The Miami Herald just released a four part series on "Dirty Gold and Clean Cash - A River of Gold Controlled by Drug Lords Runs Through Miami."  It is outstanding reading and is a great example of investigative reporting.  It focuses on the misuse of the international gold trade and how it is abused to launder staggering amounts of illicit proceeds around the world.  I have been concerned about this issue since the early 1990's.  The article also exposes the environmental and human costs associated with horrid mining practices in parts of the developing world.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article194362569.html

Happy 2018!    The start of a new year  is a good time to remember and be thankful for all of the blessings and graces we have received.  It is also a suitable occasion to plan and organize.  I've been thinking a lot about writing another book.  My inspiration comes from two related works of mine that were released in 2017.  The first is the paper I wrote published by the FACT Coalition in August, "Countering International Monney Laundering - Total Failure is 'Only a Decimal Point Away.'  The other is my closely related December testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee that argues that we need to shift the AML paradigm.  (See this website under Articles for links to both).  I plan to expand those thoughts into a book.   I've already outlined it and organized my thoughts.  Now I just have to sit down and begin to write.  Fortunately, I've got much of the material.   I'm confident I can get the book out in 2018.  Good luck with your 2018 plans.  Let me know what you are up to.   All the best!   John

On November 28, I was honored to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The title of the hearing was "Modernizing AML Laws to Combat Money Laundrng and Terroroist Financing."   I wanted the testimony to be hard hitting.  I used the governent's own metrics to show that "total failure is just a decimal point away."  The testimony is availble under the articles section of this website and the Senate Judiciary Committee website.  A video of the entire hearing is also available at the Senate Judiciary Committee website.   See the link to my written statement here:
www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Cassara%20Testimony.pdf

The following article published in today's Weekly Standard gives an excellent example of trade-based value transfer via Iranian carpets.  It is undoubtedly part of a Iranian / U.S. hawala network.   I'm quoted.  Too often we talk about how this happens in theory.  This is a specific example.  It's good reporting and good reading.
www.weeklystandard.com/rug-money/article/2010509

I have become increasingly concerned that the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms is not focusing on part of its core mission - illiit tobacco.  In an article I wrote that was published today by Federal News Radio, I make the argument why combating illicit tobacco is so important.  I also urge that ATF should be restored to the Department of Treasury.  The link to the article can be found in the Articles section of this website or you can find it here:
federalnewsradio.com/commentary/2017/10/its-time-for-the-atf-to-refocus-its-mission/

A report I authored was released today by the FACT Coalition; by looking at available data, an argument can be made that international money laundering efforts are a decimal point away from total failure.   

thefactcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Countering-International-Money-Laundering-Report-August-2017-FINAL.pdf

Tough words but they need to be said so we can develop a new strategy and tactics.

There is a lot in the news this week about a possible government shutdown that is tied to funds to build "the wall."   What is missed in the discussion is the approximately $20 billion a year in drug cash that goes south across our southern boder every year into Mexico.   We currently seize less than one percent of the drug money.  If we could increase the seizure rate to say five percent, within fifteen years the wall would be paid for.   This proposal should be politically acceptable to both Washington, D.C. and Mexico City.  There are a few straight forward steps we have to take to increase our drug cash seizure rate.  All are straight forward and are revenue generating.  I detail them in an article that is published in today's (April 25th) American Thinker.

An article I wrote on hawala and possible countermeasures was published today in The Cipher Brief.  See "articles" on this website for the unedited version.  Here is a direct link to the published article: www.thecipherbrief.com/article/middle-east/minimizing-abuse-hawalas-1089