The money trail is one of the most powerful tools in a trafficking investigation, but only if you know what you're looking for. Human trafficking investigations are complex by design, and the financial trail reflects that complexity. Earnings, debts, and transactions that appear voluntary on the surface often tell a very different story when you know where to look.
This quarter, I'm sharing a framework that has shaped how I approach these cases: why financial control, not financial benefit, is the key to reading that trail accurately and building stronger cases.
