|
Civil
Rights Violations The
mission of the FBI Birmingham Civil Rights program is to conduct
investigations of allegations regarding violations of applicable Federal laws
which protect the civil rights of citizens and inhabitants of the United States.
Any attempted or actual curtailment of Constitutional or Federally protected rights
possessed by citizens and inhabitants of the United States falls within the jurisdiction
of the FBI. Investigations are conducted under guidelines established in cooperation
with the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice.
DOJ Civil Rights Frequently Asked Questions
Cyber
Crime The
FBI Birmingham Cyber Crime squad investigates computer intrusions,
attacks on computer systems and networks, data loss or data manipulations, Internet
website defacements, Internet fraud and crimes against children. This squad is
also responsible for the forensic examination and analysis of computers and computer
systems.
Individuals/companies who are victims of Internet fraud are encouraged to report all Internet fraud incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.IC3.gov.
The IC3 then forwards each report to the respective FBI Field Office for investigative action, if warranted. Even if no investigative action is taken on an incident, all of the reports are maintained by the IC3 in its database and all separate reports regarding one individual can later be compiled and utilized in future investigations.
The FBI Birmingham Cyber Crime Squad is also very active in the local InfraGard
chapter.  InfraGard
is a partnership between private industry and the U.S. Government (represented
by the FBI), and was developed to encourage the exchange of information by the
government and private sectors. Each InfraGard chapter has representatives from
the FBI, private industry, the academic community and the public sector. Through
direct contact with the private sector infrastructure owners and operators, information
regarding cyber intrusions, exploited vulnerabilities, and infrastructure threats
is shared. The Birmingham Chapter of InfraGard website is www.birmingham-infragard.org.
The
Birmingham Cyber Crime Squad also aggressively investigates sexual exploitation/crimes
against children over the Internet.
Top
of Page Counter
Terrorism The
FBI Birmingham squad handles both criminal acts of terrorism investigations
and sensitive intelligence investigations regarding domestic and international
terrorism. A variety of resources are employed in an effort to prevent catastrophic
terrorist events from occurring. Additionally, liaison at the local, state and
national levels, and throughout the international arena, ensures these efforts
are coordinated.  The
North Alabama Joint Terrorism Force's (NAJTTF) mission is to prevent,
detect, deter and investigate attacks perpetrated by domestic and international
terrorists in the Northern District of Alabama. Founded in 2002, the NAJTTF investigates
the activities of both international and domestic terrorist organizations. The
NAJTTF also investigates all criminal activities, including the acquisition and
garnishment of funds, weapons, explosives, false identifications and other means
undertaken by terrorists to function.
Additionally,
the NAJTTF works with all local, state and federal agencies, as well as the private
sector, to establish appropriate responses to terrorist attacks. The NAJTTF trains
and exercises with local community first responders to ensure that all agencies
are prepared to respond to an incident involving weapons of mass destruction.
The NAJTTF's membership
is comprised of personnel from the FBI, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department,
the Hoover Police Department, the Bessemer Police Department, the University of
Alabama at Birmingham Police Department, the Huntsville Police Department, the
Alabama Bureau of Investigation, the Alabama State Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board, the United States Secret Service, the United States Customs Service, the
Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the
902nd Intelligence Group. Top
of Page
Drug
Crime The
FBI Birmingham Drug Crime program investigates drug trafficking of both a domestic
and international nature, the laundering of illegal proceeds from drug trafficking,
and acts of violence associated with drug trafficking.
Top
of Page
Field Intelligence Group (FIG)
The mission of the Field Intelligence Group is to optimally position the FBI to meet current and emerging national security and criminal threats by proactively aiming core investigative efforts against threats to U. S. interests, creating and sustaining enterprise-wide intelligence solutions and human and technical capabilities, and providing useful, appropriate, and timely information and analysis to the FBI, homeland security, and law enforcement communities.
Top
of Page
Foreign
Counterintelligence The FBI Birmingham Foreign Counterintelligence mission is to collect, analyze, and utilize information to identify and neutralize the activities of foreign powers and their agents that could adversely affect U.S. national security. Top
of Page Violent
Crime Even with our post-9/11 national security responsibilities, we continue to play a key role in combating violent crime in big cities and local communities across the United States. Beyond our work targeting violent gangs and other criminal enterprises, we focus on such issues as crimes against children, the search for wanted fugitives, serial killings, kidnapping, murder for hire, bank robberies, and special crimes like the carriage of weapons on aircraft and crime on the high seas.
In Birmingham, we work closely with a host of law enforcement partners to address the full range of violent crimes.
Top
of Page White
Collar Crime The
FBI Birmingham White Collar Crime program is divided into the following investigative
areas: Economic
Crime investigations, which involve telemarketing fraud, securities and
commodities fraud, and investment fraud. Financial
Institution Fraud investigations, which involve federal crimes against
financial institutions and money laundering. These types of fraud include check
kiting schemes, bank embezzlement, counterfeit check schemes, wire transfer frauds,
loan frauds, and the bribery of bank officials. Governmental
Fraud investigations which involve cases of fraud against the government,
environmental crime, bankruptcy fraud, and antitrust matters.
Healthcare Fraud investigations, which involve fraud perpetrated
against Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies. These types of fraud
include illegal kickbacks, billing for services not rendered, and filing false
claims.
Public
Corruption investigations, which involve the corruption of federal, state
and local public officials, including the corruption of law enforcement officers,
judiciary and executive department employees, and corrupt administrators and other
in government positions of trust.
Mortgage Fraud investigations, which involve the making of false statements in regards to income, assets, debt, or matters of identification, or willfully overvalue any land or property,in a loan and credit application for the purpose of influencing in any way the action of a financial institution. Details
Top of Page
Public Corruption
What is Public Corruption? Public corruption is the breach of the public's trust by a public official, either elected, appointed or under contract, and/or private individual at all levels of government - local, state, and federal, who use their public office for personal gain.
It is a violation of federal law for any federal or state Government Official to ask for or receive anything of value for or because of any official act. Under federal law, the person who offers or pays a bribe is also guilty.
These crimes are the result of deals sealed with whispered conversations, quick handshakes and "under-the-table" money. Because of the secretive nature of a bribery transaction, such crimes are often difficult to detect and even more difficult to prove without the assistance of concerned citizens.
Types of Public Corruption:
1. Law Enforcement Corruption: At a state or local level, typically involves payment of bribes or kickbacks in exchange for official actions or inaction, but can also include any violation of law not necessarily connected to the official duties of the law enforcement personnel. This can involve:
- theft of drugs;
- “tipping” criminals to investigation;
- escorting deliveries of drugs or other contraband;
- protecting criminal organizations, including drug organizations;
- embezzlement;
- unauthorized release of law enforcement records.
2. Legislative corruption: At state or local level this typically involves payment of bribes or kickbacks in exchange for official action or inaction. These bribes or kickbacks can be received by the legislators themselves, aides, staff persons or may involve outside parties doing business with the government.
3. Municipal corruption: This typically involves illegal activities similar to legislative corruption. Common corruption schemes at a local level can include bribes or kickbacks in exchange for:
- supporting local ordinances;
- approving local government bond issuance;
- unlawful tax reduction;
- fraudulent manipulation of probate assets;
- conspiring with others to rezone property or influence land-use proposals.
4. Judicial corruption: Judicial corruption typically arises out of the corrupt influencing of state or local judges, juries, or court personnel (clerks, bailiffs, probation official and other administrative staff). Common corrupt schemes can include:
- payments to judiciary personnel in exchange for dismissal of charges;
- reduction of charges;
- reduction of bond;
- reduction of sentence;
- waiver of fines;
- return of forfeitable property;
- favorable probation conditions.
5. Contract corruption: Contract corruption typically involves the payment of bribes or kickbacks to local or state officials in exchange for favorable treatment on government contracts. Potential subjects may be any private contractor or anyone acting on their behalf and any public official involved in the contracting process (procurement officers, purchasing agents, city councilpersons, county commissioners). Favorable treatment can include:
- improper disclosure of bid information;
- narrow tailoring of contracts to benefit a certain company (sole source contracts);
- improper disqualification of competitors from the bid process;
- support or voting for the bribing contractor;
- approving false invoices, improper change orders, or cost overruns on behalf of the
- bribing contractor.
6. Regulatory corruption: Regulatory corruption typically involves payment to local, state or federal officials in exchange for favorable action or inaction pertaining to identification documents, licensing, inspection and zoning variances. Unlawful payments (bribes and kickbacks) can be paid to:
- Inspectors for non-enforcement of violations, or extortion for false violations;
- Planning and zoning officials for improperly reclassifying property;
- Public officials for fraudulent documents such as driver’s licenses and passports;
- Licensing officials for fraudulent issuance of licenses to construction contractors,
- subcontractors, and other regulated industries
7. Prison corruption: involves corrections officers taking unlawful payment for acts directly or indirectly related to their job. Common schemes include:
- Smuggling contraband into the facility;
- Granting unlawful privileges;
- Premature release of inmates.
|
