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A multi-agency money laundering/marijuana trafficking investigation was initiated following the filing of a SAR by a bank in Tennessee. The SAR disclosed that an individual was depositing large amounts of U.S. currency into three bank accounts. The deposits ranged from $5,000 to $25,000 with the…

The Pennsylvania (Pa.) Office of Attorney General’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section conducted proactive targeting research on SARs that initiated a Pa. State Grand Jury Money Laundering investigation on two suspects. FinCEN’s Gateway Program was utilized by the Pa. Attorney General’…

In 2005, a federal task force initiated a 2-year multi-agency investigation against an online pharmaceutical distribution network, resulting in indictments against 18 individuals. The investigation was based on information received from a cooperating witness, who alleged that a pharmaceutical…

SARs filed by banks on an officer of an Indiana financial services company led to the discovery and dismantling of a scam that defrauded investors out of an estimated $35-40 million. The SARs were filed after the banks detected the officer was structuring cash withdrawals to avoid Currency…

In January 2002, an investigation was initiated, subsequent to receiving SARs, into the operation of an unlicensed money remitter.A foreign bank account, containing approximately $3 million, was frozen at the request of USCS agents. A federal search warrant was also executed at the subject's…

In early 2012, FinCEN conducted outreach to all of its state and local law enforcement partners, and asked for cases where FinCEN data played a useful role in their investigations. Below, in their own words, is an example of how FinCEN's stakeholders use FinCEN data. It has been edited only for…

A Suspicious Activity Report filing prompted a Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation into the activities of a subject from another country. The Suspicious Activity Report alleged that after an initial account opening deposit, the subject had structured deposits exceeding $700,…

A woman who continually conducted large cash transactions at casinos and structured those funds at her local bank pleaded guilty to a Title 12, Chapter 21 violation concerning record keeping requirements. Prosecutors charged her with a misdemeanor violation because they did not find any evidence of…

A vehicle dealer created a scheme to hide payments for the purchases of aircraft by suspected drug traffickers. The scheme involved using multiple bank branches for deposits, and the avoidance of filing any Form 8300s. However, the alert financial institution identified the suspect transactions and…

An alert financial institution, upon learning of negative information on potential clients, filed a SAR and notified Federal law enforcement officials of its findings. The ensuing investigation revealed that several subjects conducted a complex series of transactions, over a period of several years…