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Asset Search Blog Financial intelligence, financial fraud investigation and legal strategy for recovering hidden assets

Monthly Archives: December 2009

Associated Bank Sued For Supposedly Ignoring Red Flags

Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Financial Institutions, Money Laundering, Securities Fraud

My article "Money Laundering By Minneapolis Money Managers?" reports that a lawsuit against Patrick Kiley, Trevor Cook and other money managers, had raised the question of whether Associated Bank breached a duty to prevent suspected money laundering.  As I mentioned in that article, Associated Bank could have conceivably failed to follow a written Customer Identification… Continue Reading

Asset Search News Roundup: December 25, 2009

Posted in Asset Search News, Financial Institutions, Money Laundering

Today"s "Asset Search News Roundup" highlights hiding / smuggling cash at U.S.-Mexican border crossings and describes how fraudsters might select bank accounts to facilitate their financial frauds: On December 14, 2009 federal agents reportedly seized $300,000 in undeclared currency at a U.S.- Mexican border crossing in Arizona. The $300,000 was allegedly hidden / smuggled in… Continue Reading

Alleging Money Laundering In Private Sector Lawsuits

Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Divorce & Child Support, Money Laundering

By claiming that proceeds of a judicial bribery scheme had been laundered from Italy into nineteen U.S. bank accounts, prosecutors sought asset forfeiture as described at "Using Multiple Jurisdictions To Launder Money".  That forfeiture case was mostly based on U.S. anti-money laundering laws which included 18 U.S.C. §1956 (Money Laundering) and 18 U.S.C. §1957 (Money… Continue Reading

Asset Search News Roundup: December 18, 2009

Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search News, Holocaust-Era Assets

Holocaust-era assets and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties are the subjects of this "Asset Search News Roundup": My article "During A War Everybody Loots A Little Bit", discusses Nazi-looted art.  A December 1, 2009, press release also raises this issue.  The December press release explains that U.S. authorities recently recovered a painting in a Holocaust-era assets… Continue Reading

Following The Money Trail From Poland To Delaware

Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering, Tax Fraud

"Warsaw Prosecutors Eye Possible Money Laundering At 50 Platowcowa Street ", mentioned that a tip letter led prosecutors from Poland to seek a letter rogatory via the U.S. Attorney in Delaware on October 14, 2009.  The Warsaw prosecutors used this particular letter rogatory to try to elicit evidence about Prime Invest L.L.C. in Delaware and… Continue Reading

Asset Search News Roundup: December 12, 2009

Posted in Asset Search News, Privacy Laws, White-Collar Crime Generally

Attorney Arienne Irving’s December 4, 2009 Judgment of Acquittal pursuant to Fed. R. Crim. P. 29, raises the general issue of lawyers or clients who might use illegal eavesdropping equipment to "research" an adversary.  I previously wrote about violating privacy laws via eavesdropping at "Attorney Christensen’s Wiretap Conviction".  That article explained how former attorney Terry Christensen had,… Continue Reading

Breach Of Trust By A Former Red Cross Secretary-General?

Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime Generally

Thehumanitarian non-profit Slovenian Red Cross operates in 12 regions with 916 local Red Cross organizations. Its former Secretary-General Mirko Jelenic however, is suspected of involvement in a criminal "breach of trust", as mentioned by Slovenian law. He might have used Slovenian Red Cross monies in a phony real estate sale agreed to in the year… Continue Reading

Asset Search News Roundup: December 6, 2009

Posted in Asset Search News, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime Generally

This "Asset Search News Roundup" is about "politically exposed persons" who are accused of hiding cash during alleged bribe-taking.  One such person is Governor José Roberto Arruda of Brasilia.  "Brazil in shock as secret video catches ‘corrupt’ governor red-handed", reports that Brazilian Federal Police in "Operation Pandora" possess surveillance video of  the Governor supposedly pocketing… Continue Reading

Revisiting The Red Flags Of Asset Concealment

Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering

A list of asset concealment red flags is available at "Asset Search Indicia For Divorce, Debt Collection & Bankruptcy".  This list includes a beneficial owner’s use of shell companies, foreign bank accounts, etc. Even yet another red flag of asset concealment can be the transfer of assets without any economic benefit, as may happen when… Continue Reading