Treasury anti-money laundering chief Andrea Gacki to join Citi as sanctions head

Andrea Gacki, the Treasury official who led the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network since 2023, was set to join Citigroup as its global head of sanctions. The move puts one of Washington’s most senior anti-money-laundering officials at the center of a bank business line that has become increasingly strategic as U.S. sanctions reach deeper into global finance.

FinCEN says its mission is to safeguard the financial system from illicit activity, counter money laundering and terrorism financing, and promote national security through financial authorities and financial intelligence. Gacki’s background fits that brief closely: Treasury materials identify her as a sanctions expert and note that she previously directed the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the office that administers U.S. sanctions policy.

Citigroup quickly signaled that it sees the hire as a major win. Brent McIntosh, the bank’s general counsel, praised Gacki on LinkedIn and said few leaders can match her depth of experience in sanctions and financial crime. Citi is bringing in a veteran of the exact regulatory machinery that now shapes how major banks screen clients, police payments and decide which cross-border relationships are worth the risk.

The appointment lands at a moment when sanctions enforcement remains one of Washington’s sharpest financial tools. Treasury removed 84 companies and people from its sanctions lists on July 27 as part of a broader effort to streamline the programs and make them more effective, a reminder that the system is constantly being adjusted even as it expands. Banks must keep up with changes tied to Russia, Iran, cybercrime, organized crime and other national-security targets, and mistakes can trigger fines, reputational damage and limits on business.

Gacki’s move also illustrates the revolving door between regulators and Wall Street in an area where expertise is hard to replace. OCCRP said she would be the second top anti-money-laundering regulator in five years to leave government for Citibank, highlighting how valuable deep knowledge of enforcement expectations has become. In an era when geopolitical risk is now a daily compliance issue, banks are recruiting leaders who know how regulators think before the next designation lands.