Global Anti-Corruption Rapid Response Fund

Background

OPDAT manages a Global Anti-Corruption Rapid Response Fund (RRF) to deploy prosecutors and law enforcement officials on temporary international assignments to help foreign partners investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate corruption and related offenses, and to recover assets.  In partnership with the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the RRF enables experienced anti-corruption experts from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address emerging corruption challenges in countries where there is political will and an opening for reform.  

The RRF provides agility to address immediate issues, including strengthening cross-border coordination against corruption, kleptocracy, and illicit finance; identifying and facilitating case cooperation, whether with the U.S. or with third party countries; promoting the adoption of international instruments, standards, and best practices to combat corruption, kleptocracy, and illicit finance; and helping limit vulnerabilities that can be exploited by corrupt and malign actors. 

To explore opportunities for assistance under the RRF, please contact OPDAT Attorney Advisor Damaré Theriot at damare.theriot@usdoj.gov.

Programs

OPDAT currently engages with justice systems in six countries under the RRF – Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Seychelles, and Zambia. 

Cyprus: The RRF funds a six-month engagement in Cyprus by an anti-money laundering prosecutor from DOJ who provides case-based mentoring to prosecutors and investigators on financial crime cases.  The RRF prosecutor coordinates closely with FBI agents to assist Cypriot counterparts on pending sanctions and money laundering investigations.

Dominican Republic: The RRF funds brief TDYs by two Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) to the Dominican Republic, as well as occasional travel by an FBI forensic accountant, to provide capacity building programming and case-based mentoring to Dominican prosecutors on corruption cases.

Moldova: The RRF funds a six-month engagement by an FBI special agent to advise and assist the country’s Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (APO) on corruption investigations.  This fall, the RRF will also fund a six-month engagement by an AUSA to provide case-based mentoring to and capacity building for prosecutors.

In June 2024, the FBI special agent, along with a team of visiting FBI forensic personnel, supported the APO on a joint case that resulted in multiple search and arrest warrants involving a suspected corruption scheme to bribe officials in Moldova and elsewhere to interfere with INTERPOL’s publication of Red Notices for wanted international fugitives.  The joint operation, which included cooperation with French and British authorities, uncovered a transnational criminal organization with ties to individuals in Russia and Belarus.

Mongolia: By the end of summer 2024, the RRF will fund a six-month engagement with Mongolia by an anti-money laundering prosecutor from DOJ.  The RRF prosecutor will be based at OPDAT HQ and will make intermittent trips to Mongolia to mentor prosecutors on corruption cases and asset recovery.

Seychelles: The RRF funds brief TDYs to the Seychelles by an anti-money laundering prosecutor from DOJ to assist the Anti-Corruption Commission of Seychelles on a public corruption case and asset recovery.

Zambia: The RRF funds a six-month engagement with Zambia by an anti-corruption prosecutor from DOJ.  The RRF prosecutor is based at OPDAT HQ and makes intermittent trips to Zambia to assist prosecutors on corruption case management, financial information and evidence collection, and asset recovery.