Case Examples

The Value of FinCEN Data

Financial data, collected from financial institutions by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), has proven to be of considerable value in money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes investigations by law enforcement. When combined with other data collected by law enforcement and the intelligence communities, FinCEN data assists investigators in connecting the dots in their investigations by allowing for a more complete identification of the respective subjects with information such as personal information; previously unknown addresses; businesses and personal associations; banking patterns; travel patterns; and communication methods.

Law Enforcement Cases Supported by FinCEN Data

• Suspicious Activity Reports Document Bank Transactions on Behalf of Drug Trafficker
• Suspicious Activity Report Describes in Great Detail Bank Embezzlement Scheme, Leads to Guilty Plea
• Suspicious Activity Report Credited with Revealing Bank Fraud Scheme and Unraveling Auto Insurance Fraud Ring that Nets Principal Defendant Nearly $1.3 Million and a Nine-Year Prison Term
• SARs Help Identify Accounts and Additional Nigerian 419 Scams Associated with $32 Million Coal Mine and “Divine Gold” Ponzi Scheme
• SAR Review Team Discovers Doctor Structuring Deposits
• Detailed SAR Narratives Help Uncover Cigarette Smuggling Operation
• Bank Secrecy Act Records Assist in Mortgage Fraud Investigation Resulting in Guilty Plea

For an index of case examples, visit the Archive of Law Enforcement Cases.