WHOA! FBI makes arrest over leaking of Manafort FinCEN Suspicious Activity Reports to the media

Breaking news out of New York City where we’re seeing reports that Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, a senior official with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has been arrested and is facing federal charges for leakin Suspicious Activity Reports to the media;

BREAKING / NBC News: Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards has been arrested by the FBI and will face federal charges for leaking FinCEN Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to media organizations.

— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 17, 2018

Inbox from SDNY: SENIOR FINCEN EMPLOYEE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH UNLAWFULLY DISCLOSING SARS

— erica orden (@eorden) October 17, 2018

And there’s evidence:

The official, a FinCen senior adviser, saved the encrypted messages she exchanged with a reporter. Agents said they found them after searching her cellphone. pic.twitter.com/Ae8AzBUT1I

— Brad Heath (@bradheath) October 17, 2018

According to the indictment, she saved 24,000 reports to a thumb drive:

DOJ alleges that the FinCen employee, Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, saved 24,000 suspicious activity reports to a thumb drive. pic.twitter.com/90bZ6sFeCZ

— Brad Heath (@bradheath) October 17, 2018

The charges are over leaks to the media regarding Paul Manafort and Rick Gates:

? BREAKING –>

A senior FinCEN employee, Natalie Edwards, was arrested and charged with leaking Suspicious Activity Reports from banks relating to Manafort, Gates and other topics

More to come…https://t.co/rgMMDZdR8C pic.twitter.com/aKjPEtiJCh

— David S. Joachim (@davidjoachim) October 17, 2018

From the SDNY:

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Natalie Mayflower Sours Edwards, a senior-level FinCEN employee, betrayed her position of trust by repeatedly disclosing highly sensitive information contained in Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to an individual not authorized to receive them. SARs, which are filed confidentially by banks and other financial institutions to alert law enforcement to potentially illegal transactions, are not public documents, and it is an independent federal crime to disclose them outside of one’s official duties. We hope today’s charges remind those in positions of trust within government agencies that the unlawful sharing of sensitive documents will not be tolerated and will be met with swift justice by this Office.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “In her position, Edwards was entrusted with sensitive government information. As we allege here today, Edwards violated that trust when she made several unauthorized disclosures to the media. Today’s action demonstrates that those who fail to protect the integrity of government information will be rightfully held accountable for their behavior.”

Treasury Department Inspector General Eric Thorson said: “Our criminal investigators have been at the center of this investigation as a core part of our responsibility to detect and prevent threats to the integrity and efficiency of Treasury programs and operations. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners and with FinCEN and other Treasury officials, and appreciate their cooperation and support.”

Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker said: “Protecting sensitive information is one of our most critical responsibilities, and it is a role that we take very seriously. We have fully and proactively supported Treasury’s Office of Inspector General’s investigation of leaks of protected information, and thank them for their hard work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold accountable those responsible.”