K. Madhu

Results-driven Financial Crime Investigator nearly 4 years of experience in AML, KYC, Transaction Monitoring, and Fraud Investigations across HSBC, EY and Amazon. Skilled in SAR/STR and CTR filing with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) & US - FinCEN and other Jurisdictions. Expertise in detecting and preventing terrorist financing, tax evasion, bribery, corruption, arms proliferation, market abuse, misuse of government benefits, and elder abuse.

Strong foundation in critical thinking, curiosity, decision-making, and risk assessment. Seeking to contribute to global organizations by strengthening financial crime compliance frameworks.

FinCrime Investigator -AML investigations - Wise Payments India Pvt Ltd

(2026-05 - 2026-09)

• Conducted AML and financial crime investigations on customer accounts and transactions to identify potential money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, and other financial crime risks.
• Investigated transaction monitoring alerts and suspicious activity by analyzing transaction patterns, customer behavior, counterparties, geographies, and source/destination of funds.
• Performed customer-level and account-level investigations using transaction data, customer information, internal systems, and open-source intelligence (OSINT).
• Conducted Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) on high-risk customers and complex financial crime cases.
• Assessed Source of Funds (SoF) and Source of Wealth (SoW) information and identified inconsistencies, unexplained activity, and potential financial crime indicators.
• Investigated PEP, sanctions, adverse media, and high-risk jurisdiction exposure and assessed associated financial crime risks.
• Identified suspicious transaction patterns and red flags, including structuring, rapid movement of funds, unusual transaction activity, third-party transactions, and potential mule-account activity.
• Prepared detailed investigation narratives, documenting the investigation rationale, evidence reviewed, risk indicators, findings, and final case disposition.
• Assessed cases for potential Suspicious Transaction/Activity Reporting (STR/SAR) and supported the drafting and preparation of regulatory reports.
• Conducted adverse media and open-source research to identify potential criminal, regulatory, reputational, and financial crime concerns.
• Applied risk-based AML/CFT methodologies while ensuring investigations were aligned with internal policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Collaborated with Compliance, Financial Crime, Risk, Fraud, and other internal stakeholders to resolve complex investigations and escalate material risks.
• Managed investigation queues within defined SLA/TAT requirements and prioritized.

Investigator, Financial Crime Ingestive Reporting - HSBC Electronic Data Processing India Private Limited

(2025-05)

AML & KYC , Transaction Monitoring, CDD, EDD, Sanctions, PEP Screening, SAR / STR Filing

• Reviewed AML transaction alerts and investigated cases flagged by the Transaction Monitoring System (TMS).
• Conducted customer-level and transaction-level investigations to identify suspicious activity, including sanctions risks and high-risk jurisdictions.
• Assessed account utilization patterns, fund turnovers, cash exposure, and relationships with beneficiaries.
• Performed model validation and zero-alert analysis to enhance AML detection scenarios and rules.
• Filed Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) with the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
• Responded to queries from correspondent banks regarding sanctions matters and money laundering investigations.
• Executed fund freezing & account blocking as per FCA and HMRC regulatory requirements.
• Conducted Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) investigations, preparing documentation for SAR reporting.
• Recommended cases for closure, SAR filing, or client exit based on findings.
• Request For Information (RFI) when the Source and Funds (SOF) and Source of Wealth (SOW) are unexplained.
• Conducted due diligence on new clients (individuals & entities) by reviewing KYC documentation, business details, and stakeholder relationships.
• Performed Public Domain & World Checks to assess risk exposure and ensure compliance.
• Worked on a client KYC project for a leading UK bank, ensuring document procurement & compliance per risk profiles.
• Implemented threshold tuning strategies using volume analysis, normalization, and ATL-BTL processes to reduce false positives.
• Designed AML detection scenarios and rules based on risk ratings, watchlists, and previous SARs to improve efficiency.
• Maintained internal watchlists, identified blacklisted entities, and mitigated sanctions risks through a payment filtering system.

Project Analyst - Ernst & Young LLP ( EY )

(2024-10 - 2025-03)

• Analyzed flagged transactions to detect potential financial crimes, focusing on sanctions and high-risk jurisdictions.
• Submitted Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) to the UK's NCA, ensuring adherence to FCA & HMRC regulations. Blocked accounts and executed fund freezing as required.
• Conducted KYC/EDD assessments for new clients, reviewed documents, and performed risk assessments through public & global databases.
• Fine-tuned monitoring systems by designing advanced detection rules, reducing false positives, and maintaining up-to-date sanctions lists.

Investigations Specialist - Amazon Development Center India Pvt Ltd

(2022-12 - 2024-09)

Demonstrated ability to work independently on transaction monitoring alerts and investigations, taking ownership of end-to-end case handling with minimal supervision in a structured compliance environment.

• Performed PEP and sanctions screening using tools such as LexisNexis and WorldCheck, identifying high-risk entities and escalating potential matches in line with regulatory requirements.
• Applied knowledge of FinCEN, OCC, and FATF guidelines while conducting AML investigations, ensuring all case decisions and SAR recommendations align with global regulatory standards.
• Conducted detailed research and analysis of financial transactions, identifying unusual patterns, fund flows, and behavioral anomalies to determine appropriate investigative actions and escalation outcomes.
• Ensured compliance with USA PATRIOT Act and AML regulations by performing KYC, CDD, and EDD reviews, including validation of customer identity, risk profiling, and ongoing monitoring.
• Utilized Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) for case documentation, data analysis, reporting, and communication with internal stakeholders and compliance teams.
• Acted as a subject matter resource within the team, supporting knowledge sharing, assisting peers with complex cases, and contributing to training and process clarification activities.
• Managed multiple investigations and competing priorities simultaneously, ensuring timely completion of alerts, adherence to SLA timelines, and maintenance of high-quality standards.

MA - English Literature - Aacharya Nagarjuna University - Guntur (2025)

Bachelors of Technology - Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University -Ananthpur (2022)