Category: Podcasts

Episode 423 — Detangling Third-Party AI Risks — Legal Liability and Reputational Exposure

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in third-party business operations, companies face a new and largely unexamined compliance challenge: when does a vendor’s use of AI become your legal or reputational problem? In this episode, Michael Volkov unpacks the critical agency principle distinction at the heart of third-party AI risk — explaining how acting third parties who deploy AI on a company’s behalf can create direct...

What Compliance Functions Should You Automate First?

If you want to give your compliance team superpowers, then give them the power of automation. If your compliance program is still operating primarily through spreadsheets, emails, and manual tracking, regulators already view your program as ineffective. Modern compliance risks move too fast for manual systems. You need to have sanction screening, third-party monitoring, transaction testing, hotline analytics, policy certifications, and training program metrics. The...

Episode 422 — The Adani OFAC Settlement and Red Flag Lessons Learned

On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), an India-based multinational, agreed to pay $275 million to settle 32 apparent violations of Iran-related sanctions — specifically for causing U.S. financial institutions to process approximately $192 million in payments for liquified petroleum gas (LPG) that originated from Iran, not from Oman or Iraq as represented...

How Do Undisclosed Relationships Turn Into Major Corruption Cases?

The biggest cases of corruption and fraud often have their roots in the soil of conflicts of interest. Many major corruption cases begin with something companies initially dismiss as just a conflicts issue. Conflicts of interest though are early warning signs for fraud, bribery, procurement manipulation, favoritism, and self-dealing. Weak disclosure systems allow undisclosed relationships, hidden ownership interests, and vendor manipulation. Effective programs require annual...

Episode 421 — The Dangers of AI Inaccuracy — Why Human Verification Is Non-Negotiable

Artificial intelligence tools remind us every day that they can make mistakes — but in the rush to embrace AI’s extraordinary capabilities, the professional and compliance communities are not taking that warning seriously enough. In this episode, Michael Volkov draws on his own extensive experience in compliance, white-collar defense, and corporate governance to examine the real and serious dangers of AI inaccuracy in high-stakes professional...

Are Your Distributors Getting You Into Sanctions Trouble?

Are you ready to navigate the risky waters of third-party pirates? Most sanctions violations do not happen because companies intentionally want to evade and violate sanctions. They happen because companies trust the wrong third party. The epsilon and elf enforcement matters, which I frequently speak about, demonstrate that companies get in trouble when they have weak distributor oversight, poor intermediary screening, inadequate beneficial ownership review,...

Episode 420 – DOJ Announces New West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force 

The Department of Justice has announced a new West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, signaling an expansion of federal enforcement efforts targeting health care fraud, telemedicine schemes, kickback arrangements, and technology-enabled billing misconduct. In this episode, Michael Volkov examines DOJ’s evolving enforcement strategy, including the growing use of data analytics and AI-driven investigations, increased scrutiny of private equity-backed health care entities, and heightened expectations...

Episode 419 — Polymarket Insider Trading Charges Illustrate DOJ and CFTC Prediction Markets Enforcement Strategy

Recent insider trading charges connected to Polymarket highlight the Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s evolving enforcement strategy toward prediction markets and digital trading platforms. In this episode, Michael Volkov analyzes how regulators are applying traditional insider trading, fraud, and market manipulation theories to emerging event-based trading ecosystems. Michael also explores the growing compliance expectations for prediction market operators, including surveillance systems, AML...

Episode 418 — European Union Gives Final Approval to Landmark Anti-Corruption Directive

The European Union has formally approved its landmark Anti-Corruption Directive, creating the first comprehensive EU-wide anti-corruption framework. In this episode, Michael Volkov examines the Directive’s major provisions, including harmonized corruption offenses, expanded corporate liability, turnover-based penalties, whistleblower protections, and increased compliance expectations for multinational companies. Michael also discusses practical implications for compliance programs, third-party risk management, investigations procedures, and cross-border enforcement coordination as organizations prepare...

Can U.S. Companies Do Business in Venezuela Again?

Venezuela is a tempting new business arena. Many companies assume that Venezuela remained completely off limits. That is no longer accurate, the compliance risks are actually increasing. OFAC has issued new Venezuela related general licenses in 2026 involving oil and gas, petrochemicals, mining, critical minerals, financial services, and contingent investment negotiations. US companies are cautiously re-entering portions of the Venezuelan market under these specific licensing...