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One individual has pled guilty to multiple counts of money laundering, filing false tax returns, failing to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FinCEN Form TD F 90-22.) and illegally transferring funds to Iran. The plea agreement also requires forfeiture of over half a million…

A federal credit union filed a SAR and helped initiate an investigation into a counterfeit check scheme that had similarities with Nigerian 419 fraud schemes. These frauds, designated as such because of the section of the Nigerian criminal code that prohibits them, often promise substantial…

An investigation into a seemingly legitimate business uncovered what was in fact a vehicle for money laundering, smuggling and other crimes. BSA information assisted a federal agent in identifying monthly cash deposits of nearly $2 million into business accounts and wire transfers of millions of…

Investigators opened a case after receiving a call from a family friend of a wealthy elderly woman who suspected the woman was being taken advantage of financially. With this information the law enforcement officials proceeded to research BSA documents and found SARs describing structuring on…

In 2006, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia announced “Operation Rainmaker,” a major, multi-national federal drug and money laundering investigation initiated by ICE-Atlanta that culminated with 24 arrests in the United States and Colombia. The investigation…

A married couple structured millions of dollars through their retail cigarette business using multiple financial institutions and branches. The defendants’ businesses were dependent upon individuals purchasing the cigarettes for illicit tax-free sales in other states. To avoid scrutiny, the…

BSA records often play a crucial role in federal investigations of medical fraud. The records are often instrumental in seizing assets and shutting down businesses that may be perpetrating the fraud. Some of the businesses may exist on paper only, and prosecution of the perpetrators is often…

Federal law enforcement agencies conducting a tax refund fraud investigation uncovered at least $13.1 million in fraudulently obtained federal and state tax refunds. The lead investigator in the case said the investigation began when a bank reported anomalous automated clearing house (ACH)…

In a case that started from a proactive review of Suspicious Activity Reports, a specialized mortgage fraud task force launched an investigation that led to charges against two individuals. Bank Secrecy Act records captured many of the scheme’s intricate details, including a SAR filed on one of…

Through a proactive review of SARs, law enforcement found that the purveyor of illicit devices structured millions of dollars of proceeds into a financial institution. The devices were a violation of state law and hence led to a charge of money laundering. In the indictment, prosecutors sought…