Fred L. Abrams, Attorney At Law (LexBlog Mexico)

“Bodies hanging from bridge in Mexico are warning to social media users” highlights the heinous murders of two bloggers in Neuvo Laredo, Mexico.  As “Mexico murders show how Internet empowers, threatens” too explains, the bloggers are believed to have been killed for reporting on Mexican drug cartels. The August 2011 National Drug Threat Assessment also...

Detecting crimes during a marital asset search and Mexico’s ubiquitous drug cartel violence, are examined by the September 26th “Asset Search News Roundup”. Any crimes committed by a divorcing spouse hiding assets would conceivably be detected during a marital asset search. As the following articles reveal, a divorcing spouse hiding assets might possibly face a...

An April 20, 2010 statement from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona memorializes the U.S. Department of Justice strategy for fighting the scourge of Mexico’s drug cartels.  The April 20th statement indicates that the Department of Justice concentrates on: gathering intelligence about the cartels; targeting cartel leaders for extradition and seizing illicit assets;...

“A Strategy Of Seizing Sinaloa Drug Cartel Assets” is about the U.S. Department of Justice’s use of asset forfeiture against Mexico’s drug cartels.  U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) pursues this forfeiture policy alongside the Department of Justice.  As explained by my February 11, 2009 “Asset Search News Roundup“, the OFAC can list...

Today”s “Asset Search News Roundup” highlights hiding / smuggling cash at U.S.-Mexican border crossings and describes how fraudsters might select bank accounts to facilitate their financial frauds: On December 14, 2009 federal agents reportedly seized $300,000 in undeclared currency at a U.S.- Mexican border crossing in Arizona. The $300,000 was allegedly hidden / smuggled in...

The October 11th Asset Search News Roundup describes what could have been the use of cross-border elements to launder the proceeds of a securities fraud. The interdiction of $41 million from bulk cash smuggling in Mexico and Colombia, is also discussed. The “Money Laundering FAQ” webpage belonging to the Financial Action Task Force states that:...

A financial transfer through multiple jurisdictions which lacks any economic benefit, may especially be a red flag that assets have been hidden.  Although a variety of people sometimes use multiple jurisdictions to hide assets, this “Asset Search News Roundup” is about the front and / or shell companies reportedly used by the Fabio Enrique Ochoa...

Narco-traffickers who conduct their illicit activities across the U.S.-Mexican border may fall under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (21 U.S.C. § 1901-1908, 8 U.S.C. § 1182) and Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995.  Assets are frozen under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (“the Kingpin Act”), if they are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and belong to...

This “Asset Search News Roundup” discusses criminal liability for hiding assets via money laundering in Mexico; a computer intrusion at Heartland Payment Systems which may have compromised tens of millions of credit / debit card transactions; and the sentencing of a man for identity theft after he was caught with 66 counterfeit driver’s licenses: 1. ...