Investigation Info Sources/Financial Analysis

Question 1

metasearch

Answer 1

instead of getting results from one search engine, getting the best combined search results from a variety of engines

Question 2

guidestar.org

Answer 2

gathers and publicizes info about NPOs; can access NPOs IRS Form 990

Question 3

archive.org

Answer 3

Wayback Machine - part of archive.org; it is a 501(c)(3) founded to build an internet library with purpose of offering permanent access of records in digital format. (includes texts, audio, images, software, etc)

Question 4

Dun & Bradstreet

Answer 4

provides insight on businesses. Contains more than 140 million records.
To contract/get grants from US Gov, required to have DUNS number.
DUNS # is unique 9 digit sequence recognized as universal standard for identifying & keeping track of businesses worldwide.

Question 5

County Probate Records (Indexes):

Answer 5

Associated to county’s Clerk of Court
Lists administrators, guardians & beneficiaries concerning trusts, wills & inventory of estates
Actions listed alphabetically, by name of estate or petitioner, and w/ filing date & docket #
May list causes of action and rulings regarding an estate and status of potential beneficiaries
May lead to personal identifiers, aliases, address history & past/current family relationships, leads to undisclosed assets

Question 6

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Answer 6

business structure where owners have limited personal liability for debts and actions of LLC

Question 7

Secretary of State Records

Answer 7

identification info on all corporations incorporated or doing business in the state. Records will show:
Corp. officers or partners
Address
Date of incorporation
Registered agent
Current standing
Corp list - annual filings
Initial charter filings
Info on partnership and professional associations formed in the state

Question 8

Uniform Commercial Code (UCC Index)

Answer 8

liens secured by personal property (all property not considered real estate)

Question 9

what info will UCC index show?

Answer 9

Name identifiers (SSN)
Lines of credit by banks & amount
Associates
Names of debtors
Undisclosed assets
Financial statements

Question 10

State Vital Statistics Bureau:

Answer 10

records that provide info on births, deaths & adoptions

Question 11

bankruptcy records

Answer 11

maintain info on actual bankruptcy, and info on assets & creditors
Supervised by and litigated in U.S. Bankruptcy courts
May provide starting point for net worth purposes, lead to creditors & hidden assets

Question 12

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)

Answer 12

agency designated by Congress for the central collection, analysis, and dissemination of data obtained pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)
Access to BSA data by fed, state & local LE
Helps with anti-money laundering & financial crimes investigations nationwide

Question 13

currency transaction report (CTR)

Answer 13

Banks, casinos & other financial institutions are required to file a CTR when they are involved in a transaction with a customer involving currency more than $10,000.

Question 14

examples of other financial institutions

Answer 14

Banks
Depository institutions
Brokers or dealers in securities
Money transmitters
Currency exchangers or dealers
Check cashers
Issuers & seelers of money orders, travelers checks
Telegraph company
USPS

Question 15

when does a financial institution need to file CTR with FinCEN?

Answer 15

within 15 days of transaction date; need to file if within same day, same person deposited or received more than 10k at same FI

Question 16

IRS/FinCEN Form 8300

Answer 16

Report of Cash Payments over $10,000 received in a Trade of Business
Requires trade or business that receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction or two+ related actions within a 12 month period
Must file with IRS within 15 days after currency was received
Trade/business includes: auto dealers, boat dealers, jewelers, pawnshops, real estate brokers, bail bondsmen, and attorneys

Question 17

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)

Answer 17

computerized information system containing documented criminal justice info. In all 50 US states, DC, & US possessions/territories
Contains info on wanted persons, missing persons & stolen property.
Recently, files include individuals who may pose a danger to others
Operated and maintained by DOJ

Question 18

National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS)

Answer 18

International Justice & Public Safety Network -
Operated and controlled by individual states
Networking system that makes certain state & local data from all 50 states, DC, US possessions/territories & Canada available to legitimate users.
Provide LEO with drivers’ licence & vehicle registration data

Question 19

who maintains system integrity and security for NCIC and Nlets systems?

Answer 19

DOJ contributes and delegated day to day operations to the FBI
-computer edits rejects certain types of data, automated purges of records, quality control checks by FBI, validation of records

Question 20

what is Originating Agency Identifier (ORI)

Answer 20

ORI 9 character idenfier assigned by NCIC to agency to identify agency in NCIC system

Question 21

what is ORI File?

Answer 21

ORI File maintains pertinent info on virtually every CJ agency in the US, Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands as well as certain foreign CJ agencies

Question 22

wanted person file

Answer 22

contains records on individuals for whom a felony, serious misdemeanor, or federal warrant is outstanding as well as parole & probation violators

Question 23

foreign fugitive file

Answer 23

permits INTERPOL office to enter records for fugitives who are wanted in other countries for crimes that would be considered felonies if committed in the US and who are subjects of red or blue notices

Question 24

red notice

Answer 24

provisional warrant or to seek the arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition

Question 25

blue notice

Answer 25

used to collect additional info about a persons identity or activities in relation to a crime

Question 26

NCIC/Nlets Hit Confirmation

Answer 26

any agency that receives a record in response to an NCIC/Nlets inquiry must confirm the “hit” on the record - hit must be made prior to taking any action such as arrest, detaining, seizing property
Guarantee a 24-hour a day hit confirmation availability

Question 27

priority 1 hit confirmation

Answer 27

urgent - confirm hit within 10 minutes

Question 28

priority 2

Answer 28

routine - confirm hit within 1 hour

Question 29

offline search

Answer 29

special technique used to obtain info from NCIC that cannot be obtained from an online inquiry. Results may provide valuable info such as:
Transaction Log: reveals whether LE inquiries were made on a person, or property for a specified timeframe (i.e during traffic stop)
Purged Records: can determine if a property item theft was entered and then removed due to its retention expiration or removed b a specific ORI

Question 30

case management system

Answer 30

used to facilitate reporting, gather statistical data, conduct supervisory reviews, analyze crime trends, etc.

Question 31

case organization

Answer 31

relates to investigators availity to effectively and efficiently identify what they have (reports, evidence, etc.) and where they obtained it.

Question 32

challenges for LEO without case org. system

Answer 32

Losing sight of investigative focus
Expending more time & effort with little result
Inability to properly present investigative efforts to judicial or administrative authorities
Failure to identify evidence b/c of volume of material
Failure to build a prosecutable case within the statute of limitations
Subjects receives a more lenient penalty and/or jail time

Question 33

Primary reason to use an automated investigative record keeping program is that it allows investigators to access, organize and track items. Info included in electronic inventory:

Answer 33

MOIs, documents, photos, SW inventory, subpoenaed documents
Investigative plans, interviews, record checks
Admin. Items
Requests for information, op plans, contact reports, etc.

Question 34

what is IFI?

Answer 34

investigative file inventory - electronic case organization method using a spreadsheet

Question 35

what does IFI contain?

Answer 35

Witness 1 - primary witness (person interviewed) identifies who can testify to an evidentiary item
Witness 2 - secondary witness (agent who conducted interview) - identifies a 2nd person who can testify
Keyword Description: keyword description of item (MOI, Trash Pull,etc)
Date - date agent received item or conducted interview
Hyperlink - link to digital image of item
Relevant info - agent notes that summarize evidentiary value of the item