Professional Experience
Chase & Associates, Inc.
President, Tampa, Florida 1998 - Present
Manages all services provided by the company, including litigation support, forensic accounting, fraud detection & deterrence, due diligence review, expert witness services and training. Areas of expertise include all issues relative to investigations concerning financial issues, fraud, money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and international drug trafficking.
Court certified in both the U.S. and Canada as an expert in money laundering and money laundering related issues. Author of The Infiltrator (Little, Brown & Company, 2009) and many nationally published articles on the topics of money laundering, anti-money laundering compliance, white-collar fraud, and international drug trafficking.
Nationwide and international client base includes law firms, public & private corporations, financial institutions, government agencies, educational institutions, and professional business associations.
St. Petersburg College
Adjunct Professor, St. Petersburg, Florida 1998 - 2004
Lecture and instruct for the Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training Center, a division of the School of Criminal Justice. Design and present basic and advanced curriculum, including Investigating International Drug & Money Laundering Organizations, Managing Informants, Managing Undercover Operations, and Preparing & Assisting in Courtroom Procedures.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Special Agent, Tampa, Florida 1991 - 1998
U.S. Customs Service, Office of Enforcement
Senior Special Agent, Tampa, Florida, 1983 - 1991
Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division
Special Agent, New York, NY and Tampa, FL, 1972 - 1983
At each of these government agencies, developed, planned, conducted, and coordinated numerous long term multi agency investigations of international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Many of these investigations targeted Colombian drug cartel leaders and financial institutions servicing global criminal organizations. Functioned in various positions, including project manager, case agent, and long term undercover agent. Assignments required substantial undercover activity throughout North America, South America, Central America, Europe and the Caribbean. Testified extensively as a case agent, undercover agent and an expert in both money laundering and international drug trafficking. During a 27 year career, assignments involved extensive tracing of assets and international money flows. At the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, assignments required strict adherence to accounting principles and often involved the use of both direct and indirect methods of proof (i.e. bank deposits method and net worth method of proof).
Case Experience
The subsequent case overviews provide a brief outline of some of the work personally conducted:
U.S. vs. Luis Latorre et. al. (1991-1995)
- Designed long term undercover operation targeting international money launderers, drug traffickers and corrupt law enforcement officer servicing the Cali drug cartel.
- Functioned for two years in a full time undercover capacity as a corrupt businessman operating financial service companies based in the U.S., Panama and Colombia.
- Maintained routine undercover contact with corrupt businessmen and internationally known criminals involved in the laundering of drug proceeds for Colombian drug kingpins, as well as officials of globally prominent financial institutions involved in the laundering of drug proceeds.
- Recorded hundreds of meetings with violators to document offenses.
- Documented and traced the laundering of tens of millions of dollars of drug proceeds to substantiate money laundering and drug trafficking offenses by internationally known violators.
- Investigation resulted in the indictment/conviction of numerous high level traffickers, money launderers, a corrupt City of Tampa police detective, as well as the forfeiture of approximately $5 million in drug proceeds.
U.S. vs. Bank of Credit & Commerce International et. al. (BCCI) (1986-1991)
- Designed and implemented the undercover operation that led to the convictions of BCCI and many of its high ranking officers.
- Functioned as the lead undercover agent, as well as the team leader of roughly twelve additional undercover agents located throughout the U.S.
- Assumed a full time undercover role for two years as a financial consultant residing in Florida and New York.
- Negotiated agreements (in an undercover capacity) with international drug traffickers to launder drug proceeds. In addition, negotiated on behalf of traffickers with representatives of corrupt international financial institutions relative to money laundering services.
- Managed domestic and foreign undercover companies used to facilitate the investigation.
- Recorded approximately 1200 conversations with traffickers and money launderers, and collected thousands of documents used to trace illicit funds to their beneficial owners.
- Testified in numerous trials in Florida, New York and London. In addition, testified before the U.S. Senate relative to the pervasive criminal conduct of BCCI including global political corruption (lengthy testimony in all trials, including a twelve consecutive week period of testimony in one Tampa criminal trial).
- Investigation resulted in the indictment of 84 individuals worldwide, the seizure of more than 3,000 lbs. of cocaine, and the collection of more than $525 million in forfeitures and fines.
- BCCI was the 7th largest independently owned bank in the world with branches in 72 countries.
- BCCI's prosecution was the first jury conviction of an international bank for violations of the Money Laundering Control Act.
U.S. vs. George Meros et. al. (1983-1986)
- Developed investigation of prominent professionals (attorney and stockbroker) who were financing the smuggling of large drug shipments and laundering drug proceeds for traffickers.
- Initiated and managed the development of critical informants who were traffickers; conspiring with attorney Meros and other professionals.
- Supervised and conducted consensual recordings of conversations conducted by informants with corrupt professionals.
- Prepared and executed numerous search warrants, including those which enabled searches of an entire law firm for records of drug trafficking and money laundering.
- Established and supervised a taskforce of twelve agents from eight different agencies, which gathered evidence relative to offenses committed by Meros and his associates.
- Prepared and initiated foreign treaty requests to obtain critical evidence in Switzerland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Grand Cayman, and the Netherlands Antilles.
- Investigation resulted in the conviction of 26 individuals, including attorney Meros who was sentenced to a 40 year prison term.
- Over $10 million worth of assets were seized and forfeited via this investigation, including an 84-unit condominium timeshare project, aircraft, yachts, automobiles and cash.
U.S. vs. Bruce Perlowin et. al. (1981-1984)
- Functioned in an undercover capacity for six months as a member of a cocaine smuggling/distribution group based in Florida and Illinois. Responsible for maintaining the books and records of the cocaine smuggling ring.
- Investigation resulted in the indictment of more than 100 individuals, including a Las Vegas casino owner, a casino manager, attorneys, and an accountant charged with money laundering offenses. Indictments were also returned against the leader of a Thai marijuana and Colombian marijuana smuggling ring.
- Over $10 million in assets were seized and forfeited via this case, including shares of a nationwide hotel chain, a commercial pier, vessels, homes, vehicles, aircraft and cash.
U.S. vs. Palm State Bank et. al. (1979-1982)
Developed and investigated the Palm State Bank prosecution, which resulted in the first jury conviction of a financial institution for failure to file Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs). Investigation resulted in convictions of the bank, the CEO of the bank and the President of the bank, for failure to file CTRs.
Education and Training
- BS - Wagner College, Staten Island, New York (1972)
Major - Business Administration & Finance
Minor - Accounting - DEA Basic Agent Training
- U.S. Customs Undercover Training
- U.S. Customs Special Agent Basic Training
- IRS Instructor Training
- IRS Undercover Training
- IRS Basic Income Tax Training
- IRS Special Agent Basic Training
- Treasury Law Enforcement Officer Training
Awards and Commendations
Received numerous Exceptional Performance Awards from the IRS, U.S. Customs Service, and DEA. Was recognized as the nation's top Financial Investigator in 1987 and the nation's top Federal Criminal Investigator in 1990. Received special awards or commendations from the following:
- Wagner College Alumni Fellow Award (Distinguished Career in Business) - 2010
- U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Florida - 1984
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, Narcotics & Dangerous Drug Section - 1986
- U.S. Customs Service Commissioner's Award - 1986
- 1987 Financial Investigator of the Year - National Association of Federal Investigators
- U.S. Customs Service Commissioner Von Raab - 1989
- U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York - 1989
- 1990 Federal Criminal Investigator of the Year - National Association of Federal Investigators
- U.S. Customs Service Commissioner Hallett - 1990
- U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Florida - 1995
- U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Florida, Asset Forfeiture Division - 1996
- General Counsel for the Attorney General of Canada - 1996
Employee Performance Ratings
Continuously received "Excellent" or "Outstanding" evaluation ratings from IRS, USCS, and DEA.
Conference / Training Presentations
Lectures have concerned issues relative to drug money laundering, drug trafficking, long term undercover, fraud, and corruption. Lectures/presentations have been given at:
- Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Glynco, Georgia
- DEA Academy - Quantico, Virginia
- U.S. Senate - Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations
- U.S. House of Representatives - Subcommittee on Domestic & International Monetary Policy
- USCS Undercover Operative School Leesburg, Virginia
- Her Majesty's Customs & Excise (HMCE) London, England
- National Drug Intelligence Unit, New Scotland Yard London, England
- Isle of Jersey Police and HMCE Isle of Jersey, United Kingdom
- Isle of Guernsey Police and HMCE Isle of Guernsey, United Kingdom
- Hendon Training Center, Metropolitan Police Dept., London England
- American Dutch Money Laundering & Organized Crime Seminar Orlando, Florida
- DOJ International Money Laundering Seminar San Francisco, California
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Center for Advanced Law Enforcement Studies Tampa, Florida
- International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
- Regional Organized Crime Information Center's Training and Information Exchange Conference Louisville, Kentucky
- Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training Center St. Petersburg, Florida
- U.S. Attorney's Seminar Tampa, Florida
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Advanced Proceeds of Crimes Seminar Montreal, Canada
- Pinellas County Trial Lawyers Association - Clearwater, Florida
- National Association of Credit Managers (NACM)
- Finance, Credit & International Business Association (FCIB)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Washington D.C.
- Moneylaundering.com - Miami, Florida
- French Institute of Audit & Internal Control - Paris, France
- France Telecom: Global Annual Conference for Internal Audit / Compliance - Paris, France
- Generation Enterprise: International Seminar - Santiago, Chile
- Jesus College, University of Cambridge: 2011 International Symposium on Economic Crime - Cambridge, UK
- PricewaterhouseCoopers: PwC Training Academy - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
- Center For Ethics - The University of Tampa, John H. Sykes - College of Business
- 4th Annual Anti-Fraud & Financial Crimes Conference - Dickenson Bay, Antigua
- Thomson Reuters 2012 Compliance Leadership Forum - Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- Australian Anti-Money Laundering Magazine's 2012 Annual Conference - Sydney, Australia
- Harvard Law & International Development Society 2012 Symposium - Cambridge, Massachusetts
- 8th Annual Compliance & Economic Crime Symposium, Jersey International Business School - St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands.
- Jesus College, University of Cambridge: 2012 International Symposium on Economic Crime - Cambridge, England
- The Word Bank, Washington, D.C.
- Conference of Western Attorneys General - Santa Monica, CA
- Western Union: Senior Compliance & Internal Audit Executives - Denver, Colorado
- Toronto Police Service - 2013 International Financial Crimes Investigators Conference - Toronto, Canada
- Jesus College, University of Cambridge: 2013 International Symposium on Economic Crime - Cambridge, England
- Legal Week - 2014 Private Client Forum (Americas) - Sonoma, California
- 2014 Sovereign Challenge Conference, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), Washington, D.C.
- 2014 Kansas Banker's Association CEO Forum & Annual Meeting, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Jesus College, University of Cambridge: 2014 International Symposium on Economic Crime - Cambridge, England
- 2014 SIBOS Conference, Boston, Massachusetts
- Legal Week 2014 Corporate Counsel Awards, New York, New York
Publications
- July 2009: The Infiltrator: My Secret Life Inside the Dirty Banks Behind Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel Published by Little, Brown & Company - ISBN 978-0-316-07753-8
- January 2013: "How to Halt the Terrorist Train" - New York Times
- May 2012: "Institutional Will - The Organized Crime Remedy": Journal of Money Laundering Control - Issue 15:2
- March 2012: "Attacking Drug Cartels Through Money Laundering Operations" - CTC Sentinel (Combating Terrorism Center at West Point)
- November 28, 2010: "Banking on Terror" - The Tampa Tribune
- November 4, 2010: "Banking on Terror" - The Huffington Post
- September 2010: "Follow The Dirty Money" - New York Times
- May 2010: "Why isn't anyone talking about latest bank scandal?" - Staten Island Advance
- April 2010: "The U.S. Strategy against banks hiding flight capital needs help" - Fraud Magazine
- February 2010: "The U.S. Strategy against banks hiding flight capital needs help" - Complinet
- October 2000: Business Credit (Vol. 102, No. 9, pp.32-35). Title: A Tidal Wave of Risk on the Horizon (Part 1) - Why big and small businesses face new risks simply by getting paid.
- November 2000: Business Credit (Vol. 102, No. 10, pp. 64-69). Title: A Tidal Wave of Risk on the Horizon (Part 2) - Why Big and small businesses face new risks simply by getting paid.
Expert Certification
- 1985 - Qualified as an expert in money laundering by U.S. Federal District Court Judge, Tampa, Florida, during the criminal trial of U.S. vs. George N. Meros et. al.
- 1996 - Qualified by Superior Court Judge, Montreal, Canada as an expert in International Money Laundering during the criminal trial of Her Majesty the Queen vs. Tonino Callochia and Giovanni D'Angelo.
- 1997 - Qualified by Superior Court Judge, Montreal, Canada, as an expert in International Drug Smuggling and International Money Laundering during the Criminal trial of Her Majesty the Queen vs. Sabatino Nicolucci
- 2011 - Qualified by U.S. Federal District Court Judge, Tampa, Florida as an expert in money Laundering during the criminal trial of U.S. vs. Christian Hancock et. al.
- 2014 - Qualified by U.S. Federal District Court Judge, Tampa, Florida as an expert in Matters Concerning Substantial Assistance in Drug Trafficking Cases during the sentencing hearing in U.S. vs. Emir Peron Et. Al.
Professional Organizations
- Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (Past Tampa Chapter President)
- Association of Former Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service
- Association of Former Federal Narcotics Agents
- Association of Former Customs Special Agents
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners