Quarterly Members Meeting - Q2 2025

Join us for the second quarterly members meeting of 2025 kindly hosted by Forvis Mazars, and supported by Stop the Traffik, and ACAMS. Supported by Hummingbird

📅 Wednesday 21 May 2025
⏰ 5:00pm registration for 5:45pm start
📍 Forvis Mazars - 30 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AU

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: THE SILENT CRISIS AND CHALLENGES OF IDENTIFICATION WITHIN TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL CRIME FRAMEWORKS 

Human trafficking is not a new financial crime/predicate offence, yet the prosecution rates for this criminality are remarkably low under the Modern-Day Slavery Act. Despite clearly being covered under the POCA 2002, it is repeatedly viewed as a social/ethical and/or a domestic violence issue rather than being a critical piece of large economic crime gangs. 

We have seen the UK government via the foreign and commonwealth department office include human trafficking gangs within sanctions designations. Whilst this may draw attention to a pressing issue, it appears there is not a unified approach on how to identify it as a financial crime risk like terrorist financing or bribery and corruption.  

This session seeks to highlight the risks within the context of the evolving legislative and regulatory landscape and provide practical suggestions to the audience on how to identify it and how to appropriate escalate externally. 

We have arranged a panel of well-regarded experts to debate and provide guidance to the audience on this topic. The session will open with a keynote speech from Ruth Dearnley OBE, Chair and Founder of Stop the Traffik.

Panellists: 

• Nick Dale - Director of Intelligence at Stop the Traffik, previously Superintendent for West Midland Police and led on Operation Fort: the largest modern slavery investigation in UK history. This operation identified around 400 victims and led to the conviction of over a dozen traffickers. 
• John Cusack -Chair of Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime, Co Founder of GCS and ex Co-Chair of Wolfsberg Group
• Ruth Paley - Partner, Exco of IMLPO and FCA Skilled Person. A criminal barrister by trade who is an expert in financial crime regulatory compliance and system and control reviews
• John Binns  - Partner at BCL- expert in criminal and financial crime and regularly provides advice and support to regulated and non-regulated firms on how to manage modern day slavery risk especially in the context of POCA considerations. 
• Simran Bharaj (moderator) - Director at GKSB Consultancy, Financial Crime SME/Troubleshooter and complex advisory, including being an ex FCA Financial Crime Supervisor. 

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Members and the Institute's guests will be prioritised.

Not a member yet? Join today and connect with other professionals in money laundering prevention.