Virtual Currencies Compliance Conference (VC3) August 14th NYC

[adub]

The National Money Transmitters Association(NMTA) is putting on VC3. This is definitely going to be a great opportunity to gain insight into the regulators mindset.

Is anyone going? Earlybird pricing is available now through the 11th.

Former FinCEN Director Freis to Address Virtual Currencies Conference

On August 14th, at the New York City Bar Association, former FinCEN Director James H. Freis will address a Virtual Currencies Compliance Conference (VC3) hosted by the National Money Transmitters Association (www.nmta.us).

No one can speak more authoritatively than Mr. Freis, on the federal approach to regulating the new money transfer technologies. Many state regulators will also be in attendance.

The entrepreneurs and investors who have been betting on Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are encouraged to attend, so they may know the regulatory environment they have entered. FinCEN's March 18th Guidance and the California C&Ds have made it clear that government has the virtual currencies squarely on its radar. Will this brave new set of technologies boom, or bust? The answer largely hinges on how well the industry adapts to its regulators.

Virtual Currency entrepreneurs can best get acquainted with their new legal responsibilities by attending this one day crash course and workshop. They will understand more about their federal obligations under the Bank Secrecy and Patriot Acts. They will meet and chat with the experts. Throughout the day's interactive sessions, they will have a chance to ask their questions. They will also learn all about state money transmitter licenses and have a chance to get better acquainted with their state regulators.

Rarely has there been an opportunity for such concentrated compliance learning. For those companies and their regulators, who are already on a steep learning curve about each other's domains, the landscape will become much clearer by day's end.

The day will finish with a cocktail mixer from 5:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

From 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., VC3 attendees who are interested may attend an informal industry discussion of lobbying and self-regulatory strategies, Chaired by Ms Constance Choi of Payward, Inc. and leader of the recently-launched self-regulatory effort, the Digital Asset Transfer Authority (DATA) that has garnered broad support from a large number of important industry players.

Early Bird pricing has been extended to August 11. Call David (917) 921-9529 to see if you qualify for affiliate group discounts.

[MSantori]

I will be a speaker at this event, so at minimum, you can come to throw potatoes 

In all seriousness, I think it will be a good opportunity for digital currency businesses to connect with the money transmitters that have been dealing with this regulation for a long time.

It's also a good opportunity to build agency relationships.

[DeathAndTaxes]

I will be going, you can save $100 by using code "BITCOIN". 
Now only if they accepted Bitcoins.  Maybe the 2014 conference.

[BCB]

 Bitcointalk Discount.  Save $100 on the Early Bird Special**

PAY IN BITCOIN!

https://bitpay.com/cart?id=r0B0BVJvtpYqRX0X7A3pdR6STWqZ3fFVjX-BGn_XcLU=

**Discount expires August 11th.

If you are a miner, run a bitcoin business or are contemplating a bitcoin business you won't want to miss this opportunity to meet and interact with experts, professionals, regulators and Money Transmitters in the Money Service and Money Transmitter space.

Wednesday August 14, 2013
8:00 am - 8:30 pm
The New York City Bar Association
42 West 44th Street
New York City, NY 10036


For More Information Contact
David Landsman
The National Money Transmitters Association
516-829-2742
david@nmta.us


http://nmta.us/site/
VC3 Speaker Faculty Announced
    
   James H. Freis joined Cleary Gottlieb in their Washington Office in 2013 after serving ten years in the U.S. Treasury and at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Jim was Director of FinCEN from 2007 to 2012. There he led the development and enforcement of AML regulations and other financial crimes applicable to a broad range of financial institutions: banks, securities, insurance and money services businesses. He also led the expansion of these regulations to mortgage markets and emerging payment technologies.
   
Judith Rinearson is a partner at Bryan Cave LLP. Ms. Rinearson is a recognized authority in the areas of payment systems, electronic payments, stored value, travelers checks and check processing. She has more than 20 years experience in the financial services industry, particularly in the areas of non-bank money services and payment products. Prior to her tenure with another New York law firm, Ms. Rinearson was group counsel for the American Express Global Travelers Cheque and Prepaid Service Group for more than 10 years.

   Marco Santori is a commercial litigator and business attorney at Nesenoff & Miltenberg, LLP in New York City. His business practice focuses on early-stage companies in the high-technology sector, including web, e-commerce and the burgeoning digital currency spaces. He advises his clients on regulatory matters, including the compliance with and avoidance of money services and securities regulations.
    
    Samuel Rosenthal is chair of Patton Boggs' Government Investigations and Litigation practice group and works out of both the New York and Washington offices. Mr. Rosenthal has more than 30 years of experience in federal litigation and white-collar defense and appellate matters. Before entering private practice, Mr. Rosenthal was employed with the DOJ in Washington, where he served as the chief of the Appellate Section, Criminal Division.

   Jean-Jacques (J) Cabou is a litigator and a partner at Perkins Coie in the firm’s Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. At both the trial and appellate level, J’s principal focus is on defending individuals and corporate entities against criminal and other government investigations, including in civil enforcement proceedings. J has particular experience in white collar matters and is a recognized authority on both state and federal civil forfeiture, seizure, and racketeering laws.

   Juan Llanos is co-founder, EVP and Compliance Officer of Unidos Financial Services, Inc., an innovative financial services and technology provider catering to merchants and under-banked end consumers in the US. He is responsible for the formulation and execution of the company’s technology strategy, as well as its AML and compliance risk management infrastructure. Previously, he was Chief Compliance Officer of Remesas Quisqueyana, Inc. in New York City. He is a member of the Bitcoin Foundation's Regulatory Affairs Committee, and writes about risk and virtual currencies in his blog ContrarianCompliance.com.
    
   Robert Pargac is the Director of Global Investigations and Compliance at Navigant Consulting. He is a lawyer and an MBA. His prior experience includes posts at 247 Card, Sigue Corporation and Western Union. He has significant international financial institution experience, and specializes in AML/CTF, OFAC, FCPA and white-collar defense, among many other areas.

   Connie Fenchel has graciously agreed to serve as Program Manager for VC3 (2013). Ms. Fenchel has a broad range of law enforcement, regulatory and management expertise in the areas of regulatory compliance, financial crimes and customs violations comprised of over 30 years of government and private sector experience. She is president of AML Experts, Inc., an independent consulting firm specializing in anti-money laundering, the Bank Secrecy Act and customs matters.

   David Landsman is an administrator who has worked his entire career in money transfer and specializes in BSA/AML compliance and state licensing. Executive Director of the National Money Transmitters Association since 2004, he has made strides in organizing the industry, promoting the image of licensed money transmitters and defending the industry’s right to maintain bank accounts.

[Stephen Gornick]

The National Money Transmitters Association(NMTA) is putting on VC3.

The second (annual) VC3 is August 13th, 2014  (and a training day is the day beore, August 12th, 2014):

National Money Transmitters Association, Inc.
12 Welwyn Road, Suite C
Great Neck, New York 11021
(516) 829-2742

May 14, 2014
 
Dear Colleague,
 
We are excited to announce the 2nd annual Virtual Currencies Compliance Conference ("VC3-2014") to be held on August 13th 2014. The setting once again will be the beautiful New York City Bar Association building, located in Midtown Manhattan, so please mark your calendar!
 
VC3 was created last year to provide an overview of the US regulatory landscape for those virtual currency firms FinCEN had recently dubbed "money transmitters." We thought those firms might have a lot of questions about the new legal environment they had just entered. In the time that has passed since then, the large number of regulatory inquiries that we receive almost daily, confirm how true that conjecture turned out to be.
 
This year, VC3-2014 will drill down further, focusing on getting practical advice to those who need it. We will explore ways start-ups can succeed, in spite of the many compliance challenges they face. We will look at:
Doing "Remote KYC" - Most virtual currencies firms will be doing business on the web, and so will have to get to know their customers with no face-to-face, in-person interaction. We will examine the methods available, the choices that firms must make, and analyze the trade-offs involved.
Designing the Operation - All money transmitters must create and administer compliance programs that are reasonably designed to detect, prevent and report money laundering. We will look at exactly what that entails for virtual currency firms, and the systems and controls they must build.
Complying With Legal and Regulatory Requirements - There is sometime confusion and concern - even for regulators - when money transmitter requirements are applied to the virtual currency realm. Selling virtual currencies is a unique form of money transmission, radically unlike any other. It demands that we implement - and sometimes invent - procedures that adapt to existing norms, with as little friction as possible.  
The importance of a knowledgeable compliance officer who knows how to automate compliance
Best practices for setting and enforcing dollar thresholds
How software and transaction monitoring should be set up for virtual currencies
How regulatory compliance can bring trust and legitimacy to the industry
An investor's perspective on the importance of compliance
Prepaid access regulations and compliance as they relate to virtual currency operations
We are getting an earlier start than we did last year, so we want to hear from you: we want to know what topics you think are most pressing, where you believe the most danger - and the most opportunity - will come from. If you are interested in participating, or if you have any thoughts or ideas you would like to share, please contact me or VC3's Event Coordinator, Brian Nelson, at bnelson@nmta.us. Speaking and sponsorship opportunities are available.
 
As a completely separate event, I will be giving an all-day class on general AML compliance topics on August 12, 2014, the day before VC3. Sign-up forms for both events will be up next week.
 
I look forward to greeting you at VC3-2014, in August!
 
Regards,
 
-David

[Edit: Adub, would you update the title on this post, and the OP, or should this 2014 event go in its own thread?]

[adub]

new thread.

[LostDutchman]

Inviting government control of Bitcon.

I hear the Silence of The Lambs.