United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and visiting heads of state or government.[3] Until 2003, the Secret Service was part of the Department of the Treasury, as the agency was founded in 1865 to combat the then-widespread counterfeiting of U.S. currency.[4] President Abraham Lincoln signed the legislation on April 14, 1865, just a few hours before he was assassinated.[5] In 1901, the Secret Service was also assigned to presidential protection duties.[6]
"USSS" redirects here. For the airport, see Koltsovo International Airport.United States Secret Service
Secret Service
USSS
July 5, 1865
7,000+ (2019)[1]
US$2.23 billion (2019)[1]
Washington, D.C., U.S.
- Kimberly Cheatle, Director[2]
- Ronald L. Rowe, Jr., Deputy Director[2]
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2003–present)
U.S. Department of the Treasury (1865–2003)
116
20
Significant investigations[edit]
One significant Secret Service investigation was the arrest and indictment of Max Ray Butler, co-founder of the Carders Market carding website. Butler was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after his September 5, 2007 arrest, on wire fraud and identity theft charges. According to the indictment, Butler hacked into computers at financial institutions and credit card processing centers over the Internet and sold the tens of thousands of credit card numbers that he acquired in the process.[74]
Operation Firewall: In October 2004, 28 suspects—located across eight U.S. states and six countries—were arrested on charges of identity theft, computer fraud, credit-card fraud, and conspiracy. Nearly 30 national and foreign field offices of the U.S. Secret Service, including the newly established national ECTFs, and countless local enforcement agencies from around the globe, were involved in this operation. Collectively, the arrested suspects trafficked in at least 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers, which amounted to $4.3 million of losses to financial institutions. However, authorities estimated that prevented loss to the industry was in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The operation, which started in July 2003 and lasted for more than a year, led investigators to identify three cybercriminal groups: Shadowcrew, Carderplanet, and Darkprofits.[75]
From the investigation, there was the arrest and indictment of Albert Gonzalez and 11 other individuals: three U.S. citizens, one from Estonia, three from Ukraine, two from the People's Republic of China, one from Belarus, and one known only by an online alias. They were arrested on August 5, 2008, for the theft and sale of more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers from major U.S. retailers, including TJX Companies, BJ's Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market, Barnes & Noble, Sports Authority, Forever 21, and DSW. Gonzalez, the main organizer of the scheme, was charged with computer fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy for his leading role in the crime.[76]
Secret Service badge (1875–1890)
Secret Service badge (1890–1971)
Secret Service badge (1971–2003)
Secret Service badge (2003–present)
