COLLEGE PARK, MD – State’s Attorney Charlie Smith has announced a partnership with Justice for Fraud Victims, Inc. to address financial crimes in Frederick. The nonprofit, which collaborates with the University of Maryland Smith School of Business, aims to support victims of economic crimes.
The Justice for Fraud Victims, directed by Samuel Handwerger, is composed of financial professionals and retired F.B.I. investigators. The organization has already partnered with the State’s Attorney for Prince Georges County and has produced numerous court exhibits in various cases.
The JFV offers free services that include fraud examination and detailed fraud reports on cases such as embezzlement and payroll fraud. Its team also performs tracing of stolen funds within public blockchain systems and conducts risk assessments for small businesses and nonprofits.
“Fraud victims are underserved due to the lack of necessary investigation and resources needed to make a case for prosecution,” said State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. He emphasized the importance of forensic accounting reports in determining the criminal nature of a case.
In a recent jury case involving elder fraud, UMD student volunteers contributed to the production of a comprehensive 40-page report. The report included data analytics and visualizations, analyzing over a year’s worth of bank statements and recorded calls.
The partnership will allow the Smith School of Business to extend its forensic accounting training programs this fall. The initiative is part of a broader network involving several universities across the country that tackle similar issues in their regions.
Charlie Smith, a finance graduate from the University of Maryland, anticipates that this collaboration will enhance justice for fraud victims in Frederick.