The submission of a SAR filing led to the uncovering of a $28 million investment fraud scheme in which approximately 140 individuals were victimized. The subject convinced the victims/investors that he was a successful businessman who operated many highly profitable business ventures. The…
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A U.S. Customs Service investigation in the Washington, D.C. area was initiated after a Virginia-based bank reported suspicious currency activity on a suspected money launderer. The information indicated possible structuring of financial transactions. The suspect had no visible means of support…
Between November 2000 and January 2001, SARs were filed by two (2) banks indicating accounts controlled by Victor Alberto Venero-Garrido had received large and suspicious deposits totaling over $22 million. Following the filing of the SARs, a money laundering investigation was initiated. The…
SARs filed by banks on an officer of an Indiana financial services company led to the discovery and dismantling of a scam that defrauded investors out of an estimated $35-40 million. The SARs were filed after the banks detected the officer was structuring cash withdrawals to avoid Currency…
An FBI investigation was initiated upon the receipt of a SAR from a bank in New York that identified deposits being structured to avoid the filing of CTRs. This case was worked jointly with the FBI, New York City Department of Investigation, IRS, and U.S. Customs Service. Over 80 SARs were filed…
The owner of a company that distributed various products to small independent convenience and grocery stores was sentenced to 188 months in prison after his conviction on drug, money laundering, and Title 31 charges. The company was distributing pallet-load quantities of psuedoephedrine to a…
Two SARs filed by a central Florida bank resulted in the initiation of a money laundering investigation of a fraudulent securities dealer operating a prime bank fraud scheme. The SARs reported unusual account activity and international wire transfers in the tens of millions of dollars. The case…
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has a case that involves multiple illegal activities taking place in a number of liquor stores. Violations include the sale of stolen firearms by a non-licensee, money laundering, contraband cigarette trafficking, violations of state…
Two suspects, a husband and wife, had been corresponding with individuals in Nigeria for several months concerning a transfer of $30 million from Nigeria to their bank account. The suspects, skeptical of the promises made by the foreign philanthropist, performed their own investigation via the…
In February 2002, SAR information provided by an investment account firm revealed wire transfers in excess of $500,000 originated from an individual's account, through a trading company in Dubai, UAE, for transfer to Iran. Investigation disclosed the account holder had made comments to the…