FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 1, 2024
     

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FINANCIAL CRIMES
INVESTIGATORS (IAFCI) ANNOUNCE 2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS

El Dorado Hills, CA— August 1, 2024 Today, the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) announced its 2024 International Award recipients for the following categories: Law Enforcement Officer of the Year (Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-Up), Prosecutor of the Year, Financial Crimes Investigator of the Year, Task Force of the Year, Retail Investigator of the Year, Cyber Investigations Contributor of the Year, and Member of the Year. This year’s award recipients are identified as follows:

2024 IAFCI INTERNATIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

2024 IAFCI / Mastercard International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year:
Special Agent Corina Pavel

United States Secret Service

Nominating Chapter: Delaware Valley Chapter – IAFCI

Special Agent Corina Pavel initiated an investigation into a transnational organized crime syndicate. Throughout the investigation, Special Agent Pavel partnered with multiple USSS field offices across the country, the FBI, international law enforcement authorities, and various state/local police departments to bring this organization to justice. Subsequently, international law enforcement authorities have also opened an investigation on members of the organization for laundering the proceeds of their fraud in other countries.

In September 2022, the Santa Rosa Police Department received a request for assistance from an investigator in New Jersey related to a scam investigation where funds were traced to a subject in Santa Rosa. Det. Gooler was assigned the case, which led to a search warrant at a suspect’s residence. Evidence located during the search and from the suspect interview, indicated it was a much bigger scheme than originally suspected and a second suspect was identified. Det. Gooler was able to freeze or seize an estimated $420,000 in assets. As the investigation continued, additional suspects were identified, and a full forensic accounting of the associated money laundering revealed the group laundered more than $7.8 million in 2022.

2024 IAFCI / Mastercard International Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2nd Runner Up

Detective Stephen Gardner

Lillington North Carolina Police Department
Nominating Chapter: Carolinas Chapter – IAFCI

On December 9, 2022, Det. Gardner responded to a commercial break-in call at a local dealership in Lillington, NC. In the early hours of December 9th, a group of 12, highly prepared individuals had broken into the dealership, obtained keys to 12 high-end vehicles totaling $1.2 million and drove them off the lot. Det. Gardner was able to identify one of the suspects and obtain photos of him in the stolen car within 24 hours of the larceny. This led Det. Gardner to the Charlotte area where they interviewed the suspect identified in the photo. A great deal of information was obtained, which led to search warrants on several individuals and locations. The investigation led Det. Gardner to identify and tie 18 different car dealership larcenies in 18 different towns, in four states to the group. Det. Gardner connected with each agency to bring all the cases together. Through the outreach, he was able to identify 100 stolen vehicles totaling over $5 million related to the group.

2024 IAFCI / Visa International Prosecutor of the Year
Whitney Mackay

Bureau Chief of Cyber Fraud Enforcement, Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution

Nominating Chapter: Florida Chapter - IAFCI

Bureau Chief, Whitney Mackay specializes in complex financial crime litigation for the Florida Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Mackay is currently assigned to the newly formed Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit. Experienced in all aspects of criminal law, Ms. Mackay has established a tough but fair reputation for prosecuting highly specialized and technical financial crime cases, often involving multi-national cybercriminals. Whitney Mackay has successfully pursued illicit funds on several high-profile cases, partnering with the State of Florida’s Civil Forfeiture Unit seizing digital wallets and returning stolen money to the victims of financial crime.

2024 IAFCI / Discover Card Services Rick Brady International Financial Crimes Investigator of the Year

Jenni Middlebrook-Case

Forensic Accountant, Florida Office of Financial Regulation
Nominating Chapter: Florida Chapter – IAFCI

Jenni Middlebrook-Case is a forensic accountant and cryptocurrency crime investigator with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. She has investigated, performed financial and cryptocurrency tracing, and helped seize illicit funds. Investigator Middlebrook-Case has demonstrated this unparalleled commitment to pursuing criminals despite hurdles that come with tracing financial and digital footprints. Through meticulous analysis and tireless effort, Jenni has helped bring numerous cases to a prosecution posture. One notable example is a romance scam where the victim transmitted funds using currency kiosk. Investigator Middlebrook-Case’s work resulted in a seizure and forfeiture of nearly 100% of victim funds. Prosecutors are pursuing criminal charges against the target who is facing 30 years in Florida State Prison. In Investigator Middlebrook-Case’s most recent case, a victim was enticed to invest money by subscribing to a service where he believed he was receiving profitable investment trading signals and making those profitable trades on that website’s trading platform. The victim attempted to withdraw funds but was instead convinced to pay additional money in commissions, taxes, and priority upgrades. The victim lost a total of $1.2 million. Following the initial trace, Investigator Middlebrook-Case was able to double the expected amount of the seizure by analyzing the records provided and identifying areas where the suspects had converted victim assets to other types of cryptocurrencies.


                                                                                     2024 IAFCI Synchrony Financial Organized Retail Crimes Investigator of the Year 

                                                                                                                                        Christopher O'Keeffee
                                                                                                                                                          Loss prevention Investigator, Bergdorf Goodman 
                                                                                                                                                      NominatingChapter: New York Metro Chapter –IAFCI
 
Investigator Christopher O’Keeffe of Bergdorf Goodman, Loss Prevention Unit, was selected as this year’s Retail Investigator of the Year for his uncanny ability to identify point of sale suspects and linking them to larger criminal enterprises. Of the many accolades, Chris assisted law enforcement and other financial and retail institutions with a pickpocketing crew that would target victims at gyms, bars, and other locations. Working with the NYPD and others, Chris was able to identify the ringleader as well as (3) other actors who were subsequently arrested by the NYPD. The total amount of fraud exceeded $1 million dollars in losses to retail and financial institutions. 

2024 IAFCI / NCFTA Cyber Investigations International Contributor of the Year

 Craig Pederson
Digital Forensics Practice – TCG Digital Forensics
 Nominating Chapter: Western Cape South Africa Chapter – IAFCI

Craig Pedersen of TCG Digital Forensics (South Africa) was nominated and selected as the 2024 NCFTA’s Cyber Investigations Contributor of the Year for his exemplary investigation of the Mirror Trading International (MTI) Ponzi scheme in South Africa. The scheme involved MTI’s CEO, Johan Steynberg and others facilitating an illegal bitcoin Ponzi scheme that involved over 1200 bitcoin transactions with an input value more than 3700 btc and over 300,000 user accounts. Steynberg was charged as the primary and died in 2024. More than ZAR 12 billion was recovered during the course of early investigation with further recoveries enabled through transaction analysis and cryptocurrency tracing. Additionally, MTI was ordered to pay more than $1.7 billion in restitution to defrauded victims.

2024 IAFCI / American Express Donald D. Drummond International Member of the Year

Brian O’Connor

Detective, Cyber/Electronic Crime Unit, Cambridge MA Police Department
Nomination Chapter: New England Chapter – IAFCI

Brian O’Connor has been an IAFCI member since 2010 and a distinguished member of the Cambridge MA Police Department for approximately 25 years, presently assigned as a Detective to the Cyber/Electronic Crimes Unit, investigating financial and cybercrimes.

Brian created the IAFCI Fraud Guide in 2011. What started as an investigator’s guide for new investigators in his department, the guide was expanded and made available to all IAFCI members. The guide, which has been continually updated by Brian, is now over 250 pages and covers over 14 subject matters to include Cyber Crimes, Bank Fraud, Cell Phone and Computer Technology, Scams, and current fraud trends. Additionally, Brian was instrumental in preparing other IAFCI resource guides, including the “Crackin’ Cards” 101, investigators guide, an 85-page book also available to all IAFCI members.

2024 IAFCI / The Zellman Group - Task Force of the Year

United States Secret Service ICAC Task Force
Nominating Chapter: Arizona Chapter

On October 19, 2023, Europol’s Child Sexual Exploitation Investigative Team issued a message addressed to the United States Secret Service (USSS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the active and ongoing exploitation of two children. Europol analysis indicated the ongoing exploitation was taking place in the United States. Europol USSS investigative inquiries to help identify and stop the active exploitation of these victims. United States Secret Service with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Argos, and Europol’s AP Twins, quickly formed a task force of Special Agents, Analysts, Analytics, and Forensic investigators.

On October 24, 2023, Special Agents USSS, and HSI, with the assistance of the Office of US Attorneys, executed a search warrant and apprehended the target of this investigation. During subsequent interviews, the subject confessed to the sexual exploitation and other heinous crimes that are too horrible to mention. On 5/13/2024, the suspect was sentenced in the federal case to 100 years in prison, the maximum allowed.

2024 IAFCI Presidents Award

April DeValkenaere (Wisconsin Chapter President)
Shannon Roth (Arizona Chapter President)

Both April and Shannon are being honored for their incredible dedication and commitment to not only their Chapters, but to the entire organization. This past year, and with the retirement and transitioning of several leaders of the IAFCI, a void was created with the IAFCI Marketing Committee. Both offered their services and have done an exceptional job working with AR Marketing and reviewing, editing and giving input on marketing projects during that time, which has assisted our organization in growing membership and awareness about the IAFCI.

In addition, April is recognized for being one of the key leaders of the first- ever IAFCI Regional Conference, ‘Midwest Investigators United in the Heartland’ (MIUH), that was hosted in Kansas City, Missouri. This was a new opportunity to bring multiple Chapters from the Midwest together for training and networking. The event was a huge success and there was incredible collaboration between eight Chapters and thirteen states.

2024 IAFCI Chairmans Award

Kathy Stokes
AARP Fraud Watch Network – IAFCI Advisor

Kathy Stokes’ commitment to the IAFCI has been second to none since joining the International Advisory Council in 2019. Kathy fostered a valuable relationship between the IAFCI and the AARP Fraud Watch Network that has grown from one Chapter to more than (18) IAFCI Chapters and FWN organizations in the U.S. In addition, Kathy has spearheaded the narrative of how we view victims of these crimes and to show compassion when some wish to blame the victim. Her initiatives have empowered so many unwilling victims to have the courage to come forward and seek justice. Additionally, Kathy has shown her support to the IAFCI by being one of the biggest supporters of the IAFCI and its International Conference.

The IAFCI would like to thank the sponsors: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover Card Services, National Cyber Forensics Training Alliance, Synchrony Financial, and The Zellman Group, for their valuable partnership with the IAFCI organization.