Investigating the dark web, terrorism financing, and virtual currency

Interview by Matthew Hull ‘22G

At an early age, Jarod Koopman ‘02 was good with numbers and had a business mindset — which became a passion for federal crime investigation. Koopman believed that Nazareth’s  accounting program was more advanced than others in the area, and strong accounting skills would be needed for his goal of working for the FBI or Secret Service. He added minors in economics, finance, and computer information systems to hone additional skills and make himself more marketable. 

Jarod Koopman '02
Director of Cybercrime,
IRS - Criminal Investigation

The College’s internship program was also a highlight of Koopman’s Naz experience — “the catalyst for my career.” He explains: “I had a close friend in my accounting classes, and she completed an internship with the Department of the Treasury - IRS - Criminal Investigation and was talking about their unit conducting a search and arrest warrant on an organized crime group in the Rochester area. I had no idea that the Department of the Treasury had a unit that did this type of work, let alone in the Rochester area, and that opened my eyes to the possibilities that existed.”

As a senior, Koopman was offered a paid internship at the Treasury’s federal law enforcement office in Rochester largely because he maintained relationships with his network.  After successful completion of an eight- to 12-month assessment period, he was eligible for a special agent position. In December 2002, Koopman completed his internships and graduated from Nazareth. He was sworn in as special agent and transferred to Glynco, Georgia, for 6 months of training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. The training consisted of boot camp and college experiences. Koopman felt well prepared and graduated at the top of his class with several awards.

Koopman began work in drug investigations with the Drug Enforcement Administration and fraud cases in the Rochester office. He was fortunate to be involved in several high-profile investigations, including the Amico housing scandal and the Kodak kickback scheme of the 2000s as well. 

From there, Koopman primarily worked on high-impact white collar crime investigations that took him all over the United States. He spent 8 years leading investigations involving anti-government, sovereign ideology domestic terrorism, money laundering, offshore tax havens, and healthcare/investment fund. In 2010, Koopman was promoted to the position of Supervisory Special Agent, where he oversaw the Rochester post of duty. He was selected as 1 of 4 in the country for the Accelerated Senior Leadership Program (ASLP) the following year, which took him to Washington, DC, for a Senior Analyst in Identity Theft post. After a year, Koopman was selected for the position of Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office. With his family, he then moved to Michigan for a new position, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office. 

As Special Agent in Charge, he oversaw numerous high impact and sensitive investigations. “In this role, I acted as the lead law enforcement official for the Dept of the Treasury - IRS - Criminal Investigation in the state of Michigan. During my tenure as the Special Agent in Charge, I oversaw numerous high impact and sensitive investigations. After serving almost 3 years in this capacity, I was selected as the Agency's first Director of Cyber Crimes in 2016 and asked to stand up the new section, program area, and all aspects associated.” Because this was a remote position, Koopman’s family moved back to the Buffalo area, and for the past 4+ years, “I have focused on virtual currency, illicit exchanges, the dark web and terrorism financing.” During this time, the Dept of the Treasury, IRS-Criminal Investigation has continued to expand capabilities and solidify its reputation as the prominent force in cryptocurrency tracing. “I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world hosting presentations and conducting investigative activities, while pushing forward the mission of our agency.” Notable investigations include Liberty Reserve, Silk Road, Alphabay, Btc-e, Welcome2Video, OneCoin, Helix and Backpage.

Koopman also helps run the Lake Effect Martial Arts school in the Buffalo area. After about 14 years of training, across his many geographic moves, he earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/MMA.  

Koopman is grateful for being a part of the Nazareth community. Favorite memories include: 

Koopman #31 played lacrosse
for Naz all 4 years.

• Playing lacrosse for 4 years, serving as captain in 2001-2002, and making the Academic All-America team, and being close enough to home that his family could attend his games.
• Meeting his wife, Carly Slaughter, a star tennis player studying teaching, through an athletics event.
• Small classes and great professors who provided individual attention.

The hard work, dedication, and time management skills he practiced at Naz are a foundation of his success, he said. Koopman stays connected through alumni events. His daughter is extremely interested in playing soccer for Nazareth, and he plans to expand his involvement with the College through that experience. 

His advice for current and incoming business and leadership students: “Be open to the possibilities of the future and allow yourself to see where life takes you. You will come out of Nazareth with an outstanding education and an experience that will set you up for any challenges in life.”