2022 Anti-Bribery and Corruption Report
Jun 06, 2022

Michael Ferguson is a director in the Compliance Risk and Diligence practice based in the New York office. Michael leverages significant experience in advising clients worldwide on numerous compliance related due diligence matters and other aspects of compliance programs, bringing impactful and valuable insight to their challenges via his extensive international and domestic investigative work.
Prior to joining Kroll, Michael served a distinguished 28-year career with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where he recently held the position of Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Division. In this role, Michael was responsible for all enforcement and administrative operations, overseeing the activities of DEA, state and local law enforcement personnel assigned to the six New England states. With regards to anti-money laundering (AML) and threat finance (TF), he led and directed investigations targeting organizations involved with terrorism finance as designated by the U.S. State Department and the OFAC.
From a compliance perspective, Michael oversaw the annual budget and audit review of all programs and organizational business lines associated with the 16 offices, within the New England Field Division. Additionally, he led the organization’s pharmaceutical and chemical diversion program, to ensure all DEA registrants were in full compliance with federal laws stated in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) Code of Federal Regulations. Michael managed criminal and civil investigations regarding DEA registrant medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists and both pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers and distributors. He ensured federal compliance considering the record number of licit/illicit/counterfeit opioid pain pill and drug-related overdose deaths throughout New England. In addition, he coordinated the DEA’s enforcement efforts with other federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors as well as directed community outreach programs dedicated to educating teens and adults about the dangers of opioid use. He established an intelligence-driven targeting model to combat counterfeit/illicit opioid pain pill-related deaths throughout New England. Michael also presented on numerous high-profile roundtable conferences and symposiums, to educate and collaborate on the best practices to prevent and inhibit further drug overdose deaths.
Michael is a retired senior executive service member of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), with significant experience leading individuals and directing sensitive, complex and confidential global and multi-national law enforcement operations. Michael led investigations to develop evidence that could be utilized in the judicial process to bring to trial and convict members of transnational organized crime syndicates.
Michael advises clients on the benefits of conducting third party due diligence on their vendors, distributors, customers, investment partners and high wealth clients. He also informs clients about the advantages of sanction screening and properly vetting key business and investment partners for a merger and acquisition or an initial public offering. Michael possesses significant subject matter expertise in the areas of AML, TF, anti-bribery and corruption (ABC), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), know your customer (KYC), compliance programs, sanctions screenings, enhanced due diligence, ultimate beneficial ownership, source of wealth, incident response and overall risk management. He regularly assists in the creation of risk-based compliance and due diligence programs for clients that meet a variety of regulatory obligations. He works with clients to protect their reputational risk and avoid regulatory actions, by helping them understand the risks involved in their transactions. Michael’s clients then make informed decisions about the expansion of their business, regardless of the jurisdiction.
Michael has conducted numerous press conferences on behalf of the DEA’s New England Field Division. He has also been interviewed frequently on network news stations such as CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, FOX and New England Cable News and by publications like the Boston Globe and Washington Post.
Complying with anti-money laundering and anti-bribery and corruption regulations.