An asset search for any bankruptcy estate property hidden during a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, usually begins with an investigation of the debtor’s court filings. For example, the following court filings may contain red flags that a debtor has concealed assets / property: the petition; schedules; statement of financial affairs; tax returns. Critical to an asset… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: September 2008
Asset Search News Roundup: September 26, 2008
Posted in Asset Search News, Public CorruptionSince public corruption crimes can involve the concealment of bribe money or other illicit assets, public corruption is the subject of this "Asset Search News Roundup". As partly mentioned at "White-Collar Crime & A Former Top Cop", Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index annually ranks 180 countries by their perceived levels of corruption. The Corruption Perception… Continue Reading
Government Data Mining & An Asset Search
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money LaunderingData mining predicts patterns through electronic data base technologies like statistical analysis and modeling. Some U.S. law enforcement agencies data mine to predict the criminal patterns of money launderers, terrorist financiers or other criminals. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security for example, mentioned the following four data mining programs in its February 11, 2008 Letter… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: September 20, 2008
Posted in Asset Search News, Privacy LawsThe hacking of vice presidential candidate Governor Palin’s e-mail account at Yahoo, is examined by this "Asset Search News Roundup". Based on the Washington Post’s "Hacker impersonated Palin, stole e-mail password ", the hacker violated federal privacy law 18 U.S.C. § 1030, (Fraud and related activity in connection with computers). The hacker is also suspected… Continue Reading
FBI Agent Faces Fraud Charges
Posted in Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyWhile Byron Murphy was serving a 15 year sentence for robbing a Mesa, Arizona Radio Shack, he filed a pro se prisoner’s civil rights complaint against the F.B.I. and Special Agent Joe Gordwin, Jr. Although the trial court issued its August 15, 2006 Order dismissing Mr. Murphy’s civil rights complaint, it permitted him to file… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: September 13, 2008
Posted in Asset Search NewsThis "Asset Search Roundup" covers the guilty plea of Raffaello Follieri; a suspected tax return preparer fraud in Minnesota; and how cash is sometimes hidden by "zappers": Raffaello Follieri has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering charges in U.S.A. v. Follieri, according to a September 11, 2008 Wall Street Journal article. As… Continue Reading
Attorney Christensen’s Wiretap Conviction
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Divorce & Child Support, Privacy Laws, Public CorruptionAttorney Terry Christensen was convicted along with private investigator Anthony Pellicano on August 29, 2008, as reported by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal Law Blog. According to the criminal minutes from his trial, Mr. Christensen had been found guilty of his two-count indictment for violating 18 U.S.C. 371 (Conspiracy) and 18… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: September 6, 2008
Posted in Asset Search News, Privacy Laws, Public CorruptionMr. Frank Lowy of Australia; Puerto Rico Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila; and articles regarding privacy issues; are all mentioned in this "Asset Search News Roundup": Although the U.S. Senate Subcommittee report "Tax Haven Banks And U.S. Tax Compliance" accused Mr. Frank Lowy of concealing $68 million in a suspected tax fraud, The Australian Business advised… Continue Reading
Smuggling Cash Across Iraq’s Border
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money LaunderingI first wrote about Donnie in my post,"Forfeiture & The DEA’s Asset Search". In that post, I mentioned that Donnie was a former Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration who had gone to Iraq to train Iraqi Police. Donnie recently left the Numaniyah National Police Training Academy to travel about an hour’s drive southeast… Continue Reading