INTERVIEW
MM: Well, for example, if I owned a high-
end escort agency my line to the women
would be let’s get as many billable hours as
we can, especially if I am sending them out
to deliver drugs. For example, one of the
things that I discuss during my presenta-
tions is to pay attention to multiple charges
that occur on one credit card in the middle
of the night. It would be suspicious if the
company that is processing those charges
is ABC Transportation Inc., in New York,
but all those transactions are off by a dollar
or two dollars because they want to trick
the credit card software. So, the way it
works is that when the girl arrives at the
hotel room she asks the John for a driver’s
license, another form of ID, a credit card,
and to sign a verification slip. So the John
does all this and the reason for this is to
fight charge backs on the credit cards. And
this all gets processed and it gets keyed in.
All the charge backs are carbon copy slips.
This is a great tell to know that this is a
human trafficking organization. The owners
of the trafficking rings do not want to give
the girls devices that they can use to swipe
the cards on because the owners want com-
plete control.
AT: What was your most memorable
case?
MM: A previous federal case called NY Con-
fidential. The case took place in 2005-2006.
The pimp’s name was Jason Itzler, aka, the
King of all Pimps. He graduated law school
and got into the sex trade and had his office
right next door to 26 federal plaza, which is
the home of the FBI in NY. He went from
making $60,000 a month to $450,000 a
month in six months and no one noticed. We
prosecuted Paul Bogrine and he got
RICO-ed 1 in Newark by the FBI. He is cur-
rently serving six life sentences, plus 20
years for murdering witnesses and for wit-
ness intimidation. These cases always lead
to other things and there is always some-
thing else.
Karla Monterrosa-Yancey,
ACAMS Today
editor-in-chief
Donna Luisi, HSI EDTF senior
intelligence analyst, Financial
Intelligence/HIFCA
Margret Marnell,
HSI EDTF program
manager, Financial
Intelligence/HIFCA
Donna Luisi, HSI EDTF senior intelligence analyst,
Financial Intelligence/HIFCA
Margret Marnell, HSI EDTF program manager,
Financial Intelligence/HIFCA
AT: Donna, what is your role with the HSI EDTF?
Donna Luisi: As the senior intelligence analyst for HSI, I have done several things with
HIFCA over the years. I used to be in charge of SAR reviews. Now I am in charge of case
support. What this means is that we receive a lot of requests from HSI EDTF agents and I
work with our analyst to make sure they are doing the correct type of research and financial
analysis, data visualization and putting it into a format that is understandable for everyone
and appropriate for trial. One of our analysts recently went to testify at a trial. I have done
threat assessments as well.
AT: Margret, what is your role?
Margret Marnell: I am the program manager at HIFCA. My job is similar to Donna’s. We
function as deputies to Bill Macintosh, who is the supervisor of HIFCA. I work with the ana-
lysts specifically in complex multi-targets and strategic investigations. For example, I work
on projects where we are pursuing a specific theme or issue rather than just an individual
target set.
AT: Margret, what led you to join the HSI EDTF?
MM: I started in Washington, D.C., where I worked in the Treasury Department in the office
of Intelligence and Analysis and prior to that I worked for the Department of Defense as a
weapon’s analyst. The Treasury Department of Intelligence and Analysis is a sister office to
OFAC, FinCEN and TFC.
This is a term used by law enforcement. It is referring to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations (RICO) Act, a “U.S. federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a
civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization.”
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