Peggy Herron
Antrim,Antrim
Summary
Senior Financial Crime Investigator with 11 years’ experience across major UK financial institutions and professional services, specialising in fraud investigations, AML/CTF, SAR reporting, and investigative quality assurance. Proven ability to conduct and review routine to complex external financial crime investigations, liaise with law enforcement, and provide coaching and quality oversight to improve investigative outcomes. Extensive hands-on experience using Actimize, World-Check, and enterprise FCRM systems, with a strong understanding of UK regulatory expectations and case quality standards.
Core Competencies
- External Financial Crime Investigations
- Fraud, AML & CTF Investigations
- SAR Writing & Review
- Law Enforcement Liaison
- Investigation Quality Assurance & QC
- Case Review & Decision Validation
- Coaching & Mentoring Investigators
- Stakeholder & Senior Management Reporting
- Regulatory Submissions & Compliance Reporting
- Process Improvement & Investigative Enhancements
Systems & Tools
- Actimize
- World-Check
- LexisNexis
- Cisco FCRM tools
- Enterprise AML & Case Management Systems
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work history
Senior associate
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Belfast
2021.11 - Current
- Perform and review end-to-end financial crime investigations, including fraud, money laundering, and terrorist financing across multiple client engagements.
- Conduct quality assurance and quality control reviews of investigative cases to ensure decisions are accurate, proportionate, and fully documented in line with regulatory standards.
- Review and enhance SARs / Activity Intelligence Reports (AIRs) to ensure timely, accurate submission to relevant regulators and law enforcement bodies.
- Provide coaching, feedback, and guidance to investigators to improve case quality, investigative techniques, and regulatory compliance.
- Prepare and present clear investigative findings to senior stakeholders, highlighting emerging risks, control gaps, and potential compliance issues.
- Support process improvement initiatives, including enhancements to case allocation, investigative workflows, and quality metrics.
- Contribute to scenario development, monitoring enhancements, and testing activities to strengthen financial crime detection and investigation frameworks.
Financial Fraud Investigator
Lloyds Banking Group
Belfast, Antrim
2014.02 - 2021.11
- Handle varied investigation processes, such as interviewing, gathering evidence, case management and asset tracing.
- Conduct prompt and thorough investigations on referred files.
- Gather evidence, which including recorded and written statements, financial documentation and audio materials for examination.
- Interview victims and beneficiaries of fraud thoroughly, asking appropriate questions to ascertain critical details about each case.
- Analyse large amounts of data to find patterns of fraud and anomalies enabling appropriate reporting to be completed.
- Contact customers directly to notify of fraudulent activity and minimise impacts.
- Collaborate with team members to discuss fraud trends and brainstorm methods to combat this type of crime.
- Provide exemplary level of customer service to all individuals, including clients and company personnel.
- Review reports and individual transactions which appeared suspicious to uncover possible fraudulent activity.
- Enforce legal action with necessary preparations as required, gathering and presenting effective, appropriate evidence.
- Deftly handled client-facing, lifecycle fraud investigations from deterrence to prosecution.
- Conducted complex fraud investigations involving liaising with 3rd party banks for the retrieval of funds
- Investigated suspicious transactions and customer activity, applying a risk-based approach aligned with UK regulatory and internal policy requirements.
- Drafted and submitted high-quality SARs, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and regulatory compliance.
- Maintained effective working relationships with law enforcement, responding to production orders and intelligence requests.
- Supported peer reviews and case checking, ensuring investigative conclusions were sound and evidentially supported.
- Identified trends and typologies, escalating potential operational, financial crime, and compliance risks to management.
- Consistently met or exceeded case closure, quality, and productivity metrics.
Department Supervisor
Marks and Spencer
Antrim, Antrim
2009.09 - 2014.10
- Promoted customer service excellence through consistently role modelling and creating a positive environment to motivate staff members.
- Promoted from customer assistant to Department Supervisor within twelve months.
- Undertook yearly departmental performance reviews, providing detailed individual feedback to praise and motivate staff members.
- Recruited and trained department staff to instil Marks and Spencer's high standards and best practice.
- Built and maintained working relationships with store manager and assistant store manager to facilitate seamless running of department.
- Managed inventory and receiving operations to maintain optimal stock levels and meet expected demands.
- Identified and diminished performance gaps by coaching and supervising ten subordinates.
- Maintained positive customer relations by addressing problems head-on and implementing successful corrective actions.
- Rotated merchandise and displays to feature new products and promotions.
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention.
Education
Diploma of Higher Education - Floristry
Greenmount College
Antrim05.2005
Skills
- Astute analysis
- Case management
- Investigations
- Evidence gathering
- Account reconciliation processes
- Analyse large amounts of data
- Exceptional oral and written communication
- AML and KYC expert
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Able to work alone or within a team
Timeline
Senior associate
PricewaterhouseCoopers
2021.11 - Current
Financial Fraud Investigator
Lloyds Banking Group
2014.02 - 2021.11
Department Supervisor
Marks and Spencer
2009.09 - 2014.10
Diploma of Higher Education - Floristry
Greenmount College