FRA appoints former FBI Special Agent Meredith Fitzpatrick as the firm’s new Director for Cryptocurrency Investigations and Compliance
15th May 2023, New York: Forensic Risk Alliance (FRA), a forensic accounting, data analytics and eDiscovery consultancy specialising in international and complex investigations, compliance, and disputes, has hired Meredith Fitzpatrick in the firm’s Washington, DC office as international Director for Cryptocurrency Investigations and Compliance.
Meredith joins FRA having recently spent seven years as a Special Agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). She is a subject matter expert in the investigation of cryptocurrency enabled money laundering and computer intrusion incidents, including Russian state sponsored computer intrusions, non-compliant cryptocurrency exchanges, theft of Personally Identifiable Information and Intellectual Property, ransomware, dark-web marketplaces, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes.
Meredith brings with her extensive experience working multinational investigations and collaborating with foreign intelligence services and law enforcement agencies to solve complex investigative issues. She holds multiple certifications for blockchain analysis tools including Chainalysis Reactor Certification (CRC), Chainalysis Ethereum Investigations Certification (CEIC), TRM Crypto Fundamentals Certification (TRM-CFC), TRM Certified Investigator (TRM-CI), TRM Advanced Crypto Investigator (TRM-ACI). She also holds the GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE) certifications from the SANS Institute.
As a member of the FBI’s Virtual Currency Response Team, she has provided subject matter expertise for the FBI’s largest cryptocurrency money laundering cases and hands-on tracing training to FBI agents, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners. At FRA, she will use her investigative experience and deep ties in the crypto and blockchain intelligence industries to develop solutions that support our clients and equip our project teams to resolve issues associated with cryptocurrency and emerging financial technology.
Prior to the FBI, Meredith worked at boutique Information Technology firm, Sotera Defence Solutions, who serviced Intelligence Community federal government clients. Prior to this, she worked at Computer Sciences Corporation and Booz Allen Hamilton. Meredith graduated from Williams College, with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics & Statistics.
Commenting on her appointment, Meredith Fitzpatrick, Director for Cryptocurrency Investigations and Compliance said: “The explosive growth of the blockchain technology and cryptocurrency industries has produced exciting new technologies and financial products, along with complex challenges for clients. It has also completely transformed the way companies need to think about the ever-increasing regulatory environment, and risk, Anti Money Laundering and Sanctions exposure. I am excited to help FRA continue to build out its cryptocurrency practice and use my hands-on experience to solve complex investigative, compliance, and forensic accounting issues for FRA’s clients.”
Frances McLeod, co-founding Partner at Forensic Risk Alliance said: “Our hire of Meredith signals the investment the firm is making in recruiting the skills base we need to keep delivering client service excellence via our project teams as well as our commitment to staying at the forefront of our industry. Meredith has a proven track record of excellence deriving actionable intelligence from complex data sets and her addition will enhance our forensic accounting and investigative expertise further in the cryptocurrency sector.”
Media Enquiries
Rebekah Chapman / Leah Albohayre at Hudson Sandler
About FRA
Forensic Risk Alliance [FRA], is a forensic accounting, eDiscovery, data governance and compliance consultancy firm, specializing in international corruption, sanctions, AML and all types of financial and accounting fraud investigations for major global corporations and law firms. For more than 20 years, FRA has offered extensive multi-jurisdictional data privacy, transfer, and protection expertise in order to help clients achieve their objectives with compliance, litigation and investigations. With over 200 employees, FRA is headquartered in London and Washington DC, with 12 additional offices across EMEA and the US. FRA has extensive cross-sector and cross-border experience and scalability anywhere in the world with globally integrated teams across both developed economies and emerging markets, having worked in more than 150 countries with the capability to speak over 30 languages.
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