning the globe, the recipients of the CAMS Scholarships represent a diverse array of backgrounds and aspirations. From a journalist in Tanzania who hopes CAMS certification will help him expose corruption, to a Lebanese financial crime reporter who seeks accountability and justice in the Middle East, and beyond, this cohort embodies the commitment to unearthing truth on a global scale. Notably, a freelance reporter in Germany who shared a 2017 Pulitzer Prize for the ICIJ's Panama Papers project was also a recipient, as well as an investigative journalist in Indonesia who hopes money trails will help her unearth a network of human traffickers.

"In the ever-evolving landscape of global compliance, providing journalists with the latest knowledge is a necessity. ACAMS remains committed to illuminating the path to informed journalism, ensuring that narratives on critical issues resonate with truth and awareness. In doing so, we collectively stand as catalysts for change within the compliance community, fortifying our commitment to safeguarding global communities," said Chief Judge and ACAMS VP of Global Strategic Communications & DEI Lashvinder Kaur. "If their success to date is any measure, I am confident these journalists will make the most of this opportunity."

"ICIJ prides itself on working with the best investigative reporters around the world, and we know that this scholarship program is only going to make these journalists even more effective at sniffing out and exposing financial wrongdoing," said ICIJ Executive Director Gerard Ryle. "We also know that this cohort will share their newfound skills with everyone in our collaborative network, helping us uncover corruption, injustice and wrongdoing so the world can make it right."

The ICIJ scholarship initiative is one of four scholarship programs ACAMS has delivered this year. CAMS scholarships were awarded in Korea and Japan, and an ongoing effort to provide scholarships in Africa is an integral part of ACAMS' commitment to fostering global expertise in the relentless fight against financial crime.

The CAMS Scholarship recipients will receive a one-year membership to the association and a full waiver of all fees for the CAMS exam package. They will have access to ACAMS' vast resources and will be able to train on a broad array of skills and strategies used to detect, track and report illicit financial activity, including global best practices on the effective implementation of anti-money laundering (AML) and counterterrorism financing (CTF) policies and procedures, risk-mitigation controls, and suspicious transaction reporting. The full list of scholarship recipients can be accessed here: https://www.acams.org/en/resources/diversity-equity-inclusion/scholarships/cams-scholarship-icij

About ACAMS®

ACAMS is a leading international membership organization dedicated to providing opportunities for anti-financial crime (AFC) education, best practices, and peer-to-peer networking to AFC professionals globally. With over 100,000 members across 180 jurisdictions, ACAMS is committed to the mission of ending financial crime through the provision of anti-money laundering/counterterrorism-financing and sanctions knowledge-sharing, thought leadership, risk-mitigation services, ESG initiatives, and platforms for public-private dialogue. The association's CAMS certification is the gold- standard qualification for AFC professionals, while its CGSS and CCAS certifications are for sanctions professionals and AFC practitioners working in the crypto space, respectively. ACAMS' 60+ Chapters globally further amplify the association's mission through training and networking initiatives. Visit acams.org for more information.

Media Contact:
Lashvinder Kaur
[email protected]
+44 7388 264478

SOURCE Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS)