Cornerstone

Cornerstone

Email Icon

Sign up to receive financial email updates




Cornerstone detects and closes down weaknesses within U.S. financial, trade and transportation sectors that can be exploited by criminal networks. Law enforcement entities share criminal typologies and methods with businesses and industries that manage the very systems that terrorists and criminal organizations seek to exploit. This sharing of information allows the financial and trade community to take precautions to protect itself from exploitation. In return, ICE receives information to more thoroughly investigate these complex and sophisticated criminal schemes.

Financial Investigations Topics of Interest

ICE uses financial investigations to beat criminals at their trade. By following the money trail, law enforcement can identify and dismantle international criminal networks, seizing the networks' proceeds and related assets. ICE, along with other Department of Homeland Security component agencies, is charged with protecting the nation's borders. One way ICE does this is by investigating the illicit flow of money in and out of the United States. (read more)

Mass-Marketing Fraud

ICE is a participant in the International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group to combat international consumer fraud, such as email and telephone scams. Read more about mass-marketing fraud, including the 2010 Mass-Marketing Fraud threat assessment.

SEARCH Initiative

ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched the SEARCH (Seizing Earnings and Assets from Retail Crime Heists) Initiative as an ongoing, national initiative to address the threat of transnational crime being committed by organized retail crime rings. The SEARCH Initiative searches for illicit proceeds, seizes hidden assets and shuts down organized retail crime rings. Read more

Project STAMP (Smuggler and Trafficker Assets, Monies and Proceeds)

Project STAMP attacks human smuggling and human trafficking organizations from an aggressive anti-money laundering stance. ICE’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) follows money trails to identify key members of criminal organizations involved in human smuggling/human trafficking activity. Seizure of these assets is crucial to shutting down these organizations. Read more

2010 Bi-national Criminal Proceeds Study

ICE joined with the DHS Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement and the government of Mexico to conduct a comprehensive study of how criminal enterprises collect, transport and deliver illegally-derived proceeds across international borders. (Read more)

How You Can Help

Protecting America is more than just a responsibility for government agencies; it's a shared mission for all Americans. The importance of private sector partnership in this shared mission cannot be overstated. There are several ways individuals and businesses can help:

Red Flag Indicators

Certain types of financial transactions serve as indicators, or "red flags," that call for further scrutiny by the financial, commercial, trade and transportation sectors. (read more)

Recent News

10/4/2012 Detroit, MI Michigan man sentenced to 57 months for role in Ponzi scheme

9/28/2012 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles-area toy company pleads guilty to money laundering conspiracy

9/27/2012 Laredo, TX HSI shares more than $800,000 with Webb County Sheriff's Office for critical assistance in drug smuggling investigation

9/19/2012 Newark, NJ 14 charged in $65 million income tax refund fraud scheme

9/13/2012 Honolulu, HI 3 members of Honolulu investment group sentenced for defrauding investors

8/20/2012 Texarkana, TX East Texas woman sentenced to more than 2 years for bank fraud

read more