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With Kleptocracy Squad, FBI Seeks Headway on Slow-Moving Forfeitures of Looted Funds
print"We were told 'there's $50 billion missing; go find it.'" So goes a day for members of the FBI's "kleptocracy squad," formed in April as part of the bureau's International Corruption Unit and tasked with helping foreign governments reclaim looted assets. The unit, which makes use of suspicious activity reports (SARs) and foreign intelligence, is currently tracing money pilfered from Ukraine and the Middle East. Kira Zalan, reporter for ACAMS moneylaundering.com, recently spoke with International Corruption Unit Chief John Blake, Supervisory Special Agent Bryan Earl and Supervisory Special Agent Debra LaPrevotte about the "unparalleled" cooperation and inevitable difficulties they've found...
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