The Economic Crimes and Frauds Unit (ECFU) of the Criminal Justice Bureau is dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of individuals or corporations engaged in illegal financial activities. In today's economy, there are many opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to take financial advantage of others, often while masking their illegal activities behind seemingly legitimate business facades. It is the goal of the ECFU to protect members of the public from such financial losses and to punish those responsible for them. Other goals of the Unit are to educate the public about how to avoid being duped by financial predators, and to deter such criminal activities by maintaining a high enforcement profile. Because the Unit has trained financial investigators and analysts on staff, part of the ECFU's mission is to assist local law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of complex financial fraud cases which might otherwise be beyond their resources.

The ECFU normally investigates and prosecutes theft cases involving amounts of $100,000 or more. However, in the case of a theft committed by a fiduciary, the Unit will investigate and prosecute cases involving $50,000 or more. In addition, the Unit will investigate and prosecute cases involving allegations of fraudulent financial activities which are referred to it by other Bureaus within the Attorney General's office, such as the Consumer Protection, Charitable Trusts, and Environmental Bureaus, and by other State regulatory agencies, such as the Securities Regulation Division of the Secretary of State's office, the Audit Division of the Department of Revenue, the Investigations Division of the Insurance Department, and the New Hampshire Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct.

The ECFU is a member of the National White Collar Crime Center, and takes advantage of the technical support and training opportunities offered by that organization.

For further information about the ECFU, contact the Unit Chief by mail at 33 Capitol Street, Concord, New Hampshire, 03301; by phone at (603)271-3671; or by electronic mail.