Category: Uncategorized

When working a complex case for a client of ours, we identified a large counterfeiting organization operating in a country spanning three states and involving several dozen individuals who were selling large amounts of counterfeit products of our client’s brand each month. During our investigation, we conductors repeated test purchases to be used as evidence… Continue reading Trust only goes so far…

We had a U.S. client contact us regarding an issue that they were having in one oftheir new offices that they opened overseas. The issue pertained to snacks thatthey provided for their employees. According to the client, it was part of their corporate culture to provide a comfortable work space for all of their employees,… Continue reading Ethical Dilemma II

I recently posted an opinion that I believe that ethics is a matter of culture. Following is an example of a case that we worked that would support this theory.    We were asked by a U.S. client to conduct an investigation into allegations that an individual from one of their foreign subsidies was taking… Continue reading Ethical Dilemma

Ethics are an important component of a company’s identity and reputation, as well as a principal pillar on which is posed the value of the company’s brand. There is nothing that can lead to a quicker downfall of a company’s image, and even bottom line, than a well-publicized breach of ethics. It is for this… Continue reading Ethics – A Matter of Culture

Venezuela 1975 One of my hobbies as a kid was photography. I had my Olympus OM1 single-lens-reflex camera and even had my own dark room. I spent hours taking pictures of dirt, bugs, rocks and other items, while I dreamed one day of becoming a professional photographer for Playboy – it never happened,  probably because… Continue reading Premonitions of a Future Career

We are living in trying times right now, with each of us going through our own personal difficulties. But no matter how difficult, NEVER GIVE UP! During my first supervisory position with the DEA, I was assigned an analyst by the name of Ed Riley. Ed was a quadriplegic, had cancer and was diabetic. Ed… Continue reading NEVER GIVE UP!!

They say that one of the biggest fears in life is public speaking. While it can be intimidating, it is an essential skill needed in almost almost any line of business today. My first foray into speaking was not exactly a stellar performance. I had done some public speaking in academic settings, but not much past… Continue reading Public Speaking

          Insurance fraud is a multi-billion dollar illegal activity resulting in tremendous damages to insurance agencies and increased premiums for all of us. And while insurance investigations may appear mundane or even boring on the outside, this is far from the truth. Some of our most interesting investigations have been in… Continue reading Insurance Fraud

The first step of any investigation is to understand the needs and the goals of your client. While this sounds obvious, it is not always as transparent as it would seem. Two companies may share a similar problem, however the approach and desired outcome may be completely different. Take for example intellectual property investigations. The… Continue reading Assessing the Needs and the Goals of your client

While many investigations today are started online, there is almost always a crossover to a physical investigation, unless your intent is to simply take down the site or the post. And that crossover can sometimes take a bit of creativity and planning.   One of our clients reported a target offering counterfeit products on a… Continue reading Crossing over from an Online to a Physical Investigation