Siddharth Patel Akula
AML Analyst
Toronto,ON
Summary
Detail-oriented and analytical AML Analyst with over 3 years of progressive experience in anti-money laundering (AML), financial crime investigations, and regulatory compliance within leading financial institutions. Demonstrated ability to identify suspicious activity, conduct thorough investigations using internal and external data sources, and file Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) in line with FINTRAC regulatory requirements. Proven track record of working with cross-border wire payments, SWIFT message analysis, sanctions screening, and correspondent banking oversight. Skilled in investigative techniques, stakeholder communications, and reporting tools such as Power BI, SQL, and Excel.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
AML Analyst
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
01.2024 - Current
- Investigated high-risk transactions and cross-border wire payments flagged for review through internal monitoring systems and regulatory alerts.
- Reviewed SWIFT messages (MT103/202) for transactional anomalies including unusual originators, jurisdictional risks, and nested account structures.
- Conducted end-to-end investigations, liaised with business units and compliance teams, and submitted well-documented Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) to FINTRAC.
- Validated 60–70 cross-border wire transfers/hour with 98% accuracy while applying AML/ATF compliance checks.
- Ensured timely escalation of cases involving sanctioned entities, PEPs, or correspondent banks operating in high-risk jurisdictions.
- Utilized SQL and Excel to analyze transaction trends and uncover layering or structuring behavior.
- Liaised with compliance teams to ensure appropriate documentation and adherence to evolving AML regulations.
- Identified innovative solutions during testing of control workflows and escalated issues to leadership effectively.
- Utilized MS Office tools to document and communicate risk management strategies.
Agile Flex Operations Officer
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
09.2023 - 12.2023
- Performed financial investigations into client and general ledger discrepancies to determine root causes and assess potential compliance gaps.
- Conducted research and background checks using internal systems and open sources to validate transaction legitimacy.
- Collaborated with the risk and AML teams to refine red flag indicators used in daily transaction surveillance.
- Collaborated on resolution workflows and controls mapping for financial clearing and Canadian Payments Association (CPA) rules.
- Ensured documentation accuracy and compliance with RBC’s internal risk controls and regulatory mandates.
Operations Administrator
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
05.2023 - 08.2023
- Supported the AML operations team by conducting initial screening of payment transactions for fraud and regulatory risks.
- Detected and documented anomalies in cheque imaging and payment processing that suggested potential suspicious activity.
- Maintained a 97% validation accuracy rate, minimizing operational risk and ensuring process transparency.
- Escalated cases aligned with AML typologies including smurfing, trade-based money laundering, and rapid movement of funds.
ML Data Associate
Amazon Development Centre
08.2020 - 01.2022
- Documented internal controls for ML data workflows ensuring adherence to Amazon’s compliance framework.
- Assisted in the validation of financial datasets used in compliance-related ML models for internal audit and regulatory reporting.
- Developed dashboards using Power BI to visualize compliance metrics and STR volumes across business segments.
- Maintained data integrity by conducting regular audits and reconciliations.
- Delivered stakeholder reports for compliance leadership; increased productivity by 20% through reporting enhancements.
Education
Postgraduate Certificate - Business Insights and Analytics
Humber College
Toronto, ON08.2024
Bachelor of Technology - Electronics & Communication Engineering
Kakatiya Institute of Technology and Science
05.2019
Skills
- Compliance & Controls:
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML), ATF & Sanctions Compliance, Investigations & STR Filing
- Financial Crime Compliance (FCC)
- Correspondent Banking & SWIFT Review
- Suspicious Activity Pattern Recognition
- Internal Control Documentation & Testing
- Sanctions Screening & PEP Analysis
- Risk Management & Mitigation
- Transaction Monitoring & Risk Scoring
- Regulatory Reporting (FINTRAC, OSFI)
- People Management & Team Leadership
- MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Certification
AML Compliance Training – RBC Internal Program
Timeline
AML Analyst
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
01.2024 - Current
Agile Flex Operations Officer
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
09.2023 - 12.2023
Operations Administrator
RBC – Royal Bank of Canada
05.2023 - 08.2023
ML Data Associate
Amazon Development Centre
08.2020 - 01.2022
Bachelor of Technology - Electronics & Communication Engineering
Kakatiya Institute of Technology and Science
Postgraduate Certificate - Business Insights and Analytics
Humber College
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