FAQ
What is the International Association for Asset Recoveryi (IAAR)?
IAAR is an international membership organization of professionals who work to recover assets derived from illegal activity or taken or withheld from their rightful owners.
Why did the Association of Certified Asset Forfeiturei Specialists (ACAFS) change its name to the International Association for Asset Recovery (IAAR)?
Our aims were right but our focus was too narrow. There are thousands of businesses and individuals who pursue the same thing as the government, use similar weapons, need similar skills, encounter the same roadblocks, but communicate little and run on parallel tracks. “ Charles Intriago, President. IAAR serves the needs of everyone who represents principals, clients and victims in recovering assets wrongfully held by others. This includes government entities, financial institutions, businesses, professional firms and individuals.
What is the mission of IAAR?
The IAAR mission is to advance the knowledge, skills, experience and capabilities of those professionally involved in the lawful recovery of assets gained from wrongful activity. It aims to promote sound asset recovery practices to1) win back the proceeds of crime efficiently in order to deter future crime, compensate victims and apply criminal proceeds to meet public needs and 2) to help individuals and organizations wrongfully deprived of their assets to recover them.
Why was IAAR created?
IAAR is a response to a growing global need to bring together public and private sector professionals with responsibilities in the field of asset recovery to pool their experience, enhance their capabilities, assemble a recognized body of expertise and give the field sharper focus and greater effectiveness.
Who's behind IAAR?
IAAR and its affiliate, AssetRecoveryWatch.com, were founded in 2008 by Charles and Joy Intriago, creators of the highly successful Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS), an international organization that now has over 8,000 members. Charles Intriago, a former federal prosecutor, previously created Money Laundering Alert and moneylaundering.com, which are authoritative publications in the anti-money laundering field. IAAR is based in Miami, Florida. A group of world experts in asset recovery serve as the IAAR Advisory Board and help guide its programs and services.
Who should join IAAR?
IAAR offers significant benefits to any individual with an active, professional interest in asset recovery, whether as law enforcement agents, attorneys, investigators, asset managers, policy specialists or public officials.
Why is certification as an asset recovery specialist important?
Asset recovery is a powerful weapon, but its future as a valuable part of the crime-fighting arsenal requires developing international standards to ensure that it is used in ethical, prudent and effective ways. A great many professions have long used certification to ensure that practitioners share the necessary expertise and values. Certification also helps ensure that practitioners keep abreast of changes in the field, and provides them with a credential that recognizes them as experts with all the career benefits that such recognition brings.
When will certification be available?
Certification will be available through IAAR by mid-2010.
What are the benefits of joining IAAR?
Networking - We're a professional community. Our online forums ensure information-sharing and career enhancement. Your fellow IAAR members will become your new partners and peers.
Training - You'll get exclusive discounts on attending our annual meetings, innovative online courses, live seminars and other resources on skills and best practices.
Task Forces - Taking part in IAAR task forces puts you to work alongside the leading professionals in the field tackling crucial job-related and regional issues.
Certification -The rigorous qualifying exam for certification tests your knowledge of the field and enables you to be certified as a credentialed expert in asset recovery policy and practice.
Resources - You'll get resources through www.iaaronline.org and a members-only newsletter delivered right to your inbox.
Can an organization in the private sector join IAAR?
Yes! IAAR has an Affiliate Membership category for any organization in the private sector that offers products and services to enhance the job performance and effectiveness of the IAAR community, including law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, prosecutors, and property room managers. For more information on Affiliate Membership, contact Lanny Morris at lmorris@iaaronline.org or (305) 854-2345 ext. 805.
If I purchase a web seminar, how many people can I train with one registration?
As many as you can fit in a room! We charge for Web seminar login credentials so you can train as many members of your team as can view a single screen. If your unit is spread across multiple locations or is too large to comfortably fit in one space, you will need to purchase additional registrations.
Can my entire organization purchase a membership?
No. IAAR membership is available on an individual basis only. However, we encourage multiple members from your organization to join, since the training offered by IAAR is invaluable. Depending on the number of interested applicants, group discounts are available. For more information about group discounts, please contact dpelland@iaaronline.org.
