Financial crimes involving identity theft and other forms of fraud are on the rise and these cases are difficult for local law enforcement to tackle alone. The International Association of Financial Crime Investigators provides training and education to law enforcement and investigators in the private sector to stem the tide.
Whitney Farms Golf Course, 175 Shelton Road in Monroe, will host the second annual "Chipping Away at Fraud" golf tournament fundraiser for the Connecticut Chapter of the IAFCI on Oct. 2 with a shotgun start at noon.
Mark Solomon, president of the Connecticut chapter, grew up in Monroe and graduated from Masuk High School in 1988. A Greenwich Detective of 19 years, he has spent the past five as a full-time member of the U.S. Secret Service Task Force dealing in financial crimes. It's called the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force.
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"It was a unanimous decision to have it at Whitney Farms," Solomon said. "Last year we had it at Whitney Farms as well. The food and service here is great."
Solomon said last year's tournament received rave reviews from experienced golfers. "The course is awesome," he said.
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This year a portion of the golf tournament's proceeds will benefit Roger Petrone, a retired Greenwich police sergeant who worked with Solomon. Petrone was diagnosed with ALS.
"Obviously, he's still part of our family and we’re here to support his family throughout this," Solomon said.
Last year, a portion of the funds were donated to a Bridgeport police officer diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer.
Chipping Away at Fraud
The golf tournament still needs volunteers, sponsors, donations and raffle Prizes. It costs $110 per golfer and $50 for just the dinner. The tournament format is a four-person scramble, but single golfers are welcome and will be paired with other players.
Tickets include 18 holes of golf, a cart, dinner, raffles, a silent auction and beer on the course. In addition to the sit down dinner, Solomon said hamburgers and hot dogs will be grilled throughout the day.
Registration is at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start is at noon.
Checks should be may payable to IAFCI–CT in care of Gary Mackiewicz and mailed to 315 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457.
For donations or to volunteer, send an email to Gary Mackiewicz at gmackiewicz@liberty-bank.com.
The International Association of Financial Crime Investigators is a nonprofit organization with 39 chapters worldwide, 32 of of them in the U.S. It has more than 4,000 members worldwide.
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