Combating terrorist financing and other financial crimes through private sector partnerships

Partnerships between the public and private sectors represent one of the strongest means to detect, deter, disrupt and deny terrorist and other criminal organizations illicit profits and material support required to fuel their evil acts. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and illustrate through case study, the importance of public and private sector partnership in combating terrorist financing and other financial crimes.

Two case studies are presented demonstrating how the public and private sectors can collaboratively work to target how criminal organizations earn, move and store their illicit profits. Highlighted is US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE's) outreach and partnership program, Cornerstone. Through working partnerships with US financial, trade, manufacturing and transportation sectors, Cornerstone's goal is to eliminate systemic vulnerabilities that could be exploited by terrorist and other criminal organizations.

ICE provides the private sector with information on trends, patterns, and “red flag” indicators that are identified during criminal investigations. This information can be used by the private sector to assist in establishment of internal controls and systems designed to protect their institutions from criminal exploitation.

Sharing identified vulnerabilities and information with trusted private sector partners, is the first line of defense against financial crimes, and the cornerstone of private/public partnership.

The paper stresses that all nations must recognize that any criminal act – whether driven by profit or ideology – threatens a nations economic security and integrity. In today's global economy, this impact can have devastating consequences transcending many borders.