Expert: Loren Stevens - 12/20/2008

Question
Hi Loren--Two more questions. One:If I'm an NYPD detective sergeant working a homicide, and want to know more about money wired to a victim's savings account, from a foreign numbered account, i.e. Swiss, Bahamas,etc.,to get to a source, and I thought I'd do well to check with Justice or JTTF or FinCen, etc., would I be able to contact these investigative units directly myself or would I have to go through people higher up the chain of command to do it for me, or to facilitate my doing it? Two: Do you think the NYPD Counter Terrorism Div in Brooklyn does any money laundering investigations? Thanks

Answer
Hello Martin,
I really can't speak on how NYPD does things, Man, that is like being in the army, with 30k badges. Probably the only other agency like that, would be Tokyo.
My best guess, is that you are going to have to go up to at least a Bureau Commander level, or maybe a Lt.
For bank records, you will still need a "paper" (search warrant). The banks and other financial institutions need this for cover.
You'll want to include safety deposit boxes as well.
Also, all country's banking laws are not equal.
You'll have trouble with the Swiss, and some of those in the Caribbean.
You might want to look into what is commonly referred to as "flight money", where there is always "X" amount of cash in transit. Some hedge funds also get cute.
If you need to go through Interpol, you'll ultimately go through the FBI. Each state has an Interpol coordinator.......an FBI agent.
And, in DC, there are a number of fed agencies that work Interpol action.
You see, none of the federal agencies, or the government for that matter want any city, county or state agency doing business, or even sharing intelligence with other sovereign states. They frown on this LARGE. They don't want to be out of the loop....ergo, loopless.
Also, as I recall, FINCEN is in so much demand, that they just can't respond to all the requests. They have to prioritize. Just like every other outfit...trying to pack a gallon of action in a pint jar...every day.
If the terrorism unit is doing money laundering, it is doing so as a "means" to an end.
In other words, some police units work the WHAT...Burglary Dets work Burglaries, Larceny Dets work Larcenies.
However, Intelligence units, possibly counter terrorism units have the capacity to work the "WHO" rather than a focus on the "WHAT".
Then, they'll adjust their investigative initiatives in order to address the offenses at hand, to better target persons and groups that are active.
Probably sounds confusing, and I should have made it better to understand...sorry.
And yes I would say the vast majority of US Attorneys are straight arrows. If any of them embrace any personal agenda motivations, I would say they may have political ambitions, or have their eye on a Judgeship, or Magistrates seat down the road.

My friend, you should also check with a prosecutor in that jurisdiction, to see if you will need a "predicate offense" for the case your character is working.