Project STAMP

Project STAMP shuts down human smuggling/trafficking organizations by identifying and seizing assets, monies and proceeds derived or used in support of criminal activity.

Legislative Authorities

Penalties for violating the money laundering statutes (Title 18, U.S.C. §§ 1956, 1957) are significant and include fines of up to $500,000 and/or imprisonment up to 20 years. Furthermore, any property, real or personal (or traceable to such property), involved in a transaction or attempted transaction is subject to forfeiture.

Federal laws permit law enforcement to charge individuals involved in smuggling, peonage, slavery and human trafficking with money laundering violations. These enhanced penalties can be an important determining factor for an assistant U.S. attorney when deciding whether or not to federally prosecute human trafficking/smuggling violators.

Partnerships with the Financial Sector

The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) requires financial institutions in the United States to assist federal government agencies in the detection and prevention of money laundering. Financial institutions must report suspicious activity that might signify money laundering or other criminal activities. Doing so assists ICE in initiating new criminal investigations and identifying people, bank accounts and assets associated with criminal organizations. 

Indicators of suspicious activity include:

• Numerous BSA filings by multiple financial institutions.
• Large cash deposits inconsistent with business type.
• Large payments to foreign companies that are inconsistent with the amount of product received from these companies.
• Unusual withdrawal, deposit or wire activity inconsistent with normal business practices, or dramatic and unexplained change in account activity.
• Sudden change in customer’s normal business practices, i.e., dramatic increase in deposits, withdrawals or wealth.
• Structuring financial transactions at money service businesses (MSBs) (multiple financial transactions structured under the $3,000 MSB’s reporting limit on the same day).
• Numerous incoming wire transfers or personal checks deposited into business accounts with no apparent legitimate purpose.