ICAIE’s John Cassara on How Bad Actors & Threat Networks use the Global Financial System to Launder Trillions of Dollars in Dirty Money
Learn more about “How do global FinSinners—from cartels to corrupt actors—use the financial system to wash trillions?” [see below, Parts 1 and 2, produced by First American] featuring ICAIE’s Vice President and Senior Advisor, John A. Cassara — and former CIA spy and Treasury agent. Cassara joins Sarah Frano, Host – First on Fraud, and Matt Sager to expose how these bad actors and threat networks exploit FinCEN rules, move billions, and why real estate pros must understand new reporting rules.
In Part 2, Cassara discusses how criminals use luxury properties, shell companies, and cash deals to wash billions—and what expanded regulations mean for your business.
Find Hyper weblinks below:
Part 1: FinSinners Part 1:
The Basics of Money Laundering and FinCEN’s Hidden World
Part 2: FinSinners Part 2:
Dirty Money in Real Estate and FinCEN’s Crackdown
John A. Cassara: Biography
Cassara began his 26 year government career as an intelligence officer during the Cold War. He later served as a Treasury Special Agent in both the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Customs Service where he investigated money laundering, trade fraud and international smuggling. Cassara was an undercover arms dealer for two years. For his efforts in the successful international investigation, he was presented the U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia “law enforcement officer of the year” award.
Assigned overseas, he developed expertise in Middle East money laundering, value transfer and underground financial systems. Cassara also worked six years for Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and was detailed to the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
Cassara has authored or co-authored several articles and books, including China – Specified Unlawful Activities: CCP Inc., Transnational Crime and Money Laundering; Hide and Seek, On the Trail of Terror Finance – What Intelligence and Law Enforcement Officers Need to Know; Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML): The Next Frontier in International Money Laundering Enforcement; and numerous other publications.
Upcoming ICAIE 2026 Report
I will be co-authoring with John our upcoming 2026 ICAIE report, “Criminals are Accelerating Illicit Trade By Exploiting Threat Finance Landscapes around the Globe” on the Dark Side of Illicit Economies: How Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) and “value” schemes are being leveraged to finance a greater global ecosystem of criminality across markets, the digital world, financial safe havens, Free Trade Zones (FTZs), and Hubs of Illicit Trade. International Coalition Against Illicit Economies (ICAIE) / ICAIE Labs
