In remarks to the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (“ACAMS”), Kenneth A. Blanco, the Director of the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), covered a number of high-priority topics, including FinCEN’s response to the pandemic, the latest COVID-19 related fraud schemes, emerging cyber threats, virtual currency issues, and important regulatory updates. A theme throughout his speech was FinCEN’s commitment to increased and meaningful communication with the entities it regulates. COVID-19 Related Fraud Blanco began by sharing that, in response to the pandemic, FinCEN aligned its strategic efforts to assist financial institutions in preventing COVID-related fraud. In particular, the agency has responded to hundreds of inquiries relating…