Until four years ago, most of his experience had been working as road patrol, but Sergeant Yoshua Garfinkel, CFE, has always been drawn to investigating fraud. Now the Sergeant of the Hialeah Police Department Economic Crimes Unit, the department’s first CFE and the vice president of the ACFE South Florida Chapter, he credits his rise through the ranks to his desire to keep learning and share that knowledge. “I pride myself on the level of success I was able to achieve, as well as my ability to assist others,” he said. “I attribute this to my pursuit of continuing education.”

Honing anti-fraud skills in law enforcement

Approximately four years ago, I was given the opportunity to join the Hialeah Police Department Economic Crimes Unit (ECU), a detective bureau unit within the criminal investigative division that is responsible for investigating various forms of fraud and financial-related crimes. At that point in my career, I had been a police officer for 14 years working road patrol. As a patrol officer, I always had a knack for handling fraud-related calls for service, and I saw this promotion as an opportunity to capitalize on my road patrol experience by working within the ECU.

Upon my promotion to economic crimes detective, I took advantage of every educational opportunity that presented itself. As my knowledge of the field grew, so too did my expertise, investigative skills and love for financial and fraud-related investigations. It brings me great satisfaction to assist those hardworking civilians who have been taken advantage of through no fault of their own. Additionally, I enjoy assisting and educating law enforcement officers, both within and outside of my own agency, who are not well-versed in fraud investigations and may need direction in how to proceed with a successful investigation.

I owe much of my success in my current position to Hialeah Police Department Chief of Police Sergio Velazquez. Chief Velazquez believed in me, supported me and allowed me the opportunity to continue my specialized education. Chief Velazquez approved my requests to pursue various specialized courses on fraud and financial-related crimes. As a result, I became the City of Hialeah’s first CFE. I also attended numerous specialized trainings, both locally and throughout the U.S. pertaining to fraud investigations. Following these accomplishments, I believed the next logical step was to take the Hialeah Police Department’s Sergeant Exam. After successfully passing this exam, Chief Velazquez named me Sergeant of the Hialeah Police Department ECU — in effect providing me with the opportunity to grow the unit and further protect the citizens of the City of Hialeah.

Keeping current to fight evolving fraud

My biggest challenge in my role as a financial crime investigator, both on the local and state levels, is keeping up with the increasing number of fraud cases that are reported. It is no secret that Florida is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for fraud scams, and No. 4 in the nation for identity theft. South Florida and Orlando make up 40% of all the nation’s reported fraud cases. This is a staggering amount of fraud cases when compared to the rest of the country. Another challenge is staying abreast of the ever-changing fraud trends and scams. As technology evolves, so too do the methods that are used to commit fraud. World events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and economic trends also lead to the emergence of unprecedented fraud schemes.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned since entering the fraud prevention field is that continuing education is paramount. Fraudsters continue to enhance their craft and develop innovative schemes. In order to be able to combat these individuals, I must remain current on the technological advances in the field. One of the biggest mistakes a fraud investigator can make is becoming complacent. By educating myself and keeping abreast of current issues, I am adding additional resources and knowledge to my arsenal and am better equipped to successfully execute my investigations.

Collaborating to make a difference

When thinking about cases that make me feel especially proud, one particular case stands out. Several months ago, I was approached by the detective bureau supervisor of a neighboring police agency. The agency was handling a large-scale fraud case and, due to the nature and extent of the case, decided that they were unequipped to proceed without assistance. The detective bureau supervisor was aware of my success with fraud-related investigations and requested that my agency allow me to take over the investigation. My supervisors complied with this request and my subsequent investigation revealed that a high-level employee of a local construction company had used their position to embezzle and launder almost $1 million in company funds. My ability to provide support to another agency and effectively investigate this case is largely due to the knowledge that I gained by becoming a CFE.

Approximately two years ago, I was sworn in as a federal Task Force Officer (TFO) with the U.S. Secret Service, Miami Field Office. This role has provided invaluable experience that has led to several federal arrests within the City of Hialeah in Miami-Dade County. This collaboration has proven to be beneficial to the City of Hialeah, and it has been one of the highlights of my career. As a TFO, I am assigned to the Miami Electronic Crimes Task Force consisting of highly experienced law enforcement financial crime investigators at the local, state and federal levels. Our purpose is to investigate local, state and federal crimes relating to forms of economic-related fraud. This includes, but is not limited to: access device fraud, business email compromise investigations, attacks against critical financial infrastructure, financial payment systems, money laundering and numerous other forms of fraud.

Taking advantage of ACFE membership

Being an ACFE member provides me with networking and educational opportunities that I may not otherwise have access to. These opportunities enhance my ability to operate as a successful fraud investigator and allow me to collaborate with like-minded individuals. I also enjoy being a member of an organization that encompasses professionals who are at the forefront of their fields and who hold themselves to a high standard. This group of individuals has proven that they are experts in fraud investigation and their dedication to their craft. Being an ACFE member comes with a great deal of prestige and members of the financial community hold the credential in high regard.

Becoming a CFE has opened up many doors and provided me with many professional opportunities. Most recently, when I was promoted to sergeant, my agency had the option to place me in a patrol sergeant position. This would have meant that I would be back on the road, supervising patrol officers. However, because of my expertise and CFE credential, I was able to remain in the ECU. My new position has allowed me to accelerate the output of my department and positively impact the economic integrity of the City of Hialeah.

ACFE members should become active in their local chapters in order to meet other professionals in the field and take advantage of the networking opportunities that present themselves. As vice president of the South Florida Chapter, I am able to share my vision and ideas with the rest of the board. I have proposed various topics for conference agendas that I felt were pertinent but may not have been discussed previously. Additionally, I have focused on bridging the gap between the law enforcement community and the corporate world. The board has encouraged more law enforcement members to participate in our conferences by offering free or reduced access to some of the local day conferences. I have benefitted from the connections I have made and have also been able to assist my chapter members with fraud-related cases due to my position in law enforcement. Being an active member in my local ACFE chapter has provided me with a multitude of opportunities to further my education and stay abreast of local trends.

Life outside of work

My favorite thing to do is spend time with my family. Nothing in life is more important to me than the ones I love. As a family, we love to travel, and we are frequent guests at Walt Disney World. I also enjoy cooking and exploring new restaurants in and around South Florida.

ACFE membership is open to individuals of all job functions, industries and levels of experience who are interested in the prevention, detection and deterrence of fraud. Our mission is to support you by providing access to the knowledge, resources and training you need to do your job now and at every stage of your career. If you want to level up your anti-fraud career, we can help.

Level Up My Anti-Fraud Career

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