Special Agent (SA) LEo
Buentello
“Special Agent (SA) Leo Buentello has been with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for approximately 22 years. SA Buentello was assigned to HSI McAllen for 7 years and transferred to HSI Austin in 2007. Prior to being selected as a Special Agent, SA Buentello was a United States Customs Inspector at the Hidalgo, Texas, Port of Entry, for approximately three years. SA Buentello has received specialized training and has participated in numerous investigations involving human smuggling, human trafficking, financial fraud investigations, drug smuggling, and crimes against children.
SA Buentello is currently assigned to the HSI Austin Cyber/Financial Group. SA Buentello has successfully arrested numerous members of Transnational Criminal Organizations that are involved in various fraud schemes to include romance scams, business email compromise scams, tech support scams, unemployment insurance, and investment scams. These Transnational Criminal Organizations utilized U.S. bank accounts to receive financial fraud proceeds that were often opened under fraudulent names. These fraud proceeds were then transferred/wired to criminal accounts both inside and outside the United States.”