Cornerstone

Cornerstone

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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

2/13/2013 Los Angeles, CA 3 Los Angeles-area residents indicted in large-scale phony credit card scheme

2/11/2013 Las Vegas, NV Wife of senator in the Philippines sentenced for bulk cash smuggling

2/7/2013 Denver, CO Boulder, Colo., man arrested on drug-related money laundering charges

2/5/2013 Fresno, CA San Jose owners of online clothing business arrested on multiple fraud and money laundering charges

2/4/2013 Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania accountant pleads guilty to alien harboring conspiracy, violating federal tax laws

2/1/2013 Baltimore, MD Maryland resident pleads guilty in credit card fraud scheme involving more than 50 victims

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