Maura Kelley
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Maura Kelley is a former Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who spent 30 years working in the agency’s Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland Divisions. A graduate of Whittier College in California, she also has prior experience as a stockbroker and commodity broker with the entity formerly known as Shearson Lehman American Express. This unique background affords Ms. Kelley crucial insights as a consultant and internal investigator for clients that are facing federal investigations for securities fraud and other white-collar crimes.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). As a Special Agent with the FBI, Ms. Kelley focused her work on investigating limited partnerships and other entities suspected of engaging in all forms of fraud and related federal crimes. While participating in undercover operations and serving as a case agent on several large-scale securities fraud and bank fraud investigations, Ms. Kelley was fundamental in securing the convictions of commodity traders and corporate executives, executing national takedowns in coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies, and shutting down large-scale fraudulent operations.
Some examples of Ms. Kelley’s FBI experience include:
- Assisting with the investigation that preceded the U.S. vs Goldfinger Coin and Bullion case which resulted in the shutdown of the world’s largest e-currency exchange and the seizure of approximately $30 million in assets (including repatriation of gold from the Perth Mint, Australia).
- Assisting in the investigations that preceded the U.S. vs Cross Financial and U.S. vs Michael Colello cases, which took down an international money laundering ring, resulted in the shutdown of a foreign bank, and resulted in the seizure of approximately $20 million in assets.
- Assisting with the FBI’s “Sour Mash” and “Hedge Clipper” undercover investigations which led to RICO convictions of 14 commodity traders on the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
- Assisting in the formation of the working group that was credited with the most-successful prosecutions arising out of the FBI’s 2010 “Operation Stolen Dreams.” This was the FBI’s largest-ever mortgage fraud takedown, resulting in more than 600 federal indictments for mortgage fraud and related crimes that caused more than $2 billion in losses.
During her tenure with the FBI, Ms. Kelley also spearheaded multiple initiatives in the areas of securities fraud, bank fraud, and embezzlement. This includes initiating the Portland Division’s Fast Track program, which managed the Division’s entire bank fraud and embezzlement case load.
Client Services. With than three decades of experience working with the FBI to facilitate the prosecution of securities fraud and other white-collar offenses, Ms. Kelley is able to strategically advise individuals and companies that are facing investigations for a broad range of federal offenses. In addition to FBI investigations, this also includes investigations conducted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and other agencies.
In addition to consultations during federal investigations, Ms. Kelley’s services also included conducting SEC compliance assessments, conducting internal investigations, helping establish and maintain compliance, and assisting with the coordination of civil and criminal defense strategies in federal securities fraud cases.
Ms. Kelley is the co-owner of Truth Compass Investigations in Camarillo, California.