A Quick Start Guide to Adverse Media Screening

by Apr 30, 2025

Meet Jamie—a compliance officer at a U.S. financial services firm regulated by FinCEN, FINRA, and the SEC. Jamie knows the stakes: missing adverse media about a potential client could lead to fines, reputational damage, or worse. But performing these checks manually often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here’s how Jamie’s experience shifts when using iComply’s AML solution.

Manual Adverse Media Screening: A Complex Process

To comply with regulatory expectations, Jamie manually searches online articles, government reports, and social media for red flags like fraud, money laundering, or corruption. Each platform requires tweaking keywords and combing through endless irrelevant hits.

  • Overwhelming Data: Vast amounts of news, blogs, and public records make it easy to miss critical insights.
  • Time-Consuming Tasks: Cross-referencing names with sanctions lists, PEP databases, and legal filings means hours—sometimes days—of effort.
  • Risk of Outdated Info: By the time Jamie compiles findings, new updates might surface, requiring a re-check.

Even after all that, Jamie still has to organize the findings into an audit-ready report for internal review and potential regulatory inspections.

Adverse Media Screening with iComply: A Seamless Workflow

With iComply’s AML platform, Jamie’s adverse media screening becomes faster and more reliable:

  • Real-Time Data Collection: iComply automatically pulls global news, blogs, and regulatory announcements in seconds—including U.S. and international media sources.
  • AI-Driven Precision: Advanced machine learning filters out irrelevant results, significantly reducing false positives while prioritizing high-risk alerts.
  • Automated Cross-Checks: The system compares findings against global watchlists, sanctions databases, and adverse media archives automatically—no manual entry needed.
  • Instant Reports: With one click, Jamie generates a comprehensive, audit-ready report with risk scores, dates, and classifications.

This streamlined process helps Jamie stay compliant with FinCEN’s AML rules, FINRA’s due diligence standards, and the SEC’s anti-fraud requirements—all without the manual guesswork.

The iComply Advantage

For Jamie, manually compiling adverse media reports used to take hours and left room for human error. With iComply, it takes minutes. The result? Faster compliance checks, reduced risks, and more time for strategic oversight.

Is your compliance team ready to simplify adverse media screening? iComply’s AML solution empowers financial institutions to meet FinCEN, FINRA, and SEC standards while making compliance faster, smarter, and more secure. Let’s make it happen.

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Vaidyanathan Chandrashekhar

Vaidyanathan Chandrashekhar

Advisors

“Chandy,” is a technology and risk expert with executive experience at Boston Consulting Group, Citi, and PwC. With over two decades in financial services, digital transformation, and enterprise risk, he advises iComply on scalable compliance infrastructure for global markets.
Thomas Linder

Thomas Linder

Advisors

Thomas is a global tax and compliance expert with deep specialization in digital assets, blockchain, and tokenization. As a partner at MME Legal | Tax | Compliance, he advises iComply on regulatory strategy, cross-border compliance, and digital finance innovation.
Thomas Hardjono

Thomas Hardjono

Advisors

Thomas is a renowned identity and cybersecurity expert, serving as CTO of Connection Science at MIT. With deep expertise in decentralized identity, zero trust, and secure data exchange, he advises iComply on cutting-edge technology and privacy-first compliance architecture.
Rodney Dobson

Rodney Dobson

Advisors

Rodney is the former President of ADP Canada and international executive with over two decades of leadership in global HR and enterprise technology. He advises iComply with deep expertise in international service delivery, M&A, and scaling high-growth operations across regulated markets.
Praveen Mandal

Praveen Mandal

Advisors

Praveen is a serial entrepreneur and technology innovator, known for leadership roles at Lucent Bell Labs, ChargePoint, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator. He advises iComply on advanced computing, scalable infrastructure, and the intersection of AI, energy, and compliance tech.
Paul Childerhose

Paul Childerhose

Advisors

Paul is a Canadian RegTech leader and founder of Maple Peak Group, with extensive experience in financial services compliance, AML, and digital transformation. He advises iComply on regulatory alignment, operational strategy, and scaling compliance programs in complex markets.
John Engle

John Engle

Advisors

John is a seasoned business executive with senior leadership experience at CIBC, UBS, and Accenture. With deep expertise in investment banking, private equity, and digital transformation, he advises iComply on strategic growth, partnerships, and global market expansion.
Jeff Bandman

Jeff Bandman

Advisors

Jeff is a former CFTC official and globally recognized expert in financial regulation, fintech, and digital assets. As founder of Bandman Advisors, he brings deep insight into regulatory policy, market infrastructure, and innovation to guide iComply’s global compliance strategy.
Greg Pearlman

Greg Pearlman

Advisors

Greg is a seasoned investment banker with over 35 years of experience, including leadership roles at BMO Capital Markets, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup. Greg brings deep expertise in financial strategy and growth to support iComply's expansion in the RegTech sector.
Deven Sharma

Deven Sharma

Advisors

Deven is the former President of S&P and a globally respected authority in risk, data, and capital markets. With decades of leadership across financial services and tech, he advises iComply on strategic growth, governance, and the future of trusted data in AML compliance.