This "Asset Search News Roundup" focuses on "politically exposed persons", some of whom would launder corruption monies. "Stolen Asset Recovery: Politically Exposed Persons, A Policy Paper On Strengthening Preventative Measures" was published in 2009 and it is available at the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative’s website. The 2009 policy paper stated at page 17: "[I]f, as… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Public Corruption
Subscribe to Public Corruption RSS FeedThe Former Premier’s Nexus To Hip Hop Weekly Magazine
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, The Former Premier & Hip Hop Weekly Magazine, White-Collar Crime GenerallyAt “Target Of Corruption Probe Sues Hip-Hoppers For Supposed Fraud“, I first mentioned the nexus between former Turks & Caicos premier Michael Misick and Hip Hop Weekly Magazine. The Forbes article “The Premier And The Hip-Hop Magazine” discussed the same thing and also quoted me. This article specifically examined the Former Premier’s alleged investment in… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: February 21, 2010
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search News, Public Corruption, Tax Fraud, White-Collar Crime GenerallyToday’s “Asset Search News Roundup” is about the New York case against the ex-president of Guatemala, Alfonso Portillo and it also mentions the sentencing of New York former top cop Bernard Kerik: The one-count indictment unsealed on January 26, 2010 in the case against ex-president Portillo is available here. Mr. Portillo’s indictment alleges that he… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: February 7, 2010
Posted in Asset Search News, Financial Institutions, Money Laundering, Public Corruption, Swiss Banks, White-Collar Crime GenerallyThe Wall Street Journal’s February 4, 2010 article "Switzerland Freezes Freed Duvalier Assets", is about alleged illicit assets blocked in Switzerland. The blocked assets have been maintained in Swiss bank accounts and are believed to originate from Haiti’s public coffers. These public coffers were reportedly looted by former politically exposed person Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier,… Continue Reading
New Jersey Lawsuit Involving Former Premier Misick Settles
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyThe Court announced yesterday that there had been a settlement in the New Jersey case involving Former Premier Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The settlement is mentioned at the Court’s Order of Dismissal and by the current docket report. According to various court filings, the Former Premier could have been a beneficial… Continue Reading
Could Former Premier Misick Face U.S. Forced Collection Proceedings?
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyAt first glance, there was nothing unusual about the lawsuit filed in New Jersey involving Former Premier Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The complaint in the lawsuit executed by the Former Premier, claimed that Hip Hop Weekly Magazine founders David Mays and Raymond Scott had misappropriated the magazine’s cash. Mr. Mays and… Continue Reading
Breach Of Trust By A Former Red Cross Secretary-General?
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyThehumanitarian 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 GenerallyThis "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
Asset Search News Roundup: November 22, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Financial Institutions, Public Corruption, Swiss Banks, Tax FraudThis "Asset Search News Roundup" mentions the sentence of a former Louisiana congressman and the 14,700 U.S. taxpayers who sought partial amnesty from the IRS: A November 13th FBI press release explained that Former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson was sentenced to thirteen years in prison for public corruption and other crimes. As I discussed at… Continue Reading
Target Of Corruption Probe Sues Hip-Hoppers For Supposed Fraud
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyA complaint verified by Former Premier Michael Misick of the Turks and Caicos Islands, claims hip- hop pioneers David Mays and Raymond Scott breached the Z & M Media LLC operating agreement, at Exhibit “A”. The Former Premier, Mr. Mays, Mr. Scott and others, are believed to hold ownership interests in Z & M Media,… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: November 10, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Public Corruption, Securities FraudOn the radar this week is: former Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik’s guilty plea and following the money trail to Canada. After I wrote "Bernard Kerik Is Jailed While His Trial Is Delayed", the former police commissioner pleaded guilty to hiding assets in a tax fraud and public corruption charges. The details of Mr. Kerik’s November… Continue Reading
Bernard Kerik Is Jailed While His Trial Is Delayed
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, Tax Fraud, White-Collar Crime GenerallyAs I previously mentioned at the December 5, 2008 "Asset Search News Roundup", former NYPD Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik is alleged to have been involved in a public corruption scheme and tax fraud. Mr. Kerik’s superseding indictment in U.S.A. v. Bernard B. Kerik, 07-cr-1027, accuses him of trying to secure city contracts for a New Jersey… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: October 23, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Drug-Related Assets, Public CorruptionA U.S. Army Sergeant pleads guilty to taking bribes, then trying to conceal them in a money laundering conspiracy and $32.8 million in U.S. currency is interdicted because of “Project Coronado”: *A U.S. Department of Justice press release describes the conviction of Army Sergeant Ana C. Chavez for a public corruption scheme which had bribery… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: August 17, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Public CorruptionThe settlement of the UBS "John Doe" Summons case in Miami and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s seven-nation tour of Africa, are covered by the August 17th "Asset Search News Roundup": The case described by "UBS & Its ‘John Doe’ Summons" settled last week, as revealed by the docket report in U.S.A. v. UBS… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: August 11, 2009
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search News, Public CorruptionThe jury’s August 5, 2009 verdict in U.S.A. v. Jefferson, found former congressman William Jefferson guilty of hiding bribery proceeds by laundering them, as described by the 12th, 13th and 14th counts of his indictment. The August 5, 2009 verdict and a U.S. Department of Justice press release also state that Mr. Jefferson is guilty… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: July 24, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Money Laundering, Public Corruption"An Asset Search, Tax Fraud & Divorce" mentioned that Brian, (a former high-ranking official at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, who had earlier been an IRS special agent), said: "Once a tax fraud investigation starts rolling along, nobody knows where it may end up". Today’s "Asset Search News Roundup" is similarly about the numerous individuals… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: July 12, 2009
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search News, Privacy Laws, Public CorruptionThe "Asset Search News" for this week discusses my interview by AssetForfeitureWatch.com; Transparency International’s press release about Kenyan police corruption; and the file assistant who pleaded guilty to computer intrusions in violation of U.S. privacy law. +AssetForfeitureWatch.com provides the law enforcement community with training / support in the area of asset forfeiture. Last Tuesday, AssetForfeitureWatch.com… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: July 6, 2009
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search News, Public CorruptionThis "Asset Search News Roundup" concentrates on the International Centre For Asset Recovery ("ICAR"), which is part of the Basel Institute on Governance. ICAR’s "Knowledge Centre" is particularly geared toward helping "asset recovery practitioners, investigators, prosecutors and policy makers worldwide". The Knowledge Centre generally has information for domestic governmental authorities, about forced collection proceedings when… Continue Reading
Public Corruption Charges Against Two Politically Exposed Persons
Posted in Asset Forfeiture, Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyPolitically exposed persons who are involved in public corruption schemes, sometimes use money laundering to hide bribes or other illicit proceeds. Although not accused of money laundering, former Detroit city councilwoman Monica Conyers, was a politically exposed person suspected of accepting bribes. Monica Conyers is also the wife of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers. … Continue Reading
The Element Of Identity Theft In Different White-Collar Crimes
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Identity Theft, Money Laundering, Privacy Laws, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyIdentity theft can play a role in white-collar crimes ranging from money laundering to tax fraud. Perhaps most interesting are the schemes which share identity theft and money laundering as common elements, like the one mentioned at "A Tax Fraud & Identity Theft From Miami". Identity theft and money laundering are similarly alleged to have… Continue Reading
Politically Exposed Persons & Money Laundering
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Money Laundering, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyMy September 26, 2008 Asset Search News Roundup mentioned that public corruption crimes can involve concealing bribe payments or other illicit assets. This is perhaps why financial institutions sometimes check lists of "Politically Exposed Persons", (i.e. individuals holding high foreign public office, a.k.a. "PEPs"), in an anti-money laundering program. These lists of "Politically Exposed Persons"… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: February 3, 2009
Posted in Asset Search News, Public CorruptionTwo U.S. mayors suspected of public corruption crimes are mentioned in this "Asset Search News Roundup". The first mayor described below, might have concealed a bribe via a home renovation. The second one is suspected of hiding gifts. Meanwhile, a third mayor was just arrested along with his wife for an alleged insurance fraud relating… Continue Reading
Three African Heads of State Sued For Hiding Assets
Posted in Asset Search/Fraud Investigation, Public Corruption, White-Collar Crime GenerallyA "Misappropriated Public Assets" civil petition in France claims that the presidents of Gabon, Congo Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea are likely hiding assets. The "Misappropriated Public Assets" petition against the three heads of state was filed December 2, 2008 by both Transparency International (France) and the Sherpa Association. The assets at issue in France might possibly… Continue Reading
Asset Search News Roundup: December 13, 2008
Posted in Asset Search News, Public CorruptionPast "Asset Search News Roundups" described different schemes in which assets have been hidden. This "Asset Search News Roundup" is similarly about the criminal complaint filed against Illinois Governor Blagojevich, which raises among other things, the question of whether Governor Blagojevich had possibly considered hiding / dissipating assets. While the criminal complaint against Governor Blagojevich… Continue Reading