Money Laundering and other crimes in the Southern District

A former sheriff pled guilty to Money Laundering charges in connection with accepting money from a drug dealer.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2014%20April/140414%20-%20Trevino.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

NOTE: ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS NOT PLED GUILTY TO A CRIME OR WHO HAS NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY A JUDGE OR JURY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS PER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Money Laundering in the Southern District

Money laundering in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2013%20December/131219%20-%20Centeno.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Money laundering in the Western District

Money laundering in the Western District of Texas.  Sad case involving an attorney.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txw/news/2013/Delgado_Marco_EP_conviction_1.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Money laundering in the Northern District

Money Laundering in the Northern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txn/PressRelease/2013/SEP2013/sep26Pat_Simon_sent.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Charges of drugs/money laundering in the Southern District

Several individuals charged with drug crimes and money laundering in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2013%20September/130912%20-%20Ruiz%20et%20al.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Bank fraud and money laundering in the Eastern District

Interesting case of bank fraud and money laundering in the Eastern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txe/News/2013/edtx-wcc-prince-081513.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Drug trafficking and money laundering in the Southern District

Drug trafficking and money laundering often go hand in hand.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2013%20August/130815%20-%20Navarro%20et%20al.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

 

Money Laundering in the Southern District

Money laundering in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2013%20January/130109%20-%20Bazaldua%20et%20al.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

                                             

Have a great and fraud-free day.

 

http://www.tauskvega.com

 

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Interludes - Sentence for wire fraud et al. in Texas

Wire fraud et al. in the Southern District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txs/1News/Releases/2012%20August/120802%20Purser%20et%20al.html

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering in the Western District of Texas

Money laundering in the Western District of Texas

http://www.justice.gov/usao/txw/press_releases/2012/Trevino%20LZ%20indictment%20release.pdf

NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE.  IF THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.

Have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

----------à>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? XII

So - we have found the "secret" if we can even call it that to money laundering - the wealthier the nation, the more money laundering is attractive as a criminal enterprise.  If money is laundered through the American or British or Monacan financial system and emerges "clean," then it will be easier to take this money out of the country and use it for legitimate (or illegitimate) purposes.  If "cleaned" money is taken from America, it will more likely be accepted into the world's banking and financial system as legitimate.

     By comparison, if money is "laundered" through a country such as Haiti, it will still be suspect.  One million dollars laundered through Haiti, even if it comes from "clean" businesses such as restaurants, will never be as fully accepted as one million dollars from the U.S.

     This is one of the (many) reasons why money laundering is a problem for wealthy nations.  If money laundering is left unchecked, then soon even wealthy nations will have their currency suspect and their international reputations besmirched.

   We will move onto another topic tomorrow.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

---------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? XI

OK - back to the topic at hand.  We have seen how money laundering affects rich as well as poor nations.  So, what is the issue if a nation is rich?  We can obviously see the problem if a nation is poor - money laundering creates more social instability and chaos that poor nations (such as Haiti and Moldova/Romania) do not need.  But, what about Monaco and Lichtenstein?  They are doing fine.

     Well - here is the conundrum for rich nations and money laundering - it affects rich nations more directly and harshly than poor nations.  This is a rich nation's problem more so than a poor nation's problem. Strangely enough, this is one of the few types of crimes that will affect nations with a more stable and effective banking system and monetary currency than one that is affected by corruption and instability.

     As we have seen in this brief survey, the issue with poor countries and money laundering is that while it is much easier to launder funds through poor countries with ineffective legal systems and high rates of corruption, the money coming from these countries is automatically more suspect.  If someone brings $1million out of Haiti vs. bringing $1million out of the U.S., which is bound to raise more eyebrows?  Be honest.

    So, we have this is the "so what" about money laundering.  It may affect rich countries and the wealthy nations may treat it differently, but it paradoxically debases their monetary system.  The more money laundering is allowed, the more the nation that allows money laundering becomes suspect and, the more suspect, the more debased becomes the currency.

We will conclude this discussion tommorrow.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Interludes - Money Laundering III

We'll get back to the money laundering issues tommorrow, but this Amish fraud matter is just too good to pass up.

Here is some more info.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20107551-504083.html

As always, have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene

Interludes - Money Laundering II

We'll get back to finishing up our series on how money laundering damages nations tomorrow.  This is an important article from Cleveland, Ohio, however:

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/09/amish_investor_charged_with_de.html

Fraud strikes ALL communities, including the ones you would least expect, such as the Amish.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Interludes - Money Laundering

For those who get "The History Channel" there is a new series starting called "Scammed" which discusses scams and frauds.

http://www.history.com/schedule

Looks good so far.  In any case, any program that educates people about frauds and scams is always welcome.

As always - have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

-------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? X

Well - we've done a survey of a few countries where money laundering is an issue.  There are hundreds of nations and we can spend a great deal of time covering all of them.  But, this brief survey shows three main themes:

1.  Money laundering affects all types of nations - rich, poor, those with a weak central government and a great deal of corruption (Haiti) and those with a strong central government with the rule of law (Monaco).

2.   Money laundering in wealthy nations with the rule of law has a great advantage in that the currency of these nations is sought and therefore they are an attractive target for launderers.  Money laundering in Monaco is valued because the money that is laundered will come out as a currency that is valued worldwide (the Euro) and therefore the end goal is the receipt of this money.

3.   Money laundering in poor nations with a weak central government and no rule of law is not has highly valued because the currency is worthless outside the country itself (Haiti).  However, because the institutions are weak, it is easy to filter money through the system and such laundering serves as a base for other operations.

We will continue this discussion tommorrow.

As always, have a great and fraud free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

-------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? IX

Sorry for not posting the past two days - I was away at a conference and there were connection issues.  So - back to work.

NORTH KOREA

     I fully admit I place this country on this list for one reason - there is nothing to say about it.

     North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) is probably, for all intents and purposes, the most repressive regime on Earth, an Orwellian nightmare on steroids.  Volumes have been written about its human rights violations and the entire country is virtually a slave society to the despotic whims of its "Dear Leader" - Kim Jong Il.  The previous leader, Kim Il-Sung, although dead for almost twenty years, lives as the "President for Eternity."

      This country has an economic system in ruins.  As a result, its' currency, the North Korean won, has no value outside of the country (other than for collectors).  There is no possibility of using North Korean institutions to launder money because every institution of any value (whatever little their is) is controlled by the State.  Possession of foreign currency is illegal for most North Korean citizens.  There is literally no way that any money laundering can occur.

     This has led, however, to the North Korean government using illegal means to raise hard currency, including the forgery of U.S. money.  But, this is another story.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

---------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? VIII

NIGERIA

     Well, there is no way around this one.  Nigeria has been on this blog once before and will be again.  Nigeria's problems extend far beyond money laundering, but money laundering is an issue.

     With a weak central government, 419 fraud being the national sport and the country on the verge of a civil war between the largely Christian north and Muslim south, not to mention massive disparities in wealth because of oil wealth and corruption that is off the scale, it is not surprising that money laundering is an issue here as well. Like Haiti, however, the internal problems mean that very few people actually want to use Nigeria to deposit large amounts of cash because these can be traced by criminal and governmental authorities.

     The money laundering that does occur, therefore, is usually on a smaller scale.  Paradoxically, once again like Haiti, although the corruption and weak central government means that money laundering is easier than it would be in countries with a strong legal system and strong government, it is also far more risky.  This means that money laundering is mainly done on a smaller scale to avoid detection.  Usually detection by the government is not so much the issue as detection by gangs and criminal organizations, which will demand a cut of the action and a loss to the money launderers.

     Also, the money coming out of Nigeria is suspect in many law enforcement organizations anyway, so it does not make sense to engage in large scale operations in Nigeria.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

Money Laundering - So What? VII

MOLDOVA/ROMANIA

     Well, let's get back to a country, or in this case countries, with a weak central government, high crime rate and effusive corruption.  Moldova and Romania (two countries, but both hangovers from Communism, both share the same language and religion and both are, for all intents and purposes, the same country but history has divided into two separate nations with no basis other than an accident of politics) have extremely high corruption rates and, not surprisingly, money laundering problems.

    The high corruption rates of these countries mean that most monetary transactions are suspect.  Both countries have issues with money laundering from both organized criminal organizations and, it is suspected, international terrorist groups.

     Of the two, Romania is making some attempt to come into compliance with international standards because of its membership in the EU.  Moldova is embroiled in a intra-state issue with the country's large Russian population having an autonomous territory which is, in many ways, independent from the capital.  However, the proximity of the two nations, as well as the shared history, means that Moldova's problems will continue to be Romanian problems.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk

Money Laundering - So What? VI

MONACO

     OK - keeping our theme of the moment of microstates that have had "issues" with money laundering, let's look at the second smallest country in the world.  You can literally walk across it in less than an hour.  Monaco has about 30,000 citizens who mainly live there because it is a tax-free zone.  It's banking system, along with it's racing and casino, are its main attractions.  Like the old Swiss bank accounts, it used to be a tax haven and an investment haven, with no questions being asked and no answers given.

     However, once again, Monaco has had to get in line with the 21st century following the tragedy of 911 and the realization that Islamic (and other) terror groups use money laundering operations as a way to fund their activities.

     Monaco still has a way to go.  A small county with no natural resources except to offer wealthy people a tax haven will always have an issue with transparency.  But, as with Liechtenstein, it is an example of how effective a government can be in ordering transparency.

As always, have a great and fraud-free day.

http://www.tauskvega.com

------------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene tausk