by Monica Chaness
Staff Writer
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Paul Perez was the guest speaker Thursday at the Jacksonville Bankruptcy Bar Association’s monthly meeting at Sterling’s Downtown.
“After Sept. 11 changed the landscape of the law enforcement community, bankruptcy fraud is not high on the FBI’s, and as a consequence, not high on the U.S. Attorney’s radar screen right now,” said Perez. “We need to have a couple successful, high profile bankruptcy fraud prosecutions to keep everyone honest.”
Of greater public concern, said Perez, is striking the right balance between national security and personal liberty. With the passage of the USA PATRIOT [Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism] Act October 2001, the FBI was given license to investigate potential terrorists by checking individual library records and using surveillance equipment.
Fears of invasion of privacy have prompted protests and municipal ordinances nationwide. Consequently, legal challenges have surfaced for Perez and his staff from using the provisions of the act. Recently, an indictment was returned by the Tampa U.S. Attorney’s Office against alleged members of Palestine and Islamic Jihad.
“That evidence could never have been made without the use, by our office, of these FISA [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act] surveillance tapes,” said Perez.
Eight individuals, including a University of South Florida professor, were named and charged with assisting in fundraising and providing material support to the PIJ, in addition to violating immigration statutes. Four of them have been arrested. According to Perez, the case is still in the early stage of discovery.
“They’ve had initial appearances and detention hearings,” he said. “The judge detained two of the four individuals. The others are on bond, with restrictive conditions.”