Clear perspectives on financial crime and digital assets
Keynotes, panels and private briefings for organisations navigating AML/CFT, financial-crime risk and emerging technologies.
Crypto-enabled financial crime
Trends, typologies and real-world cases shaping illicit use of digital assets.
AML/CFT, reporting and suspicious activity
Effective frameworks, controls and reporting in a risk-based environment.
Digital asset investigations and asset recovery
Investigative approaches, tracing techniques and pathways to recovery.
Public-private cooperation
Building information-sharing partnerships that enhance collective resilience.
Regulatory change and emerging technology
Navigating evolving rules and the opportunities and risks of innovation.
Trusted to speak at:
Michael spoke at Common S3nse in Amsterdam on 4-5 September, during Cypherpunk Week. Common S3nse brought together conversations on privacy, security and decentralisation in the crypto ecosystem.
His session examined how prosecutors and investigators approach matters involving privacy-enhancing technologies, including mixers, self-custody, and DeFi protocols. It also considered the evidential challenges that may arise when attempting to attribute activity, establish knowledge or intent, and explain complex technical systems fairly and accurately in a courtroom.
A recurring theme during the conference was the determination of many developers to build tools that maximise privacy while still engaging constructively with the evolving regulatory environment, including MiCA.
Conversations ranged widely: privacy-enhancing communications, zero-knowledge proofs, ERC-20 and ERC-7984, ERC-5564, ENS-based borrowing, Bitcoin’s forking history, and decentralised mesh messaging using long-range radio. There was a consistent commitment to individual autonomy, open-source development, freedom of expression and the proposition that privacy can lead to better outcomes.
Thank you to everyone who attended Michael’s session, contributed questions and took the time to connect. He looks forward to continuing these discussions and fostering greater collaboration across the space.
Common S3nse in Amsterdam on 4-5 September
In June 2026, on behalf of the Council of Europe, Michael attended the Regional Conference on Money in Politics 2026 in Chișinău. The conference brought together representatives from across the region to share ideas and strengthen cooperation at the intersection of virtual money, political finance and democratic resilience.
Michael spoke on “Following the Virtual Money – Cryptocurrencies, Fintech, and a Revolution in Political Finance Oversight”, alongside Daniel Leu (CyCoe, Romania), Oleksiy Feshchenko (UNDP), Alexandru Secrieru (National Bank of Moldova), and Alfred Zammit (MONEYVAL), expertly moderated by Skye Christensen (UNDP).
During the discussion, the panel explored how EMBs, FIUs and law enforcement can improve detection, referral and disruption as changing payment flows and developing technology reshape political funding risks.
Regional Conference on Money in Politics 2026 - Chișinău
In June 2026, Michael had the pleasure of attending NFC Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. NFC Summit is the world’s first Web3 pop culture festival. The event was set against beautiful sunshine and an excellent venue.
Michael joined Alexandre Phan and John on a panel discussing European regulatory approaches, including the taxation of unrealised crypto gains, in addition to the ongoing challenges around AML risks and NFT-related scams.
NFC Summit 2026 - Lisbon
Workshop discussing tools and mechanisms to prevent and combat fraud in procurement - Baku, Azerbaijan
Earlier this year, Michael supported a Council of Europe activity in Baku on strengthening safeguards against fraud and corruption in public procurement.
The workshop brought together procurement practitioners, auditors and anti‑corruption specialists to discuss practical tools for detecting red flags, improving transparency and coordinating more effectively with investigators and prosecutors.
The discussions underlined how procurement controls, financial investigation and case‑building need to work together if institutions are serious about preventing losses, not just reacting after the event.
It was a useful reminder that procurement fraud risks are rarely isolated: they intersect with organised crime, money laundering and broader governance failures, and they demand a genuinely multidisciplinary response.
Crypto law enforcement training - Skopje, North Macedonia
Earlier this year in Skopje, Michael and a co-trainer concluded a two-part Council of Europe training on investigating and prosecuting money laundering and terrorist financing linked to virtual assets, under the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
The programme aimed to strengthen the operational and analytical capabilities of law enforcement agencies in tackling ML/TF cases involving virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). They covered topics including regulatory frameworks, risk indicators, blockchain tracing, and investigative techniques.
Participants included representatives from North Macedonia’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Asset Recovery Office, the Financial Police, Ministry of Interior, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Prosecution of Organised Crime and Corruption.
In November 2025, Michael visited Armenia to participate in a conference co-organised by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Armenia, the Council of Europe, and the European Union, commemorating the 107th anniversary of the Armenian Prosecutor’s Office.
The conference focused on fostering dialogue around European standards and best practices to ensure prosecutorial independence, particularly in politically sensitive cases, and to promote international cooperation in addressing challenges to the rule of law.
Independence and Impartiality of Prosecutors in the Context of Public Prosecution of Officials Who Committed Crimes: Corruption and Money Laundering - Armenia
On behalf of the Council of Europe’s Economic Crime and Cooperation Division, Michael had the honour of contributing to a discussion on international experiences and best practices in investigating crimes involving virtual assets. This was part of the Council of Europe/EU project “Enhancing anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing and asset recovery regime in Ukraine.” His input focused on parallel virtual asset investigations.
Enhancing anti-money laundering, counter terrorist financing and asset recovery regime in Ukraine
This project, supported by the Council of Europe, focused on enhancing the role and position of financial forensic experts within the Serbian prosecution system.
Michael completed a technical paper as part of a needs assessment mission. He subsequently delivered a workshop presenting the findings. Several key areas of improvement were identified, including clarifying the distinction between financial forensic experts and other financial consultants, establishing robust operating procedures, enhancing resources, providing specialised training, and harmonising judicial practices.
Enhancing the role of financial forensic experts within the Serbian prosecution - Belgrade
On 20 November, Michael spoke at the 4th Annual Economic Crime & Compliance Symposium, where discussed "Developing international standards in managing financial crime risk with Digital Assets and Currencies".
The symposium was well organised and filled with enlightening discussions. There were opportunities to learn from the diverse perspectives shared by attendees. Participants asked insightful questions, and provided valuable feedback.
ETH Belgrade, described as “the most welcoming conference”, was an incredible learning opportunity, well attended by developers and hackers. The conference agenda was packed with interesting talks, covering a wide range of topics such as NFT metadata attacks, privacy-protecting technology, self-sovereign applications, cross-chain DeFi super dApps, DePIN, Ethereum lightweight identity, Web3 implementation on wireless infrastructure, ZK proofs, blockchain and gaming, soft liquidations, Eigenlayer, Web3 challenges, Venus oracles, Verkle trees, blockchain voting, and more.
Credit to the organisers for putting on a great event. The attendees served as a reminder that the cryptospace has many passionate, dedicated, and intelligent individuals working to improve the ecosystem. Michael hopes that his input helped spark discussions on how we might cooperate to minimise the risk of bad actors in the space.
Michael had the privilege of representing the Council of Europe's Economic Crime and Cooperation Division at a conference in Vilnius. The event, part of the "Strengthening Risk-Based AML/CFT Supervision in Lithuania" initiative, brought together experts from 23 jurisdictions to discuss crucial challenges in AML and CFT supervision for DNFBPs and VASPs.
Discussions focused on enhancing sector-specific measures and fostering global cooperation to effectively combat financial crimes. Michael actively participated in these discussions and delivered the closing presentation on “Links between VASPs and DNFBPs with a view to their potential abuse for ML/TF”.
Held during Lithuania's presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, the conference emphasised the importance of international collaboration in addressing financial crimes. The sentiment was highlighted by Vice-Minister Arnoldas Abramavičius in his opening remarks.
Strengthening Risk-Based AML/CFT Supervision in Lithuania
NFC Lisbon was a vibrant conference which featured insightful talks delivered by passionate speakers. Lisbon's beautiful architecture, fresh air, and excellent weather were bonuses! Many interesting projects are advancing in the Web3 space, which has tremendous scope for inclusivity and innovation. Expect to see NFTs prevail in gaming and fashion, modular NFTs, avatars evolving in-game, AR and spatial computing, and more inscriptions on the Bitcoin blockchain.
Credit to BananaCorp and the Tiny Vikings for hosting enjoyable side events that brought together a diverse mix of passionate crypto enthusiasts from various backgrounds and countries. It’s understandable why so many crypto natives describe NFC Lisbon as a top Web3 event!
NFC Lisbon - 2024
Michael delivered a keynote speech at Chain Conference 2024, where he shared insights on "Financial Crime in the Digital Age: Strategies for Prosecuting and Preventing Crypto-Enabled Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing," highlighting the evolving landscape of financial security in the crypto space. Several attendees posed thought-provoking questions following the talk.
The conference offered fantastic opportunities to make new connections with fellow crypto enthusiasts and to gain valuable insights into the Turkish blockchain industry. Hopefully we can continue to advance blockchain technology and foster international collaboration!
Bananconf 2024 - Tallinn
BananaConf 2024 was an excellent event and showed how public and private can successfully and effectively collaborate in the crypto space. The organisers’ choice of venue was impressive; the site’s unique design and atmosphere created an unforgettable experience.
The discussion and debate panels tended to balance a varied mix of participants’ respective backgrounds, ideas and experiences.
At both the conference and side events, the vibes were nothing short of open and welcoming. The hospitality was superb throughout, and the conference fostered an environment where diverse perspectives were celebrated and shared.
NFT.NYC 2024 successfully brought together crypto enthusiasts from various specialisms to discuss and share ideas about NFTs. The event's program spanned across eight tracks: AI, Art, Brands, Community, Entertainment, Future, Gaming, and Legal. Credit to the organisers for putting together such a comprehensive program!
During the conference, Michael was particularly inspired by the multitude of musicians and artists who are embracing NFT technology in their respective fields. It is evident that NFTs hold immense potential across various industries.
It is crucial not to view NFTs solely through the lens of past market cycles. Web3 is maturing, driven by passionate crypto natives who are tirelessly working to enhance the space. The NFT industry is evolving rapidly, with new use cases emerging constantly. The intersection between AI and blockchain is important to focus on; the potential applications at the convergence of these two technologies are genuinely remarkable.
Crypto Expo Europe was an exceptional event. Michael was honoured to connect with numerous passionate crypto pioneers and gain intriguing insights into transitioning Web2 users to Web3. During discussions with fellow crypto professionals, Michael was introduced to exciting projects in the crypto space. The dedication and innovative ideas showcased by the Romanian crypto community left a lasting impression on Michael, and it will be exciting to witness the blockchain developments emerging from the country.
The palpable sense of excitement at the conference, especially with the Bitcoin price surging during the event, added an extra layer of enthusiasm to an already dynamic atmosphere. Michael was pleased that BlockAML’s project was well received at the conference and garnered significant attention. Crypto Expo Europe provided valuable connections and education that will greatly contribute to BlockAML’s mission in the crypto space.
Michael’s experiences at NFT.NYC 2023 highlighted key trends and upcoming developments in the crypto space. Anticipate significant progress in dynamic NFTs, digital twin NFTs, and omnichain assets that span multiple blockchains.
BlockAML is built on the understanding that NFTs offer many more use cases than pictures of cartoon apes. NFTs are set to play a prominent role in various industries, including music, fashion, ticketing, sports memorabilia, real estate, customer loyalty programs, memberships, art and antiques, high-end fashion, and jewellery.
Special thanks to the DeGods and y00ts communities for their warm welcomes. Interactions with those communities outside the main events provided additional insights and perspectives.
Immersive Learning Experience: NFT.London 2022 provided a unique opportunity to dive into the vibrant world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). From "no code" smart contracts to discussions on IPFS storage, digital real estate, Web3 art galleries, and tips for gas fee efficiencies, the event was a treasure trove of knowledge.
The event’s organisers succeeded in bringing together crypto enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds and industries. The inclusive atmosphere at NFT.London allowed for valuable connections, fostering cooperation and collaboration across the industry. The friendly and down-to-earth atmosphere, coupled with engaging conversations, made the experience unforgettable.
Michael received encouraging positive feedback from industry professionals on the crypto law enforcement strategy he created during his tenure as Jersey’s lead crypto prosecutor.
