Financial Crime Investigation Techniques in Senegal: Enhancing Asset Recovery Efforts

As financial crime investigators in Senegal strive to recover stolen assets and bring perpetrators to justice, a crucial first step is the creation of a comprehensive subject profile.

Creating a Comprehensive Subject Profile

A comprehensive subject profile entails collecting and recording basic information related to the target, including:

• Aliases
• Date and place of birth
• Contact details
• Names and dates of birth of spouses, children, parents, and other relatives
• Relevant telephone numbers and email addresses
• Recent photographs and government-issued identification
• Fingerprint cards and criminal record searches
• Academic records, employment history, and association memberships
• Results of public-source searches using internet search engines, social media sites, and local and international media reports

Collecting Financial Data and Other Evidence Sources

In Senegal, investigators may need to gather financial data on targets and their businesses, including:

• Assets and liabilities
• Income and expenses
• Documents from government agencies, financial institutions, law and accounting firms, and other entities

Sources of financial data and evidence include:

• Government agencies
• Financial institutions and e-banking facilities
• Money service providers and law enforcement agencies
• Real estate agents and art dealers
• Insurance companies and business competitors
• Travel and reward programs
• Businesses, relatives, employees, and associates of targets

Open-Source Investigations

In Senegal, open-source information is increasingly being used to gather intelligence on financial crimes. This includes publicly available information obtained through:

• Social media
• The internet
• News media reports
• Official public records
• Private databases
• Civil litigation records
• Corporate registrations
• Tax filings
• Educational records
• Reports from non-governmental organizations

Open-source investigations can be used to:

• Assess the credibility of allegations
• Submit admissible evidence at trial
• Develop investigative plans and assess the difficulty of making a successful case
• Identify domestic or foreign assets held by targets
• Identify associates and potential witnesses
• Compile subject profiles and financial profiles

Conclusion

By leveraging these investigative techniques, financial crime investigators in Senegal can enhance asset recovery efforts and bring perpetrators to justice.