Lydia
M. Bulas – CAMS
Ms.
Bulas is a retired Special Agent of the IRS Criminal Investigation
Division. A fluent Spanish speaker, she worked in all of the major
money laundering investigative task forces in South Florida and
Puerto Rico. She has extensive experience in complex criminal
financial investigations including money laundering and Bank Secrecy
Act cases. Since retiring in 2002, she has participated in independent
examinations of compliance and AML programs for MSBs and banks
in the U.S., South America and the Caribbean. She also works with
the Office of Technical Assistance, U.S. Treasury Department providing
support to Latin American countries in the AML field. She is President
of Lydia Bulas & Associates, Inc.
Steven R. Smith – CAMS
Mr.
Smith is a retired Special Agent of the IRS Criminal Investigation
Division. As an expert in money laundering, Steve participated
in all of the major money laundering task forces in South Florida
and Puerto Rico and several special detail programs such as the
Terrorist Financing Task Force, Operation Green Quest. He testified
as an expert witness in criminal court and was a cadre instructor
to the elite IRS Criminal Investigation Money Laundering Expert
Witness training program for senior Special Agents. He also provided
international training in financial investigative techniques.
Since retiring in 2002, Steve has worked as an expert witness,
participated as a speaker in international anti-money laundering
conferences and conducted independent examinations of compliance
and AML programs for MSBs and banks in the U.S. and the Caribbean.
He is President of S. R. Smith & Associates, Inc.
Peter Abalia – ACAMS
Mr.
Abalia is a retired Special Agent of the IRS Criminal Investigation
Division. As an expert in money laundering investigative techniques,
he participated in all of the major money laundering task forces
in South Florida and Puerto Rico. He was instrumental in developing
a working knowledge of the Black Market Peso Exchange in Colombia
and FinCEN training programs on the BMPE. Since his retirement,
Mr. Abalia has been actively involved in developing and conducting
independent examinations of compliance, AML and training programs
for MSBs and financial institutions in the U.S. and the Caribbean.
He has participated in government sponsored AML training programs.
Peter is fluent in Spanish and President of Abalia & Associates,
Inc.
Saskia
Rietbroek-Garces, CAMS
Saskia
is the only member of our team of Associates who is not a retired
law enforcement agent. She is the former Executive Director of
the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists
(ACAMS). She has worked as an Attorney in the Dutch Embassy in
Lima, Peru. Saskia holds two law degrees, an international MBA,
speaks several languages and is CAMS certified. She is also President
of her own consulting firm as well as participating with Michael
McDonald & Associates, Inc. on a wide range of AML programs
including independent examinations of money services businesses
and foreign banks.