Leslie R. Caldwell, former Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the DOJ, told a group of bankers while in office that they need to expand upon the ‘suspicious activity reports’ they are required to file on their customers by calling law enforcement directly on anyone withdrawing a large amount of cash, according to investor and financial blogger Simon Black.
Banks are already required to file ‘suspicious activity reports’ on their customers, with threats of fines and even jail time for directors if financial institutions don’t meet quotas.
But as investor and financial blogger Simon Black points out, last week, “A senior official from the Justice Department spoke to a group of bankers about the need for them to rat out their customers to the police.”
Assistant attorney general Leslie Caldwell gave a speech in which he urged banks to “alert law enforcement authorities about the problem” so that police can “seize the funds” or at least “initiate an investigation”.
As Black highlights, according to the handbook for the Federal Financial Institution Examination Council, such suspicious activity includes, “Transactions conducted or attempted by, at, or through the bank (or an affiliate) and aggregating $5,000 or more…”
Black provides a chilling scenario under which an attempt to withdraw your own money from your bank account could end with a home visit from the cops.
“As you pull into your driveway later there’s an unexpected surprise waiting for you: two police officers would like to have a word with you about your intended withdrawal earlier,” writes Black, who accuses banks of already operating as “unpaid government spies”.
“Do you need to withdraw cash to purchase a used car from a private seller? Or perhaps you are pulling out some emergency cash for a loved one,” writes Mac Slavo.
“Either one of these activities are now considered suspicious and if your cash withdrawal amounts to even a few thousand dollars your bank teller is under a legal requirement to alert officials about your suspected criminal activity. And before you argue that you can’t possibly be a suspect because you have done nothing wrong, consider that even being suspected of being a suspect is now enough to land you on a terrorist watchlist in America.”
The war on cash is intensifying as authorities attempt to crack down on one of the few remaining modes of anonymity.
Over in France, Finance Minister Michel Sapin hailed the introduction of measures set to come into force in September which will restrict French citizens from making cash payments over 1,000 euros.
The new regulations, introduced in the name of fighting terrorism, will also see cash deposits of over 10,000 euros during a single month reported to anti-fraud authorities.
Meanwhile, in the UK, HSBC is now interrogating its account holders on how they earn and spend their money as well as restricting large cash withdrawals for customers from £5000 upwards.
Back in America, purchasing Amtrak train tickets with cash is being treated as a suspicious activity as part of a number of behaviors that are “indicative of criminal activity”.
Banks are also making it harder for customers to withdraw and deposit cash, with Chase imposing new capital controls that mandate identification for cash deposits and ban cash being deposited into another person’s account.
Most folks never have to worry about withdrawing that amount because most live paycheck to paycheck…………sad but true
Yep let’s hear it for electronic financial stuff under the veil of cutting down on paperwork, time saving etc…..all to keep a watchful eye on the average citizen.
The social security is paid for by us and is meant to be a source of income when we retire if the federal government hadn’t stolen from it s s would be in good shape for years to come, but the current administration is trying to make it seem like it is an entitlement from the government to make it look like they aren’t thieves.
Not entirely true. This past summer I had $7000.00 worth of work done on my car. That certainly more than exceeded my limit on my card for a day so I had to go to the nearest branch to get the money to pay the bill. I decided that since they would not raise my limit overt the phone that I would ask for cash instead of a tellers check. In and out with my cash in 10 min no questions asked.
I support the police. But that fits not mean I support them when they cross the line and abuse their authority. Never surrender your rights
This is bull C**p and the guess who allowed it OB and his Cronies
OMG, not police you nutbags. They have reported deposits and withdrawals over $5,000 for decades. If you’re routinely getting a monthly deposit from a paycheck more than $5,000 they wouldn’t report. They always do this. Look it up .
Almost correct but not quite.
Finally someone gets it right. This post pops up every once in a while and it’s so annoying.
Death of democracy at its finest.