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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMore Marshall - TPM "Is this how Avenatti Found Out?"
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/is-this-how-avenatti-found-outTPM Reader TH thinks he knows where Michael Avenatti got his amazingly specific details. And it sounds right to me
I want to shed some light on tonights post re: Cohen/Avenatti, specifically this line:
Theyve also confirmed the dollar amounts. So while we still dont know where or how Avenatti got this information he must have had access to one of Cohens ledgers, a bank statement or perhaps an investigative document. The details are simply too specific.
I work as an Anti-Money Laundering and Bank Secrecy Act Specialist at a financial institution. Every bank/credit union/etc will have someone whos responsibility it is to examine transactions and file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) with FinCEN, a department of the Treasury. This is what I do.
Upon reading Avenattis document, its obvious that he has his hands on (multiple, I think) SARs that have been filed on Cohen. They are structured almost exactly as we write them. The KYC information at the beginning is a huge tipoff. This is something every bank is required to compile when a business account is opened, and its what AML staff would refer back to it when examining transactions to see if the account is behaving differently than expected. This KYC information would never be included in a bank statement or a ledger. It would only come from a financial institution, and is what is included in SARs narratives to justify their filing. Furthermore, theres info in the document from multiple banks. Unless Avenatti has people at multiple different banks leaking him info on Cohen (he doesnt) it comes from a SARs.
We know from the WSJ that at least one bank has filed a SARs on Cohen:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyers-payment-to-porn-star-was-reported-as-suspicious-by-bank-1520273701
Im pretty gobsmacked that someone would leak SARs to Michael Avenatti, but we live in crazy times. Ive been trying to think who all would have access, and its basically: FinCEN staff, law enforcement who request them, regulators, the bank staff who filed them originally, and possibly independent auditors who come in to make sure banks are filing BSA paperwork properly. My guess would be its someone at FinCEN doing it, but I wouldnt bet a massive amount of money on it.
I would, however, bet massive amounts of money that Avenatti somehow has his hands on SARs filed on Cohen.
I have no idea who leaked this or whether it was a leak per se. But this is extraordinarily detailed information. It all seems accurate. I think TH is likely on the right track here
uponit7771
(90,371 posts)JoeOtterbein
(7,703 posts)GusBob
(7,286 posts)Damn I hope he would have somehow got busted on emails, that would have been rich
kimbutgar
(21,270 posts)It would discredit Avenatti then.
BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)although Novartis blamed it on an agreement with their previous CEO and claim it had nothing to do with their current one.
kimbutgar
(21,270 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,950 posts)that when there are wire transfers, they are usually just numbered with no details like who did them.
Leghorn21
(13,527 posts)Link to tweet
?s=20
B2G
(9,766 posts)A report of suspicious activity. SARS are filed routinely by banks, and they don't all result in filing of criminal charges. All they do is trigger an investigation. SARs have greatly increased in numbers the past decade because it's a bank's way of covering their ass. Failure to file one can result in huge fines and loss of reputation if criminal activity is discovered and no SAR is on record.
So in itself, a SAR doesn't mean much. It's the start of an investigation. Which is why they are held in strict confidence and not publicly released.
Leghorn21
(13,527 posts)are here to say YES THEY SURE ARE
Which of course then leads me to think hey, seems a bit strange that Avenatti would call for a public release of one or more of them - hmmmm
Again, thank you!
B2G
(9,766 posts)They're never released.
kentuck
(111,111 posts)I think Avenatti is helping Mueller a lot in his investigation.
Perhaps tomorrow morning KellyAnne will tweet again, "Gotcha!"
cynatnite
(31,011 posts)AnotherMother4Peace
(4,260 posts)world wide wally
(21,760 posts)I hope she bought a lottery ticket that day!
ThoughtCriminal
(14,052 posts)that would not trigger a Suspicious Activity Report.
mopinko
(70,337 posts)he called on treasury to release them.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)had these documents before him and were working on the case. I wonder if the leak came from there.
Johnny2X2X
(19,254 posts)We have never seen this level of corruption at the White House before. Pay for play. The fact these companies got meetings with Trump is damning.
This is stunning, not just in level of corruption, but in their openness about it. No effort to hide it.
I can guarantee there are hundreds of shell companies taking in millions for Trump and his associates as they sell off th country.
Marie Marie
(9,999 posts)If Trump does not end up behind bars then - well, I just don't know what to say.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,506 posts)think the 10's of millions comprising the "base" will stop supporting Trump? My guess is their support will only increase. I've lived for a while amongst the Goobers n Gomers in Missouri......
There's just not a lot of neurons firing there.
Pluvious
(4,339 posts)To see us Liburals get upset.
Nothing else matters.
GusBob
(7,286 posts)Bet you Trump starts ranting about the Treasury Dept and fires it's director soon
roamer65
(36,748 posts)GusBob
(7,286 posts)Too easy to predict
politicaljunkie41910
(3,335 posts)I particularly don't care where he got the information, as long as it's accurate and it takes Trump and Cohen down. But you're right, now Trump will sic Sessions on every employee who works in the bank Cohen uses to find the informant and to lock him/her up and they'll probably also lose their job.
FakeNoose
(32,884 posts)Maybe Avenatti's guys just knew where to look. Or maybe somebody hacked the bank's emails and got lucky.
It does seem weird that he would have those specific documents that incriminate Cohen.
Cognitive_Resonance
(1,546 posts)He only released transactions associated with the bank account belonging to the shell company that paid Ms. Clifford (aka Stormy). I'm thinking he has a connection to a entity (perhaps overseas?) authorized to trace transactions based on routing and account information.