NCJ Number
189691
Date Published
June 1998
Length
71 pages
Annotation
This Financial Investigations Guide acquaints prosecutors and agents with basic financial investigative techniques in the apprehension and conviction of those involved in criminal enterprises.
Abstract
Today’s financial crimes involve complex money laundering schemes. Prosecuting these sophisticated criminals involves the use of financial investigative techniques. This Guide was designed to assist prosecutors and agents in the use of these investigative tools. The Guide aids in analyzing documents and following money trails to their initial sources and ultimate destinations. A careful financial investigation can potentially reveal the complex structure of major criminal organizations, leading to seizures and forfeitures crippling organizations. The destruction of the financial underpinnings of crime syndicates through asset forfeiture is essential to law enforcement success. This Guide helps criminal prosecutors and investigators master the basics of financial investigations so they may be effective. The Guide should be used as a work plan and reference tool for subpoena language for bank or brokerage firm records. All commercial databases or sources of information available at libraries are not listed and are limited to types of information available. The information in many of the databases is available from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). They will analyze the data and provide comment on its significance.