COMPLIANCE
Victims of terrorism should look toward the
USVSST Fund
As members of the anti-financial crime ( AFC ) community , AFC professionals have worked on cases seeking to hold terrorists and their supporters liable for their actions in U . S . courts . Many AFC professionals are dedicated to finding official Iranian assets , and others to prevent terrorism on U . S . victims . Presumably , those victims — the clients — have already turned to U . S . district courts , perhaps suing Iran , Cuba or Syria for overseas terrorist acts , where these regimes did not show up , suffering a default judgment .
One of the most significant developments in this area of litigation is the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism ( USVSST ) Fund , which has created a pathway for victims of terrorism to receive compensation for injury or death in cases of international state sponsored terrorism . 1 Currently , four countries have been designated as state sponsors of terrorism : Syria , Iran , North Korea and Cuba . 2
The U . S . Attorney General appointed Kenneth Feinberg as the first special master of this fund . 3 The special master decides which judgements will receive funding from the USVSST Fund . Once the special master makes a funding decision , that decision is final . 4
Kenneth Feinberg , first special master of the USVSST Fund
60 acamstoday . org