In a case where investigators believe that as much as $7 million in losses may be realized, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) records helped identify co-conspirators, accounts, and elements of a mortgage fraud scheme. Specifically, Suspicious Activity Reports described transactions related to the fraud in…
Members of the media may email inquiries or interview requests to press@fincen.gov.
If you are not a member of the media, please visit the FinCEN contact page.
In January 1999, the Financial Crimes Division (FCD) of the Texas Office of Attorney General (OAG), initiated an investigation into money laundering allegations based on information received from a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) filed by a Texas bank. This investigation centered on the…
In a Florida case, a SAR filing led to the identification of additional fraud perpetrated by a subject already under investigation by special agents within the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Tampa Field Office. From December 1996 through May 1997, investigators identified an individual who…
On October 7, 1999, a man and woman, their lawyer and three private investigators in their employ were arrested for alleged involvement in an elaborate conspiracy. The conspiracy included bilking millions of dollars worth of goods from a food bank, burning buildings for insurance, stalking, and…
A defendant was sentenced to Federal prison after he admitted to structuring dozens of bank deposits and withdrawals, in an attempt to conceal proceeds from marijuana and hallucinogenic mushroom sales. With detailed bank statements, prosecutors could prove structuring and money laundering in…
A used auto dealer pleaded guilty to laundering $35,000 in currency from an undercover source acting on behalf of Federal agents. The investigation, initiated by a SAR, led to the arrest of the subject.
A SAR showed excessive cash activity in the account for the used car dealer, with the…
In an innovative use of money laundering statutes, a State successfully prosecuted a defendant for violations of the Federal Bank Secrecy Act. The State’s money laundering statute includes criminal penalties for anyone attempting to avoid BSA reporting requirements and prosecutors were able to…
Federal law enforcement and regulatory agencies conducted a securities fraud investigation where defrauded investors lost at least $32 million. Investors believed they were investing in coal mines and a huge and highly secretive gold transaction. Three individuals were convicted of running the…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed the conviction of David Middleton for attempting to evade or defeat income tax in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7201. The case arose from a SAR filed by a bank employee. Middleton was a real estate agent who formed several companies through which…
In a case initiated based on the filing of a SAR, a former high-ranking officer of an insurance firm, who was charged in a multiple-count federal indictment including counts of embezzling insurance premiums, falsifying records and filing false tax returns, has been sentenced to almost two years…