Best Practices

Six ways asset recovery professionals can use social networks to advance their cases and careers

David Quinones - 11/28/2011
You’ve been told about the importance of social networks ad nauseum, but between casework, your personal life and actual in-person networking,...read more

Looking for clues when there are none: Part II – How criminals obscure their identities through nominees and other unwitting abettors

Don C. Semesky, Jr. - 11/03/2011
The traditional mindset of investigators when it comes to the use of nominees by the subjects of their investigations is connected to the ownership...read more

Looking for clues when there are none: Part I – Obstacles faced by the investigator or asset recovery specialist and how to overcome or work around them

Don C. Semesky, Jr. - 10/27/2011
Lost in all the headlines and stories about the Federal government’s deferred prosecution agreement with Wachovia Bank was the fact that, with the...read more

How to pierce offshore secrecy havens to identify and recover targeted assets

Kenneth E. Barden, JD, CSAR - 10/27/2011
Criminals have long favored putting their illegally obtained assets into what are known as “offshore secrecy havens.”  Such havens are usually...read more

Striking out without striking out: Advice on how to go from a big firm or agency to independent entrepreneurship

David Quinones - 10/13/2011
In the face of stagnated employment figures and a shrinking job market, the entrepreneurial bug has again become en vogue in the United States. A...read more

Alternative litigation financing takes hold in asset recovery, offers hope to some victims

David Quinones - 09/21/2011
Alternative litigation financing, or “third party financing,” of lawsuits has gained traction in recent years. But can funds from outside parties...read more

Follow the money, find the fraud

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, CFF - 09/19/2011
Forensic accounting has been around for decades, but only in the last 10 years have people become aware of the profession on a wide scale. In this...read more

The blame game: Obtaining financial relief against directors and officers in insolvencies

Andrew Thorp and Claire Robey - 08/01/2011
In the final installment of a three-part series looking at remedies in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Andrew Thorp, Insolvency* and Litigation...read more

Eastern Caribbean jurisdictions' case law offers wealth of relief for asset recovery

Dan Wise - 07/27/2011
In the final installment of Dan Wise's four part series on busting trusts in the British Virgin Islands, we learn about the case law that provides...read more

Out in the cold: How a victim can prevent dissipation of assets pending trial

Andrew Thorp and Claire Robey - 07/25/2011
In Part II of a three part series looking at remedies in the BVI, Andrew Thorp, Insolvency* and Litigation Partner, and Claire Robey, Senior...read more

Show me the money: How victims of fraud can find and identify BVI assets

Andrew Thorp and Claire Robey - 07/19/2011
In this three part series, Andrew Thorp, Litigation and Insolvency* Partner and Claire Robey, Senior Associate, of Harney Westwood & Riegels,...read more

Trust busting in the E. Caribbean, Part III: Matrimonial proceedings and division of assets

Dan Wise - 07/19/2011
In Part III of this four-part series on trust busting in the Eastern Caribbean by Dan Wise of Martin Kenney & Co. Solicitors, we learn more about...read more

Trust busting in the Eastern Caribbean, Part II: Navigating NIETO

Dan Wise - 07/11/2011
In Part II of this four-part series on trust busting in the Eastern Caribbean, we learn about the Nevis International Exempt Trust and other hurdles....read more

Trust busting in the Eastern Caribbean, Part I

Dan Wise - 07/05/2011
Dan Wise, Partner at Martin Kenney & Co. Solicitors in the British Virgin Islands, gives a detailed account of how to pierce structures designed...read more

Combating the serious 'fraudsman' in asset recovery

Martin S. Kenney - 06/27/2011
In this excerpt from the FraudNet World Compendium, asset recovery* thought-leader Martin Kenney explores the definition and scope of the true...read more

Enforcement stages of POCA explained

Trevor Millington OBE - 06/15/2011
In Part II of his paper, IAAR member Trevor Millington OBE, a Senior Lawyer in the Proceeds of Crime Unit at the Crown Prosecution Service in London...read more

Confiscating the proceeds of crime: An Overview of UK Legislation

Trevor Millington OBE - 06/14/2011
In Part I of this paper, IAAR member Trevor Millington OBE, a Senior Lawyer in the Proceeds of Crime Unit at the Crown Prosecution Service in London...read more

The interplay of MLAT requests and asset recovery in the UK

Kevin Roberts - 06/10/2011
In this article by Alvarez and Marsal partner Kevin Roberts, we take a look at the role Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties in the UK play with asset...read more

Case Study: How a French cultural work of art set precedents for US forfeiture codes

David Quinones - 06/06/2011
A crucial asset recovery* and forfeiture decision was upheld Friday in a New York federal appeals court, and a work of fine art will finally find its...read more

Using a court-appointed Receiver to recover assets in foreign jurisdictions

Linda Candler, Esq. - 05/26/2011
In this paper by IAAR Advisory Board member Linda Candler, we explore what an appointed receiver* brings to the table in an international cross-...read more

Tracing and recovering stolen national treasures taken by deposed despots and dictators in the MENA region

Kenneth Barden, Esq., CSAR - 05/23/2011
In this report by IAAR contributor and asset recovery* expert Kenneth Barden, we explore the current trends and challenges of asset recovery* in the...read more

The emergence of the Mareva by Letter

Lincoln Caylor, Martin Kenney, Yves Klein, Kathy Bazoian Phelps - 05/18/2011
This is a summary of an article published in Business Law International, Vol 12 No 2, May 2011, and is reproduced in its amended form by kind...read more

Computer forensics professionals take note: bin Laden’s ‘sneaker-net’ may provide financial insight

David Quinones - 05/09/2011
Forced to run his terrorist network offline, Osama bin Laden relied on couriers to deliver messages by hand using storage devices. Could the...read more

Enforcing your judgment in Brazil not an easy proposition

David Quinones - 04/27/2011
While offshore financial havens can present unique challenges when attempting to enforce foreign judgments, emerging economic superpower Brazil...read more

Enforcing your judgment in Brazil not an easy proposition

David Quinones - 04/27/2011
While offshore financial havens can present unique challenges when attempting to enforce foreign judgments, emerging economic superpower Brazil...read more

On tax day, most of us pay more than General Electric – When will Congress get the message?

Nicole Tichon - 04/18/2011
In this article, Nicole Tichon of Tax Justice Network USA frames the national conversation of tax avoidance, offshore financial centers and how it...read more

Facing the problem: Former AZ prosecutor shows expansiveness of Mexican criminal element

Cameron Holmes - 04/12/2011
Cameron "Kip" Holmes retired last year from his position as a senior litigator in the Arizona Attorney* General's office after a storied career where...read more

What must companies do to comply with the UK Bribery Act?

Michael Volkov - 04/04/2011
With freshly released guidance from the UK Justice Ministry, what must companies do to comply with the new law? IAAR contributor and former federal...read more

International Asset Tracing in Insolvency: A primer on constructive trusts

Felicity Toube - 03/31/2011
The constructive trust* can be a potent ally to an international asset tracing and recovery professional, but it can also be quite difficult to...read more

Mexican criminal enterprises a substantial financial threat, too

Cameron Holmes - 03/30/2011
Cameron "Kip" Holmes retired last year from his position as a senior litigator in the Arizona Attorney* General's office after a storied career where...read more

Being proactive can help stem the tide of corruption and theft

Kenneth Barden, JD, CSAR - 03/29/2011
In asset recovery*, being proactive can mean many things. From analyzing the strength of internal systems to prevent further fraud to instituting...read more

Understanding Islamic financial terminology is key to cross-border asset recovery success

Kenneth Barden, JD, CSAR - 03/18/2011
As asset recovery* efforts go increasingly international in scope, it is inevitable that an asset recovery* specialist will need to consider and...read more

International Asset Tracing in Insolvency: The criminal powers of POCA

Felicity Toube - 03/04/2011
In this excerpt from the book International Asset Tracing in Insolvency* (Oxford University Press, 2009), the criminal powers of the United Kingdom...read more

Understanding how civil forfeiture is governed in the US lays groundwork for asset recovery success

IAAR Staff - 02/28/2011
The following excerpt from the US Department of Justice*'s Asset Forfeiture* US Attorney*'s Bulletin describes how civil forfeiture is governed for...read more

Demystifying the wire transfer for asset recovery investigators

Kenneth Barden, JD, CSAR - 02/22/2011
Money laundering and asset recovery* investigations will undoubtedly involve a review at some time of wire transfers (sometimes called “electronic...read more

International Asset Tracing in Insolvency: The Cayman Islands

Felicity Toube - 02/17/2011
The following is an excerpt from International Asset Tracing in Insolvency* (Oxford University Press), edited by IAAR Advisory Board member Felicity...read more

Deciding where to pursue an asset recovery case is a crucial step

Kenneth Barden, JD, CSAR - 01/10/2011
Pursuing asset recovery* is not as simple a task as filing an action where the assets are located.  There are a number of legal and practical...read more

Financial Investigations: From chaos to clarity

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, CFF - 12/10/2010
Examining the financial documents in a fraud recovery case can become overwhelming quickly.  There are often multiple bank and brokerage...read more

Fraudsters' criminal empires can be undone by 'pulling the thread' of outbound transactions

David Quinones - 11/16/2010
From corrupt politically exposed persons to the common tax-cheat, asset recovery* efforts can benefit from the outside-the-box analysis of wire...read more

An analyst's mind and skills are useful tools in crafting and executing search warrants

Donald C. Semesky - 11/15/2010
In many financial crimes cases, in both the public and private sectors, the proof required to make the case can only be obtained through a search...read more

Launching a second career after public service is a risky but rewarding proposition

Alphonse V. Ristuccia - 11/10/2010
As your government or private sector career nears its end, it is likely that you are wondering if you should segue into playing golf full time,...read more

Expert shows how to spot tax-cheats using returns

Brian Mahany - 07/07/2010
  The importance of obtaining a debtor's tax return when trying to locate assets has been discussed in print by experts on the subject at length...read more

The Good News About Fraudulent Transfers

Joe H. Dickerson - 02/03/2010
When fraudulent transfers are found, it can be good news for a judgment-enforcement case. Obtaining documentation of the debtor's transfer of assets...read more

When Tracing Assets, Follow the Money

Alexandra Blanco - 02/02/2010
The money trail consists of documents and leads that show how assets were acquired and who owns them. You will be successful in your asset recovery*...read more

Account-Opening Documents May Lead to Assets

Alexandra Blanco - 01/05/2010
An individual or company that opens a bank account must file basic information that can be invaluable when you are tracking down hidden assets. In a...read more

In international asset recovery, winning in court is only half the battle

Mary Spicuzza - 11/03/2009
It seems logical that, when trying to recover assets overseas, a lawyer may file a lawsuit hoping to get a judgment quickly, then trace the assets...read more

Coordinate Civil and Criminal Recovery Efforts

IAAR Staff - 09/08/2009
"If you're bringing an action and the goal is restitution, then the steps you need to take may be different than the steps a government agency would...read more

Connecting the Dots: The Value of Link Charting and Association Matrices

Bobbi-Jo O'Gilvie - 08/18/2009
In investigations to recover assets, unearthing direct and indirect links between people and property can turn up valuable evidence to help expose a...read more

Identify the Money Flow

IAAR Staff - 08/11/2009
"For ongoing investigations, it is a matter of making asset identification, seizure and forfeiture a priority. The goal of disrupting and dismantling...read more

Best Practices | Identify the Money Flow

IAAR Staff - 08/11/2009
"For ongoing investigations, it is a matter of making asset identification, seizure and forfeiture a priority. The goal of disrupting and dismantling...read more

Best Practices | Building on the Initial Lead

Bobbi-Jo O'Gilvie - 07/28/2009
In addition to the analysis of mail and telephone records as proactive tools, the legal pick-up and careful analysis of your target's trash, at...read more

Best Practices | Building on the Initial Lead

Bobbi-Jo O'Gilvie - 07/28/2009
In addition to the analysis of mail and telephone records as proactive tools, the legal pick-up and careful analysis of your target's trash, at...read more

Optimizing Your Asset Forfeiture Operation to Improve Results

Bobbi-Jo O'Gilvie - 06/29/2009
Prosecutor's offices around the world are struggling with widening budget gaps and reduced resources with which to fight criminal activity. Our staff...read more

Don't let poor communications cripple your forfeiture case

IAAR Staff - 05/05/2009
A Ferrari in New York, a Chris Craft in Palm Beach, an island home on St. Bart's, a Lear Jet in Dallas, and a bank account in Charlotte - everything...read more

Think Before you Seize: Not all Assets are Worth Forfeiting

William V. Roppolo Jr. - 05/01/2009
Second in a series   "The pilot identified the location of two additional airplanes that he has used to transport cocaine into Florida. Can we...read more

Building a Strong Ethical Foundation is Key to a Forfeiture Program

IAAR Staff - 04/22/2009
IAAR Quick Tips are a Member Benefit, but we have allowed this archived article to be viewed by all users. To gain access to the full archive of...read more
Beyond the Duvalier Legacy: What New ‘Arab Spring’ Governments Can Learn from Haiti and the Benefits of Stolen Asset Recovery
Mark V. Vlasic and Gregory Cooper - Sunday, February 19, 2012
In this well-documented and incisive piece, Vlasic and Cooper make a strong case for the vital importance of improving international stolen asset...
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Asset recovery luminaries gather for groundbreaking panels on third party targets
David Quinones - Wednesday, November 23, 2011
For years, IAAR experts have preached the value of third party or “one-off” asset recovery* targets, but the lessons have never been as clearly and...
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Department of Justice on brink of releasing FCPA guidance
David Quinones - Thursday, November 10, 2011
While it was just a brief comment during a lengthy speech, United States Assistant Attorney* General Lanny Breuer’s mention of impending guidance on...
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The ARW Podcast

Digital sleuth shares top strategies for the computer age
Steve Rambam | 02/22/2012
President and CEO, Pallorium Inc.

This was recorded on September 26, 2011.  Expert digital investigator Steve Rambam of...
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Cross-border expert draws path to success in multiple jurisdictions
Arnoldo Lacayo | 08/16/2011
Astigarraga Davis

IAAR editor David Quinones talked with Astigarraga Davis' Arnoldo Lacayo about the Miami...
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Premier divorce lawyer: Asset recovery a key, under-used aspect of matrimonial law
Randall M. Kessler | 08/03/2011
Founding Partner, Kessler & Solomiany

Randall...
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