|
The FBI has a continuing responsibility to respond to all allegations involving
the abuse of trust by Public Officials. The FBI will investigate a public
official, whether elected or appointed, where there is sufficient evidence of
corruption. A particular problem along the Southwest international border is
the recruitment of public officials by drug traffickers who seek assistance in
facilitating the illegal importation and distribution of drugs. If you are
aware of criminal activity involving corruption of public officials, please
contact the San Diego Public Corruption Hotline toll free at 1-888-324-3728.
United States Government agencies and businesses are vulnerable to attacks that
are designed to alter, steal, or destroy information contained in their
computer systems. Attacks are also launched for the purpose of disabling a
system with the potential to shut organizations down. The FBI has established
the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) to conduct computer
investigations and the San Diego Division has established a Cyber Squad for
NIPC investigations. NIPC conducts state-of-the-art computer investigations,
both nationally and internationally, and includes representatives from many
government agencies. The threats handled by the Cyber Squad are among the most
challenging and dynamic problems that the FBI now addresses in meeting its
national security and criminal missions.
The San Diego Cyber Squad also investigates the systematic infringement of
intellectual property rights. The proliferation of computers and computer
networks has made the illegal reproduction and distribution of protected
material much easier than ever to accomplish. Information itself has become
increasingly valuable and the focus of foreign espionage is in some instances
directed to obtaining valuable proprietary information from United States
businesses. The FBI engages in sophisticated investigations of certain thefts
of intellectual property when the conduct exceeds available civil remedies.
The San Diego Division of the FBI investigates a wide variety of economic
crimes. Our referrals for these investigations come from the public, from
victims of criminal activity and from representatives of financial entities and
the securities industry. In addition to schemes by national and international
con-men, fraud schemes involve the use of the United States mail and/or
interstate wires, including computers, to commit:
-
Telemarketing Fraud: Unscrupulous telemarketers prey upon citizens by
dishonestly enticing them into fraudulent charitable causes, prize promotions,
investment frauds and insurance frauds. This booming business in telemarketing
costs U.S. citizens billions in annual losses as well as personal anguish.
-
Bankruptcy Fraud: Criminal bankruptcy misuse occurs when individuals and
corporations conceal and misdate assets, mislead creditors, or illegally
pressure bankruptcy petitioners.
-
Environmental Crimes: The San Diego Division investigates a full range of
environmental crimes, including water pollution violations, wetland violations
and spills of hazardous substances.
-
Securities Fraud: Substantial allegations of criminal activity related to
market manipulation, insider trading, thefts from securities accounts and wire
fraud are vigorously pursued. The volatile and expanding nature of the
securities industry has made securities fraud a tempting target for
unscrupulous con-men.
-
Financial Institution Fraud: Criminal acts perpetrated by bankers, business
people, developers, real estate brokers, lawyers and others against federally
insured financial institutions creates huge economic losses for the government
and all tax payers.
The FBI investigates hate crimes and misuse of official force when, based on
their severity, they cannot be addressed appropriately on the local or state
levels. These cases must meet guidelines established by the United States
Attorney General and the FBI for federal criminal civil rights investigations.
The FBI investigates all forms of fraud affecting both government sponsored and
privately insured health benefit programs. While most health care professionals
and businesses operate legitimately, economic losses attributable to criminal
wrong doing cost the public and private insurance industry billions of dollars
each year. The San Diego Division investigates many different health care
frauds, including insurance provider fraud, staged automobile accidents and
fraud by health care agencies, ambulance companies, medical equipment
companies, chiropractors and physicians. This fraud often involves Medicare,
Medi-cal and pharmaceutical diversions.
Criminal conduct arises when individuals through deceit or dishonesty interfere
with the functioning of the federal government and its programs. The FBI
investigates fraud against numerous agencies of the federal government,
including the Department of Defense, the Small Business Administration, the
Department of Housing and Urban Development, and numerous others.
San Diego Division conducts investigations involving criminal enterprises
conducting drug trafficking and organized crime. The investigations are complex
and utilize the most sophisticated techniques, including undercover operations
and electronic surveillance. Investigative resources are used against major
international and domestic criminal organizations that control significant
segments of illegal traffic. The FBI works to disrupt and dismantle the
criminal enterprises through prosecution and the seizure and forfeiture of
criminally-derived assets. The San Diego Division's organized crime/drug
program coordinates its investigative efforts with other local, state and
federal law enforcement agencies. Many investigations are conducted through
task forces such as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF),
the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) and certain
case-specific task forces.
San Diego Division investigates dangerous crimes involving bank robberies,
kidnappings, extortion, sexual exploitation of children, and other federal
offenses. While the FBI is well known for capturing bank robbers, it also plays
major roles in multi-agency task forces in San Diego targeting violent street
gangs and fugitives. The Gang Task Force is responsible for the arrest and
convictions of hundreds of gang members. The Fugitive Task Force has
apprehended well over 5,000 fugitives wanted for offenses committed in San
Diego County.
The FBI is the lead agency in the fight against terrorism in and against the
United States. Terrorism is defined by the FBI as “the unlawful use of force or
violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the
civilian population, or any segments thereof, in furtherance of political or
social objectives.” Terrorism can originate from international sources, as
happened in the World Trade Center bombing in New York City, from domestic
sources, as seen in the Oklahoma City bombing, or even target Americans in
overseas settings as occurred in the bombings of American embassies in Africa.
The FBI is the lead agency in responding to acts of Nuclear, Biological, or
Chemical terrorism. The FBI provides an immediate response in the event of an
act of terror within the United States and works closely with other federal and
state agencies, as well as overseas institutions, to interdict weapons of mass
destruction and prevent and/or investigate acts of terrorism.
Foreign Counter-Intelligence actions by the San Diego Division are designed to
detect and thwart the intelligence collection activities by foreign powers and
their agents. San Diego is an attractive and vulnerable target due to the
numerous military installations and defense contractors in the area. San Diego
Division takes aggressive measures to reduce the vulnerabilities of the United
States to illegal intelligence gathering.
|
Public
Corruption