Mr. Branda is a Senior Financial Investigator for 5 Stones intelligence. He leads and conducts global Financial investigations on behalf of DHS Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Previously Mr. Branda served twenty two years with the United States Customs Service and DHS HSI, in a variety of roles, including the supervision of El Dorado Task Force (EDTF) Long Island financial investigations. EDTF is the U.S. government’s primary financial crimes investigative task force comprised of over 175 members from 33 federal, state and local agencies organized to combat transnational crime including cartels, money laundering organizations; trade-based money laundering, Black-Market Peso Exchange, cryptocurrency, securities crimes, OFAC/FinCEN matters, terror finance, kleptocracy and financial intelligence.
He is a subject matter expert in money laundering and IPR investigations with broad hands-on case carrying experience and supervision involving financial crimes associated with IPR violations, military technology and illegal arms exports, terror financing, bank and securities fraud, human smuggling, child exploitation, narcotics investigations, and extensive trade-based money laundering experience. Expertise in identifying and categorizing crimes from financial transactions and trends; heightened understanding of the business considerations in the banking industry, as well as the compliance point of view, developed from many years of interviewing bank employees and executives during the course of criminal investigations.
Mr. Branda’s investigative accomplishments include numerous IPR cases that involve health and safety issues, the dismantling of an organization involved in the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit medical devices, and another involving the first domestic manufacture of counterfeit drugs. Investigations involving the trafficking of aircraft components and HAWK missile parts to Iran.
He was awarded the HSI Director’s award twice and the Customs Commissioner’s award. In 2016, regarding an international bank and securities fraud case where three individuals were convicted in a billion dollar check kiting scheme. In 2019, regarding a third-party trade based money laundering investigation into an extensive network operating in the United States and South America. in 1999 he was awarded with the U.S. Customs Service Commissioner’s Award in connection with his handling of a drug/money-laundering investigation that resulted in numerous arrests, the seizure of over five thousand pounds of cocaine, and seven cargo vessels.
Mr. Branda has extensive interviewing and interrogation experience in all areas, including, child exploitation violations. His interviewing skills led to his appointment as the team leader of the HSI Crisis/Hostage Negotiation Unit.
Education and Recognition:
- Long Island University, 1996, Master of Science, Criminal Justice
- St. John’s University 1990, Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice and Business Administration
- Homeland Security Investigations Director’s award (bank and securities fraud investigation)
- Homeland Security Investigations Director’s award (3PML, TBML)
- Department of The Treasury / U.S. Customs Commissioner’s award (Raymond Kelly)
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Rights award
- IPR Appreciation Award (Pfizer, P&G, Johnson &Johnson)
- International Narcotics Officers Association Award