Particularly significant is that the recognition comes from a major representative of an outside agency-the Office of the U.S. Attorney in Miami. The case, which has been labeled "an unprecedented historical event," was seven years in the making and began when ICE was part of the former U.S. Customs Service. It involved a multi-million-dollar, Miami-based international ring-operating collectively as two corporations, CDROM International, Inc. and Evercom, Inc.-that smuggled and counterfeited computer components.

Photo Credit: James Tourtellotte

Yea Browning, winner of the 2003 OLEO award.

Defendant Bonnie Yuk Chuen Gene Ng and his five co-defendants would smuggle central processing units-expensive computer chips that are the heart and soul of computers-and other pieces of computer equipment from Asia and elsewhere. Then, using sophisticated laser etching and enameling systems, the defendants would re-mark the CPUs as being of higher speeds and value than they really were. They would then sell these fraudulent chips and components to retail and wholesale computer outlets around the country, many of them in the Miami area.

When the agents searched the defendants' premises, they found thousands of computer components bearing counterfeited trademarks, along with counterfeiting plates, laser engravers, and other equipment to re-mark the inferior merchandise. When the seizure was made, more than $600,000 of counterfeit products were being produced each month under such trademarked names as Cyrix, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, AMD, Motorola, and Texas Instruments, as well as lesser-known companies.

Browning was central in helping agents from Miami's RAIC and SAIC (Regional/Special Agent in Charge) offices "make" the case. Brought into the investigation in its third year, she provided language translation and financial analysis of the fictitious corporations' books and records, auditing and translating stacks of financial records. Browning provided documentary evidence, professionally translated, that the prosecution used to make its case.

Browning extracted financial data from a computer seized by ICE agents. She analyzed reams of financial records that enabled ICE agents to get to the core of the investigation: the true extent of criminal activity and the individuals who comprised the guilty corporations. Her accounting and auditing findings were instrumental in strengthening the government's position in its criminal prosecution and in its asset-forfeiture proceedings: along with the $36-million-dollar judgment, the defendants forfeited $580,000 in cash and property.

Supervisory Special Agent Kimberly Duff, the ICE case agent who worked with Browning, also received an OLEO award. Duff said that cooperation between ICE and Regulatory Audit made for a richer case, as the auditors provided an invaluable service in interpreting financial data, not just from one language to another, but also in interpreting complex financial information for "civilians." Said Director Cindy Covell of the Regulatory Audit Division, "The success of this case is clearly the result of the teamwork, professionalism, and perseverance contributed by both Ms. Browning and Special Agent Duff."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection extends hearty congratulations to Senior Regulatory Auditor Yea Browning of the Office of Strategic Trade.