Obama Sets Up Financial Fraud Task Force

President Barack Obama established November 17 by Executive Order an interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to strengthen efforts to combat financial crime. The Department of Justice will lead the task force and the Department of Treasury, HUD, and the Securities and Exchange Commission will serve on the steering committee.

The task force replaces the Corporate Fraud Task Force established in 2002, according to the Treasury Department release announcing the task force, “and will build upon efforts already under way to combat mortgage, securities and corporate fraud by increasing coordination and fully utilizing the resources and expertise of the government’s law enforcement and regulatory apparatus.” Treasury says the attorney general will convene the first meeting of the Task Force within the next 30 days.