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Constantine Lizas
D: (202) 975-9780  
CLizas@HarrisBeach.com

Constantine P. Lizas

  Member

(202) 975-9780  |
  CLizas@HarrisBeach.com
“The financial system is going through a transformational change with blockchain, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and new laws and regulations. My extensive anti-money laundering and litigation experience helps banks, fintechs and other financial institutions navigate that change.”
  • Federal Financial Regulators Issue Warnings About Russian Sanction Evasion Attempts
Profile
Representative Matters
Professional and Civic
Areas of Experience
Admissions
Education
Location

Constantine advises financial services clients on Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML), digital currency, blockchain, and other banking regulatory issues before the federal banking agencies and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN.)  He also uses his extensive experience as a former federal and state prosecutor to advise companies and individuals in government investigations and enforcement matters. Constantine’s unique regulatory and litigation background provides a strong foundation to assist clients in addressing compliance and litigation risk and in defending companies and individuals facing government scrutiny.

As the FDIC's Lead Counsel for BSA/AML matters, Constantine regularly provided legal advice and analysis on emerging issues such as suspicious activity reporting, customer identification programs, blockchain, digital currency, Bitcoin ATMs, and marijuana-related banking.  Constantine also helped implement the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, the most significant update to the government’s anti-money laundering legal framework since 2001.  This new act will result in new bank regulations for BSA/AML compliance programs, customer due diligence and beneficial ownership reporting.  He regularly coordinated matters with the Federal Reserve, FinCEN, National Credit Union Association (NCUA) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). 

At the FDIC, Constantine co-led the investigation into systemic BSA/AML violations at a large international financial institution that resulted in a $140 million civil money penalty. 

Prior to his time at the FDIC, Constantine served as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice working in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.  There, he led a long-term investigation of payment processing fraud at a major U.S. institution, resulting in a deferred prosecution agreement and a $160 million forfeiture. He also investigated anti-money laundering compliance failures involving public corruption, and partnered with the Fraud Section and the Organized Crime and Gang Section on separate occasions to prosecute money laundering and healthcare fraud in South Florida health care clinics.

Constantine also has experience at the state level, serving as an Assistant State’s Attorney for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office in Rockville, Maryland. Across his time in government, Constantine litigated 21 state and two federal criminal jury trials.

Admitted in Maryland only. Practice in the District of Columbia limited either consistent with Rule 49(c) of the Rules of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals or subject to the supervision of a D.C. Bar member.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS + SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • “FinCEN Alerts On Sanctions Evasion Signal Shifting Approach,” Law360, March 2022
  • “Federal Financial Regulators Issue Warnings About Russian Sanction Evasion Attempts,” Harris Beach Legal Alert, March 2022
  • 2021 University of North Carolina Center for Banking and Finance, What’s the Buzz: Current Trends and Supervisory Expectations in Cannabis and Hemp Banking
  • 2020 FFIEC BSA/AML Specialists Conference, Case Study: Banamex USA
  • 2020 DOJ’s Advanced AML Training, Columbia, S.C., Payment Options – The New Frontier
  • 2019 Mid-Sized Bank Coalition of America, Dallas, TX, Interagency BSA/AML Regulatory Reform Update
  • 2018 FDIC/DOJ Financial Crimes Conference, Arlington, VA, FDIC’s Investigation of Banamex USA
  • 2016 ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, Trends in Personal Liability for In-House Compliance Professionals
  • Homeland Security Investigations Mid-Atlantic Anti-Money Laundering Conference, Washington, D.C., Liability of Bank Compliance Officers for BSA Violations, 2014

Professional and Civic

  • Security Clearance: Eligible; Obtained favorable background investigation.

Recognition

  • U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award, 2008
  • U.S. Department of Justice Meritorious Award, 2009 and 2010
  • Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Financial Investigations Seminar, Chicago, IL, Instructor, 2010
  • FBI Special Recognition Award, 2011
  • FDIC Individual Mission Achievement Award, annually 2016-2020
  • Alliance for Innovative Regulation’s TechSprints on AML and Blockchain, Winning Team Member, Washington, D.C., 2019 and 2020

Legal Practices

Government Compliance and Investigations

Industry Teams

Blockchain and Digital Assets
Cannabis
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets
Racing and Gaming

Maryland

The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law

JD
1999

University of Michigan

MS
1996

Gettysburg College

BA
1993
Washington, D.C. Office
All Insights, All Publications, Legal Alert |
 March 14, 2022
Federal Financial Regulators Issue Warnings About Russian Sanction Evasion Attempts
With the imposition of sweeping new sanctions on Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine, federal financial regulators are issu...read more
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(866) 999-0659

Constantine P. Lizas

CLizas@HarrisBeach.com
D: (202) 975-9780
Washington, D.C. Office
Constantine Lizas
https://www.harrisbeach.com/people/lizas-constantine-p/

■ Areas of Expertise

Government Compliance and Investigations Legal Practice
Blockchain and Digital Assets Industry Team
Cannabis Industry Team
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets Industry Team
Racing and Gaming Industry Team

■ Profile

Constantine advises financial services clients on Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML), digital currency, blockchain, and other banking regulatory issues before the federal banking agencies and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN.)  He also uses his extensive experience as a former federal and state prosecutor to advise companies and individuals in government investigations and enforcement matters. Constantine’s unique regulatory and litigation background provides a strong foundation to assist clients in addressing compliance and litigation risk and in defending companies and individuals facing government scrutiny.

As the FDIC's Lead Counsel for BSA/AML matters, Constantine regularly provided legal advice and analysis on emerging issues such as suspicious activity reporting, customer identification programs, blockchain, digital currency, Bitcoin ATMs, and marijuana-related banking.  Constantine also helped implement the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, the most significant update to the government’s anti-money laundering legal framework since 2001.  This new act will result in new bank regulations for BSA/AML compliance programs, customer due diligence and beneficial ownership reporting.  He regularly coordinated matters with the Federal Reserve, FinCEN, National Credit Union Association (NCUA) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). 

At the FDIC, Constantine co-led the investigation into systemic BSA/AML violations at a large international financial institution that resulted in a $140 million civil money penalty. 

Prior to his time at the FDIC, Constantine served as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice working in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.  There, he led a long-term investigation of payment processing fraud at a major U.S. institution, resulting in a deferred prosecution agreement and a $160 million forfeiture. He also investigated anti-money laundering compliance failures involving public corruption, and partnered with the Fraud Section and the Organized Crime and Gang Section on separate occasions to prosecute money laundering and healthcare fraud in South Florida health care clinics.

Constantine also has experience at the state level, serving as an Assistant State’s Attorney for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office in Rockville, Maryland. Across his time in government, Constantine litigated 21 state and two federal criminal jury trials.

Admitted in Maryland only. Practice in the District of Columbia limited either consistent with Rule 49(c) of the Rules of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals or subject to the supervision of a D.C. Bar member.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS + SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • “FinCEN Alerts On Sanctions Evasion Signal Shifting Approach,” Law360, March 2022
  • “Federal Financial Regulators Issue Warnings About Russian Sanction Evasion Attempts,” Harris Beach Legal Alert, March 2022
  • 2021 University of North Carolina Center for Banking and Finance, What’s the Buzz: Current Trends and Supervisory Expectations in Cannabis and Hemp Banking
  • 2020 FFIEC BSA/AML Specialists Conference, Case Study: Banamex USA
  • 2020 DOJ’s Advanced AML Training, Columbia, S.C., Payment Options – The New Frontier
  • 2019 Mid-Sized Bank Coalition of America, Dallas, TX, Interagency BSA/AML Regulatory Reform Update
  • 2018 FDIC/DOJ Financial Crimes Conference, Arlington, VA, FDIC’s Investigation of Banamex USA
  • 2016 ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, Trends in Personal Liability for In-House Compliance Professionals
  • Homeland Security Investigations Mid-Atlantic Anti-Money Laundering Conference, Washington, D.C., Liability of Bank Compliance Officers for BSA Violations, 2014

■ Professional and Civic

  • Security Clearance: Eligible; Obtained favorable background investigation.

■ Admissions

  • U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award, 2008
  • U.S. Department of Justice Meritorious Award, 2009 and 2010
  • Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Financial Investigations Seminar, Chicago, IL, Instructor, 2010
  • FBI Special Recognition Award, 2011
  • FDIC Individual Mission Achievement Award, annually 2016-2020
  • Alliance for Innovative Regulation’s TechSprints on AML and Blockchain, Winning Team Member, Washington, D.C., 2019 and 2020

■ Education

The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law
 ,JD
 ,1999
University of Michigan
 ,MS
 ,1996
Gettysburg College
 ,BA
 ,1993

Harris Beach and its subsidiaries provide a full range of legal and professional services for clients across New York state, as well as nationally and internationally. Harris Beach is among the country’s top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal and is among the BTI Elite law firms based on in-depth interviews of more than 600 corporate counsel at the world’s largest and most influential companies. Our clients include Fortune 100 corporations, privately-held companies, emerging businesses, public sector entities, not-for-profit organizations and individuals. Principal industries we represent include education, energy, financial, food and beverage, health care, insurance, manufacturing, medical and life sciences, real estate developers, and state and local governments and authorities.

Industry Teams
Automotive and Vehicle Dealerships
Cannabis
Construction and Surety
Educational Institutions Higher Ed
Educational Institutions K-12
EMS and Fire Protection Providers
Energy
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets
Food and Beverage
Health Care
Industrial and Consumer Manufacturing
Medical and Life Sciences
Municipalities and Local Agencies
Nanotechnology
Photonics
Racing and Gaming
Real Estate Developers
Science and Technology
Telecommunications and Media
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
USA Collegiate Sports
Veterinary Medicine

Practices
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Appellate
Business and Commercial Litigation
Collection Law
Commercial Real Estate
Corporate
Cybersecurity Protection and Response
Diversity Compliance
E-Discovery (e-infoSM)
Employee Benefits
Employment Litigation
Environmental Law
Financial Restructuring, Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights
Government Compliance and Investigations
Health Law
Immigration Law
Insurance Coverage
Intellectual Property Law
International Trade Law
Internet Law
Labor and Employment Law
Mass Torts and Industry-Wide Litigation
New Markets Tax Credit
Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law
Product Liability and Comprehensive General Liability
Public Finance and Economic Development
Real Property Valuation Litigation
Residential Real Estate
Sports Law
Tax Law
White Collar Crime
Wills, Trusts and Estates

Consulting Services
HB Solutions LLC
Collegiate Sports Compliance
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
Economic Development and Public Affairs
Educational Institution Assistance
EMRG® (E-Discovery Management Resources Group)
Energy
Health and Human Services
Human Resources
Information Technology
Marketing and Communication Services
Municipal and Local Agency Assistance

HB Cornerstone LLC
Owner Representation
Design Services
Facilities Consulting
Move Management

Caetra.io
CyMetric (Cybersecurity Regulation Compliance Software)

Offices throughout New York:

Albany
677 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
518-427-9700

Buffalo
726 Exchange Street
Buffalo, NY 14210
716-200-5050

Ithaca
119 East Seneca Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-273-6444

Long Island
333 Earle Ovington Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11553
516-880-8484

New York City
100 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005
212-687-0100

Rochester
99 Garnsey Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
585-419-8800

Saratoga Springs
513 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
518-587-0551

Syracuse
333 West Washington Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
315-423-7100

White Plains
445 Hamilton Avenue
White Plains, NY 10601
914-683-1200

Offices also in:

New Haven, CT
195 Church Street
New Haven, CT 06510
203-784-3159

Newark, NJ
One Gateway Center
Newark, NJ 07102
973-848-1244

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
© 2022 Harris Beach PLLC

Content current as of May 25, 2022 9:30 pm
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