FinCEN Whistleblower Lawyers

Experienced Lawyers for Contacting the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)

Our lawyers help whistleblowers come forward under the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) whistleblower program. If you have information about illicit money laundering activities, facilitation of terrorist financing, violations of federal sanctions laws, or other financial crimes, you may be eligible to come forward as a FinCEN whistleblower. FinCEN whistleblowers can report various other violations by financial institutions as well (i.e., failure to file suspicious activity reports (SARs)), and FinCEN whistleblowers are eligible for financial rewards in all cases in which they help the government recover $1 million or more.

To come forward as a FinCEN whistleblower, you must strictly comply with all applicable substantive and procedural requirements. Our whistleblower attorneys have extensive experience helping individuals come forward. We represent corporate whistleblowers, employees of financial institutions, and other individuals, and we provide representation at no out-of-pocket cost to our clients.

Whistleblower Complaints Accepted By FinCEN

FinCEN, which is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department, accepts whistleblower cases under several federal laws that are intended to help preserve the integrity of the U.S. financial system. Our lawyers are available to help prospective FinCEN whistleblowers report violations of:

Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)

The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) is one of a handful of federal anti-money laundering laws that establish compliance obligations for financial institutions (it also establishes compliance obligations for certain U.S. taxpayers). Under the BSA, financial institutions are required to establish and maintain compliance programs that are designed to facilitate detecting and reporting money laundering activities and other financial crimes.

When financial institutions fail to report money laundering, when they fail to prevent sanctions evasion, when they fail to file suspicious activity reports (SARs) and currency transaction reports (CTRs), and when they fail to take other necessary steps to protect the U.S. financial markets, they can—and should—be held accountable. In many cases, financial institutions that have committed Bank Secrecy Act violations will have violated the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) and other federal laws as well, and our whistleblower attorneys can assist with reporting all violations to the appropriate federal authorities.

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) gives the federal government oversight of financial transactions involving foreign banks, foreign exchange transactions, and cross-border securities transactions. Whistleblowers can report violations of IEEPA under FinCEN’s AML whistleblower program, and they can receive a financial report if their disclosure leads to an enforcement action resulting in the recovery of $1 million or more. These are complex cases; so, if you have information about an IEEPA violation, we strongly recommend speaking with an experienced whistleblower attorney before attempting to submit a whistleblower tip to FinCEN.

Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA)

The Trading With the Enemy Act (TWEA) prohibits U.S. companies and individuals from conducting transactions with foreign enemies unless they have a license from the federal government. It also gives the federal government oversight of certain foreign financial transactions in times of war. When FinCEN receives whistleblower claims involving violations of the TWEA, it will often share the whistleblower’s information with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and other appropriate federal agencies—as pursuing a successful enforcement action may involve pursuing entities or individuals around the globe. These are complex cases as well, and our attorneys have the experience required to assist whistleblowers effectively.  

Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act)

The Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) was enacted to prevent and expose financial transactions involving foreign narcotics traffickers and U.S. financial institutions, companies, and individuals. We represent whistleblower clients in reporting Kingpin Act violations to FinCEN as well. Here too, when individuals help FinCEN pursue successful enforcement actions resulting in the recovery of $1 million or more, they are entitled to a whistleblower award calculated as a percentage of the total monetary sanctions collected.

Serving as an Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower with FinCEN

Before coming forward as a FinCEN whistleblower, it is important to ensure that you have a clear understanding of what you can expect if you blow the whistle. In broad strokes, here is what the process involves:

• Confirming Your Eligibility – Before you contact FinCEN, it is critical to confirm your eligibility to serve as a whistleblower. If you are ineligible for any reason, you will need to assess your other options for coming forward.
• Preserving Critical Information – Prospective FinCEN whistleblowers must be careful to preserve all critical information they have in their possession. At the same time, employees must also be very careful about gathering additional records from their employers.
• Preparing and Filing Your Whistleblower Complaint – If you decide to blow the whistle, the next step will be to prepare and file your whistleblower complaint. Again, your complaint must strictly comply with FinCEN’s substantive and procedural requirements.
• Working with FinCEN During Its Investigation – After filing your complaint, you should be prepared to work with FinCEN during its investigation. The extent to which FinCEN relies on you for additional information will depend on the circumstances involved.
• Determining Your Award Eligibility – If your whistleblower complaint leads to a successful enforcement action, the final step will be to determine your award eligibility. When FinCEN recovers monetary sanctions of $1 million or more, whistleblowers are generally entitled to between 10% and 30% of the amount recovered.

Experienced Whistleblower Law Firm Representing Whistleblowers Worldwide

Our lawyers have extensive experience representing whistleblowers in cases involving financial institutions and other entities. We represent domestic and international whistleblowers who need to report all types of statutory and regulatory violations to FinCEN. Here is what you can expect when you choose our law firm to represent you:

• Strict Confidentiality – All information you share with us (including your identity) will remain strictly confidential. We will not contact FinCEN or any other government agency unless you authorize us to do so.
• Tailored Legal Advice – Our whistleblower attorneys will provide legal advice that is tailored to your individual circumstances. You will be able to use this advice to make informed decisions about your next steps.
• Clear and Direct Communication – You will communicate directly with our senior attorneys, and our attorneys will communicate directly with FinCEN and any other relevant government agencies on your behalf.
• Professional Representation – With extensive experience, including prior experience inside of the federal government, you can rely on our attorneys to provide professional representation every step of the way.
• No Out–of-Pocket Fees or Costs – As noted above, we do not charge any out-of-pocket fees or costs to whistleblowers. If you receive a whistleblower award, our fees and costs will be deducted from the amount we help you recover.

FAQs: Reporting Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Violations to FinCEN

Speak with a Senior FinCEN Whistleblower Lawyer in Strict Confidence

To speak with one of our senior FinCEN whistleblower lawyers in strict confidence, contact us today. call 888-680-1745 or tell us how we can reach you online to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.