FBI Finance Expert

Are you passionate about finance and fighting for justice? Do you see yourself using your analytical skills for the sake of national security? Then you might consider a career with the Federal Bureau of Investigations as a finance expert.

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Personal Connection

FBI finance experts are virtual detectives who use their accounting skills in order to trace the money behind international crime. These finance experts identify the movement of money behind terrorist operatives, narcotics dealers, and even art thieves, in order to expose criminals and protect national security. This dynamic career is a good fit for those who agree with the following:

Are you interested in finance and accounting?
Do you want to pursue a career devoted to public service and national security?
Are you able to see the big picture while maintaining an attention to detail?
Are you a skilled communicator who can explain complicated concepts?
Do you enjoy digging through data to discover hidden patterns?

Other Connections

Even if you do not end up becoming a financial expert for the FBI, there are still many ways to combine a passion for finance, national security, and public service. Take a look at some of the following related careers for inspiration:

Financial planners help clients overcome debt, make large purchases, and plan for retirement.

Financial investor analysts discover market trends and direct smart investments in assets such as commodities, stocks, bonds, and currencies.

Actuaries analyze the financial cost of risk and work with groups like insurance companies in order to minimize the cost of uncertainty.

Commercial real estate agents work with clients to find the best locations for office space, retail locations, and other professional usages.

Business professors help future entrepreneurs develop the marketing, investment, and accounting skills to be successful.

STEM Connection

Emerging technologies help financial experts dig into data and investigate the movement of money around the world. Here are some of the latest technologies that are crucial for FBI finance experts:

Investigating the anonymous identities behind bitcoin:

A common misconception about bitcoin is that it is an anonymous cryptocurrency and untraceable – which means many criminals use cryptocurrency to conduct illegal business. While the bitcoin address itself might be anonymous, there is new tracking software devoted to making the connection between bitcoin transactions and real-world identities. Read more about how tracking software and blockchain technology enables the FBI to track cryptocurrency payments.

Tracing purchases on the dark web:

Illegal activity often takes place on what is called the ‘dark web,’ a part of the internet that is not accessible through normal search engines and requires special software and authorizations to enter. In order to track the crime in this hard-to-access part of the internet, federal officials rely on teams of hackers and financial experts in order to uncover these hidden criminals. Read more here about how federal agents caught a man trying to buy a mail bomb on the dark net.

Fighting cybercrime through blockchain:

Cybercriminals are now using new technology to lock computer systems and threaten to delete everything if not paid a ransom. These attacks can be devastating and impact individuals, businesses, governments, and even healthcare systems. The FBI fights these ransomware attacks by using blockchain technology to trace bitcoin payments to criminals and identify the perpetrator. Read this article to learn more about how financial analysts and cybercrime experts are working together to trace ransomware attacks.

Big data catches criminals:

The FBI is prioritizing data analytics in order to identify security threats. Old technology meant that investigations used to require a large staff and significant time to sort through immense quantities of data, but recent investments in advanced data analytics software allows the FBI to more effectively and efficiently track down criminals and expose security threats. It is such an important initiative that the FBI is pushing for employees in all different divisions to develop a working knowledge of data analysis. Read more about the push for big data here.

Journeys to Becoming an FBI Financial Expert

A career at the FBI might seem like something just for the movies, but some of the most successful real-life forensic accountants got their start in childhood as they built their passions for public service and numbers.

Read about one woman who turned her patriotism into a career as a forensic accountant:

Natasha Novikov grew up in a family with a history of military service, so even at a young age she knew that she wanted to pursue a career that allowed her to serve her country. Her dream was originally to be on the TV show American Gladiators, but as she got older she realized that she could combine her passion for math and numbers with her interest in national service – no reality show competitions required.

She first got her certification as an accountant before joining the FBI’s Forensic Accounting Program. As a forensic accountant, she works with special agents and analyzes financial evidence to compile into investigative reports. Her tasks at work are always changing, which she says keeps her job exciting. For example, one of her cases involved a corrupt police officer working with a foreign criminal enterprise, and as a result of her work, the FBI was able to prosecute him for procuring, selling, and laundering fraudulent tax refund checks.

She recommends that future forensic accountants “never settle for less than your best” and stay dedicated to your passions.

Read about how an accountant uses her skills to fight crime:

Yasmine Misuraca grew up playing games that involved problem solving, math, and equations. Her grandfather was her first math teacher and helped build her enthusiasm for the subject. By the time she was in high school, she knew she wanted to pursue a career as an accountant. She loved working with numbers and balancing accounts and so by the time she reached college she pursued a degree in accounting and became a CPA. People struggling with math classes, never fear: Yasmine never got the hang of calculus but still persevered and now has a successful career as a forensic accountant.

Yasmine now works for a law firm where she provides her financial expertise to divorce cases, corporate disputes, and other legal matters. She helps investigate financial issues and works with attorneys to solve financial puzzles and decipher complex financial cases. She says that all her cases are unique, which means that her job is always changing day to day.

Articles, Videos, Podcasts of Interest

Missing famous works of art? The FBI is on it. Read this article about how the FBI finds stolen works of art, from the missing ruby slippers used in The Wizard of Oz to stolen Rembrandt paintings:

Learn straight from the source what it means to be an FBI finance expert and what the selection process entails:

Watch this TED Talk and learn more about how banking systems can be used in fraud – and the best way to rob a bank from the inside:

Watch this video and learn more about the daily tasks and training process for an FBI finance expert:

Fun Facts

Some interesting facts about the FBI and finance:

The true cost of white-collar crime:

The FBI estimates that white-collar crime costs the U.S. more than $300 billion every year.

The FBI was slow on the digital uptake:

The FBI didn’t go digital until... 2012. Before then, the agency was still using paper files to track cases.

Einstein was seen as suspicious:

The FBI had a 1,400-page file on Albert Einstein. The FBI’s director at the time saw him as a “radical” because of his involvement in social issues and his protests against racism, nationalism, and nuclear bombs.

Taxes led to the downfall of Al Capone:

Famous mobster Al Capone wasn’t put behind bars for violence – he was sent to jail for tax evasion. Forensic accountants were responsible for tracking down his money flow in order to establish that he was not paying taxes, which ultimately led to his arrest.

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