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Suspicious Activity Reports Document Transactions by Defendant With Ties to Organized Crime Group, Possible Terrorism Financing

An illegal alien pleaded guilty to stealing Social Security numbers, fabricating names, and swindling almost $2 million dollars from credit card companies.

The defendant’s name surfaced in the course of an investigation into organized criminal activity. Suspicious Activity Reports document…

SARs Identify Huge Check-Kiting Scheme by Auto Dealer

SARs initiated the investigation of an automobile dealer who held several accounts at different institutions and continually transferred funds among the accounts, which caused the accounts to be overdrawn by millions of dollars. In addition to filing the SARs, the bank also notified law…

SARs Lead to Recovery of Funds Derived from Medical Fraud

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…

Local Municipality Case Example (Drugs and Money Laundering)

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…

Check Kite Nets Two

The Federal Bureau of Investigation opened an investigation based upon information in SARs filed by banks indicating significant check kiting activity. The subjects operated a number of small businesses in the area. Over the course of approximately two years, the subjects conducted a check kite…

Reports Filed Under the BSA Critical to Largest Medicaid Fraud Case in the Nation

The Newark, New Jersey’s U.S. Attorney’s Office and the IRS utilized reports filed under the BSA to help build the largest Medicaid fraud case in the nation to date. This multi-agency investigation, also involving the FBI and the FDA, uncovered a New Jersey pharmacist who defrauded the Medicaid…

SARs Assist in Money Laundering Investigation Involving the Insurance Industry

Information generated from cooperating individuals during Operations Cornerstone, a major narcotics trafficking investigation in the Miami area, revealed narco-traffickers placed their drug proceeds into investments in the insurance industry. Policies were identified in various Channel Island…

Suspicious Activity Reports Identify Non-Profit Organizations As Illegal Money Remitters

In 2003, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents initiated an investigation of several non-profit organizations in the United States. These were all registered as tax-exempt organizations. The investigation revealed the organizations were operating as illegal wire remitting…

Bank Secrecy Act Document Analysis Helpful in Fraud Case

In a case that highlights how thoughtful analysis of FinCEN records can aid in an investigation, Federal law enforcement agents asked for FinCEN’s assistance analyzing records associated with a lawyer, and to help trace stolen funds derived from insurance settlements. As a result, a personal…

SARs Are Catalyst in Investigation of $13.1 Million Tax Fraud Conspiracy

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)…