Marc Ashworth on AI, Financial Crimes, and the Frontlines of Banking Security

Guest Introduction
Marc Ashworth is the Chief Information Security Officer at First Bank, a fourth-generation, family-owned bank headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri, with operations across six states. In his role, Marc oversees networking, physical security, financial crimes, and cybersecurity teams, providing a comprehensive approach to protecting both the institution and its customers. With a career that spans programming, networking, penetration testing, healthcare IT leadership, aerospace manufacturing, and banking, Marc brings a uniquely broad technology background to the security challenges of the financial sector. His leadership combines technical depth with strategic insight, making him a key figure in combating modern financial crimes and cyber threats.

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Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

• How First Bank integrates AI and machine learning into fraud detection tools

• Why financial crimes teams are critical to protecting both banks and customers

• The ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between cybercriminals and security teams

• How check washing works and why it remains a persistent threat

• The scale of global cybercrime and its economic impact

• Insights into nation-state cyber activity tied to geopolitical events

• Marc’s career journey from WarGames-inspired youth to CISO in the financial sector

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In This Episode
Marc shares an inside look at First Bank’s multifaceted security operations, where combating financial crimes involves more than just firewalls and antivirus software. His teams address threats ranging from fraudulent checks to advanced wire scams, using a blend of AI-driven fraud detection tools, human expertise, and customer education to mitigate risks. Marc emphasizes the importance of understanding not only the technology but also the human and procedural aspects of security.

The discussion highlights persistent threats like check washing, where stolen checks are altered and redeposited, and explores how AI helps sift through massive transaction volumes to identify anomalies. Marc underscores the challenge of keeping pace with criminals who are also adopting advanced technologies to refine their tactics. His observation that cybercrime, if treated as a global economy, would rank third in the world illustrates the staggering scale of the problem.

Beyond financial fraud, Marc shares how global events like the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions over Taiwan can be tracked through shifts in cyber activity. His analysis connects geopolitical developments to measurable spikes or drops in attack traffic, offering a rare view into how nation-state operations manifest in corporate network monitoring.

Marc also recounts his own unconventional career path, which began with a fascination for the film WarGames and evolved through roles in development, IT management, and security leadership. Today, he blends technical skill with strategic oversight, ensuring that First Bank stays secure while enabling business growth.