Benita Kuykendall

Correspondent/Retail Banking Compliance/AML (Anti Money Laundering/BSA (Bank Secrecy Act) Investigator/Financial Crimes Consultant/Regulatory Compliance Specialist/Risk Management/Regulatory and Compliance Auditor/ Consumer Compliance/A-Z Lending Compliance Regulations/Certified Paralegal. Extensive background experience, supporting high volume legal, corporate, compliance case work within banking and financial service industries. Extensive experience in AML/fraud investigations, consumer compliance reviews/reconciliation/audit, compliance analyst, transactional analysis, regulatory compliance audits, know your customer (KYC), regulatory servicing compliance and audits, risk assessments, fraud prevention, operational risk, credit risk and asset liability management.

AML Compliance Investigator/ Analyst - UKY Enterprises, LLC - Remote/C2C

(2021-02 - 2026-03)

Performed high level transactional analysis of customer correspondent accounts, transaction monitoring, and data remediation for the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) within the compliance division of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). Responsible for transactions surveillance, including business as usual (BAU) and lookback projects, in accordance with existing rules standards, regulatory requirements, and company policy and institutions procedures.

• Reviewed system generated and manually created alerts, documented research and drafted narratives, potentially suspicious activity reports, and memorandum of findings, to support alert closure or escalation to Suspicious Activity Report (SAR).
• Subject Matter Expert (SME), tasked to train new hires on process, procedures, and systems.
• Responsible for researching multiple database systems such as Risk Case Management (RCM)/Actimize, Lexis Nexis, Dow Jones, Pivot Tables, Excel spreadsheets, Sharepoint.

AML/BSA Compliance Investigator/ Analyst - Michael Page - New York, NY

(2019-08 - 2020-03)

Conducted researched and investigated correspondent accounts for potentially suspicious activity within the Legal and Compliance Department (LCD) at Bank of China, NY. Reviewed activity and dispositioned cases using various typologies/scenarios to identify and determine account relationship between customers, pseudo customers and counterparties.

• Reviewed various activity, business as usual (BAU), alerts, subpoenas, fraud cases and mitigated activity as reasonable or drafted Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) in a timely manner.
• Responsible for quality control of colleagues' case work.
• Responsible for researching multiple database systems such as Case Management Tool (CMT), Bridger Insight, Lexis Nexis, Actimize, World Check/World Check News, Pivot Tables, Excel spreadsheets, Sharepoint.

AML Compliance Investigator/ Analyst - Adams Consulting Group, LLC - New York, NY

(2019-03 - 2019-05)

Investigated and performed due diligence analysis of high-risk international wire activity and system generated alert scenarios to identify risks and potential suspicious activity for Mashreq Bank NY, based out of Dubai, UAE. Responsible for review of wire transactions, letters of credit (LOC), individual, commercial, trade finance and correspondent accounts, various typologies/scenarios, to identify and determine account relationship between customers and counterparties.

• Conducted thorough research, investigations and data remediation, and maintained supporting documentation to substantiate conclusions.
• Drafted and filed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) and/or unusual activity narratives in a timely manner.
• Responsible for clearing, mitigating, escalating backlog/lookback alerts/cases and analyzing data using various database systems such as Actimize, World Check/World Check News, Pivot Tables, Sharepoint.

Senior AML Compliance Investigator/ Analyst - UKY Enterprises LLC - New York, NY /C2C

(2017-11 - 2019-02)

Performed high level transactional analysis and drafted Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) within the Compliance Department and Special Investigations Unit (SIU) team for AML backlog/lookback and business as usual (BAU) accounts of commercial and personal customer and correspondent bank accounts for Mega International Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). Investigated and analyzed high risk international wire activity to identify the flow of funds between domestic and correspondent partners consisting of transactional analysis of CHIP/FED/BOOK/ACH through E-Gifts wires and SWIFT messages to determine the ultimate beneficiary and report unusual and/or suspicious activity.

• Responsible for review of account transactions including checks and wires as well as letters of credit (LOC) to determine account relationships, mitigation or termination and drafted and filed initial Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) and/or Unusual Activity Forms (UAF) in a timely manner.
• Monitored and reviewed accounts for continuing activity (CARS) and recommended appropriate follow-up including possible account closure for customers that exceeded risk tolerance.
• Collected and documented customer information, KYC/CDD/IDV/EDD and SAR history, performed relevant due diligence searches utilizing Clear, Down Jones, World Check, ICIJ, and Prime Compliance Suite database systems.
• Recommended and assisted in training of consultants and provided input on daily SAR writing duties process and procedures in order to meet regulatory compliance and audit goals.

AML Investigator/Analyst II - Princeton Information - Ft. Mill, SC

(2017-02 - 2017-07)

Performed account investigations, analysis, and research of retail banking case files within the Financial Intelligence Unit for Citigroup to determine account relationship, retention or termination, identified global high risks clients, drafted and filed Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR) as deemed appropriate.

• Reviewed and monitored financial accounts for escalated alerted suspicious transactional activity and ensured analysts validations were specifically addressed in compliance with internal company models, AML guidelines and OCC audit specifications.
• Collected and documented data, including red flag alerts, SAR history; KYC/CDD/EDD/IDV information; due diligence searches and relevant account and transaction data in addition to other required information to assist the investigation.
• Tracked account closure and re-monitors for further escalations and continuing suspicious account activity.
• Documented decisions, managed cases, reviewed Cash Transaction reports (CTR), cleared steps and closed cases in a timely manner using Actimize Case Management system, filed SARS through US SAR Database system.
• Investigated and analyzed high risk international wire activity to identify the flow of funds between domestic and foreign partners to determine the ultimate beneficiary and report unusual client activities which may relate to OFAC sanctioned individuals, money laundering or terrorist financing.
• Recommended appropriate follow-up and possible account closure for customers that exceeded risk tolerance.

Consumer Compliance Regulatory Auditor - Infinity Consulting Solutions - Remote

(2016-09 - 2016-12)

Conducted consumer compliance lending audit engagement for Continuity Controls on multiple mortgages, residential, commercial, credit card and consumer lending loans and using imaged loan files and documentation for multi-state, national and international financial institutions. Conducted audits and communicated and drafted synopsis to clients for compliance of loans and products with the clients' internal credit lending policies, procedures and documents as well as state and federal regulations.

• Reviewed legal and regulatory citations, standards, policies, and procedures and ensured regulatory guidelines such as SCRA, FCRA/FACTA, SCRA, UDAAP TRID, TILA, RESPA, ECOA, GLBA, FAIR LENDING and A-Z REGULATIONS were properly incorporated and utilized within financial institutions compliance programs.
• Reviewed banking patterns for high risk foreign and domestic financial institutions, clients and correspondent financial institutions.
• Monitored financial institutions compliance to anti-money laundering regulatory requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act and USA Patriot Act.
• Performed risk assessment and analysis, Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) of commercial and individual accounts maintained by multiple financial institutions.

Mortgage/Foreclosure/Bankruptcy Compliance Analyst - Wells Fargo Bank, NA - Atlanta, GA

(2012-04 - 2015-12)

Extensively researched, reviewed and analyzed conventional, FHA, VA, REFI, chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy and foreclosure accounts and determined if programs, processes, and documentation were in compliance with internal company requirements, insurer/ investor guidelines, and multiple state and federal consumer compliance regulations including but not limited to certification in AML/BSA, SCRA, REG X, REG Z, Dodd Frank, resulting in timely and proper reconciliation of foreclosure and bankruptcy files and proper clearing of exceptions. Utilized PACER, Aacer, MSP and LPS.

• Documented identified risks and managed files effectively, responded to escalated issues