Western Union: Cutting off the Illegal Cash Flow

$94 Million Settlement to Aid Law Enforcement in Fighting Border Crime

The most effective method of combating smuggling is to block the flow of funds to the organized criminal cartels that seek to profit from Arizona’s porous border. The Attorney General’s Office has aggressively pursued these “blood wires” sent through Western Union and other money transmitters. In doing so, it has successfully moved millions of dollars in smuggling proceeds out of Arizona. The Attorney General reached an unprecedented $94 million settlement with Western Union which will provide substantial new resources for law enforcement authorities in the four Southwest border states to combat illegal activity along the entire U.S.-Mexico border. Details from the multi-state agreement are available below.

• SOUTHWEST BORDER ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING ALLIANCE 2010 COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Historic Settlement Giving Law Enforcement Greater Resources to Fight Border Crime
• State’s Highest Court Provides Clarity for Seizing Human Smuggling Payments (Opinion)
• Western Union Agrees to Warn Consumers About Fraudulent Money Transfers