Following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, federal law enforcement agencies reportedly instructed financial institutions to monitor transactions using specific search terms related to former President Donald Trump.
By yourNEWS Media Staff
On Wednesday, Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on Weaponization, revealed that federal law enforcement had directed financial institutions to flag private transactions using terms such as “MAGA” and “Trump.” This directive followed the events of the January 6th Capitol riot.
In a letter addressed to Noah Bishoff, former Director of the Office of Stakeholder Integration and Engagement in the Strategic Operations Division of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Jordan outlined how the government flagged these terms in financial transactions. Fox News first reported on this letter.
READ THE LETTER:
699644365 Jim Jordan Letter… by yourNEWS Media
Jordan’s letter highlights documents obtained by the Committee and Select Subcommittee, indicating FinCEN’s distribution of materials to financial institutions. These materials outlined ‘typologies’ of persons of interest and suggested specific search terms and Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) for identifying transactions on behalf of federal law enforcement. The materials recommended using generic terms like ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA’ to search Zelle payment messages and provided a prior FinCEN analysis of ‘Lone Actor/Homegrown Violent Extremism Indicators.’ This analysis cautioned financial institutions about extremism indicators, including transportation charges for travel without apparent purpose and purchases of books or subscriptions containing extremist views.
Additionally, Jordan’s letter attaches a slide prepared by FinCEN for financial institutions, listing key words like “Dick’s Sporting Goods” and “Cabela’s,” major sporting goods retailers. The slide also includes MCCs for sporting and recreational goods, pawn shops, and specialty retailers.
Jordan expressed concern over this surveillance approach, stating, “This kind of pervasive financial surveillance, carried out in coordination with and at the request of federal law enforcement, into Americans’ private transactions is alarming and raises serious doubts about FinCEN’s respect for fundamental civil liberties.”
Furthermore, Jordan sent a similar letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, referencing the FBI’s alleged communications with Bank of America. These communications were about specific search terms necessary to track down individuals who made financial transactions in the Washington, D.C., area between January 5-7, 2021.
We now know the federal government flagged terms like “MAGA” and “TRUMP,” to financial institutions if Americans completed transactions using those terms.
What was also flagged? If you bought a religious text, like a BIBLE, or shopped at Bass Pro Shop. pic.twitter.com/jjRaVNItWz
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 17, 2024
Jordan is now seeking transcribed interviews with Bishoff and Peter Sullivan, a senior FBI official inside the bureau’s strategic partnership engagement section.