Aarti Weister is an associate managing director in K2 Integrity’s Financial Crimes Compliance practice. With more than 15 years’ experience evaluating, planning, implementing, and managing enterprise-wide anti-money laundering (AML), sanctions, and financial fraud programs to achieve regulatory compliance, Aarti works with financial institutions and FinTech companies to review and revise existing processes and procedures, developing programs from the ground up. She leads teams that perform quality testing, risk and controls analysis, and operational reviews of areas within global financial crimes compliance (FCC). She also manages specific functions such as compliance reporting architecture, model validations, and list management.
Aarti is an experienced AML, sanctions, and fraud investigator. Earlier in her career, as a suspicious activity report (SAR) investigator for a multinational bank, she uncovered issues related to AML/BSA compliance, terrorist financing, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and international sanctions, check fraud, counterfeit check schemes, wire fraud, suspicious wire transfers, and employee fraud/misconduct.
Prior to joining K2 Integrity, Aarti was the central screening unit manager in the global FCC group of an established private bank, where she headed a large team that handled screening transactions and referential data against OFAC, international sanctions, and FinCEN 314(a). She was responsible for expansion of this 22-hour operation, providing direct oversight of the program and its personnel, serving as an SME, pinpointing gaps and identifying opportunities for process improvements, and maximizing efficiency via resource and process assessments. In her previous role at an international bank, Aarti designed, implemented, and managed the quality testing function for global sanctions compliance and AML operations to suffice a regulatory consent order. She later supported the review of the effectiveness of the oversight and controls framework across multiple areas of global FCC, and conducted risk and controls self-assessments.
Prior to her experience in FCC, Aarti worked in the social welfare industry in various roles, including QA reviews of services provided to consumers and abuse investigations for people with mental retardation.
Aarti received an M.A. in international sustainable development from Brandeis University, an M.S. in environmental science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and a B.S., with a focus in biology, from Delhi University. She is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS), and a Forensic Accounting Certificate recipient. She has received awards for outstanding performance and contributions to compliance frameworks. Her published articles have appeared on K2 Integrity’s website and on other compliance-related forums.
