The International Association for Asset Recovery (IAAR)

About IAAR

The International Association for Asset Recovery (IAAR) is a membership organization for private and public sector professionals who work in the field of asset recovery. Founded in 2008 as the Association of Certified Asset Forfeiture Specialists, its mission is to enhance the capabilities and standards of professionals and agencies worldwide in the battle to win back assets that rightfully belong to governments, organizations or individuals victimized by criminal or wrongful conduct.

Taking away the ill-gotten gains of wrongdoers and using them either to make restitution to victims or to strengthen the arm of law enforcement in the fight against crime is one of the most powerful weapons available for keeping the public safe, eliminating corruption, and crippling cross-border criminal enterprises. Tracing and recovering the assets of individuals whose rightful property is being withheld from them likewise serves the cause of justice. We at IAAR are committed to promoting and advancing the legal, effective and ethical use of asset recovery as a tool by both the public and private sectors. Used properly, asset recovery can have a devastating effect on illicit activity that is driven by financial motives.

The work our members do every day helps keep communities around the world safe and assets in the hands of their rightful owners. That is why the need for qualified asset recovery specialists continues to intensify and the rewards that come from ensuring that they have the necessary legal and investigative skills are growing. IAAR is dedicated to doing everything possible to ensure that members stay on the leading edge of asset recovery strategies and practice.
"Criminals in the United States today put at risk less than 1 percent of the dirty money they make. That's a very attractive risk for them to assume from their life of crime. They earn about $500 billion from crime, while government agencies at all levels-federal, state and local-seize and forfeit only about $4 billion each year."
- Charles Intriago, Founder of AssetRecoveryWatch.com and IAAR

To accomplish that, IAAR is devoting its energies to creating a global community of expertly trained recovery specialists and identifying ways to maximize the use of asset tracing and recovery while safeguarding the public against illegal or overzealous seizure. IAAR helps professionals and law enforcement agencies carry out their vital work by connecting them to a worldwide professional community so that they can share tactics, experiences and tools, and make their efforts even more successful.