Investigators, Prosecutors Combat Financial Fraud

EUGENE, OR—For the ninth consecutive year, a unique financial crimes conference will be held in Eugene, Oregon. It brings together in the same place at the same time law enforcement investigators and prosecutors from multiple jurisdictions, financial institution fraud investigators, and corporate fraud investigators so that they can learn how, through teamwork, to apply the most recent technology to combat financial fraud. Financial fraud results in billions of dollars of losses annually in the United States but law enforcement officers in Oregon are determined to reduce the harm to consumers, and to hold more offenders accountable.

On Tuesday, September 29th, through Thursday, October 1st, law enforcement investigators, prosecutors, financial institution fraud investigators, corporate fraud investigators and auditors will gather at the Valley River Inn in Eugene to learn how to better investigate and prosecute financial fraud. The conference will provide investigators and prosecutors who handle financial crimes, and private-sector personnel who assist them in doing so, tools to assist in the detection, investigation and prosecution of fraud. The conference is open to all city, county, state, and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors; fraud investigators and security officers for financial institutions; internal auditors for public agencies; and private-sector personnel who assist law enforcement in the investigation of financial crimes.

The seminar will address a variety of topics, including: (1) organized retail fraud; (2) counterfeiting of products in Oregon; (3) Internet social networking sites as investigative resources; (4) charitable, consumer, elder and securities fraud in Oregon; (5) facial recognition software in Oregon; (6) computer forensics; (7) identity theft; and (8) search and seizure law updates.

Sean Hoar, an Assistant United States Attorney and founder of the conference, stated that "The combined training of investigators and prosecutors is critical in the increasingly sophisticated area of financial fraud. It not only fosters a team approach, but provides immediate tools to better detect, investigate, and prosecute those who commit financial fraud. In doing so, it creates a more difficult environment for those who would victimize consumers."

The 2009 Financial Crimes & Digital Evidence Conference is sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Southern Oregon Financial Fraud and Security Team, the Northwest Fraud Investigators Association, the Oregon Department of Justice, and the United States Attorney's Office. For further information, please contact Sean Hoar at 541- 465-6792 or visit www.financialcrimesconference.com.