October 2014 - All in Investigations

Is It Theft if the Money is Used to Improve the Budget?

With many budget cuts in the last few years, not-for-profit agencies have felt the sting. The workers in these agencies believe in their missions so they avoid extra spending. For example, the chairs at the free clinic still haven't been replaced. At the shelter for victims of domestic violence, the roof has leaked for two years. And in many agencies, if a staff person leaves, that person is rarely replaced. Instead, the work load is dispersed among other employees. And so, our investigators were surprised when the executive director of Vocational Rehabilitation stopped by. She had a keen eye and a careful watch on agency books and shared with us that she suspected a certain mental health agency was purposefully overcharging services rendered to Vocational [...]

Veteran Private Investigator Rides the Cutting Edge of Cyber Sleuthing

In a recent article in the Indianapolis Business Journal, CEO, Brenda McGinley explains what it means to be on the cutting edge of investigative work in the new millennium. Cyber sleuthing, something that didn’t even exist two decades ago is one of the fasting growing areas of investigation. Spying has gone digital through cell phones and computers. And, the spy doesn’t have to be anywhere near the subject. The news reveals that governments and big business have even been accused of spying on each other through the covert installation of spyware on computers and cell phones. But digital spying is not limited to the wealthy or the deep pockets of government and business. No, individuals are getting in the game, too, by purchasing illegal spyware [...]

Apart But Not Forgotten, Finding a Missing Person

There are always stories behind a missing person search. Sometimes the missing person is the subject of a fugitive recovery agent’s search. Other times, help is needed to find a missing heir. Medical conditions often compel families to find missing persons who are blood relations. But then there are other stories… Maybe other people would roll their eyes and say she was a hopeless romantic, but Melinda didn't care very much about what other people thought. She only stuck with the truth. And the truth was that when her parents found out that her boyfriend Rick was not Catholic, they forbid Melinda from seeing him. Rick was not just her high school sweetheart he was the love of Melinda's life. A few weeks later, when [...]

Investigators Uncover That Supposed Failing Business Was Funding Thief

Sadly, Ryan and Zach agreed that their venture was well on its way to that proverbial ditch, where far too many small businesses land, deep in the mud of financial ruin. No matter how he tried, Ryan couldn't pinpoint where they went wrong. He had been managing the expenses and cutting costs. He had an idea of the money coming in, too. In the last year, Ryan had brought big clients which became huge money makers for the business. He expected to see relief. But Zach, who was in charge of all the bookkeeping, only shrugged and explained that Ryan's efforts were too late. Nothing could be done. According to Zach, he and his buddy were losing money every day the doors were open. At [...]

Investigator’s Surveillance Protects Children in Divorce

When Melanie's husband left the marriage last year, she tried to voice her concerns in court. She tried to tell the judge that, while her soon-to-be ex husband might be a high-profile athlete, he had a long history of erratic behavior. She reminded the judge that the father of her kids had two prior arrests for driving while intoxicated. He was known to use cocaine. She feared for the safety of their young children. But the judge waved Melanie away as if she was just another frustrated spouse who didn't get the settlement she expected. The expression on the judge's face told Melanie that he suspected that she was only trying to use the kids as pawns, one last-ditch effort to get her way. For [...]

Investigators Prove Not Every Business Partnership is Made in Heaven

Joe enjoyed weight lifting and staying in good shape. So when Brian, a fraternity brother, approached Joe with a business opportunity, the chance to buy into a gym intrigued him. Brian had a degree in sports management and he pointed out that Joe's business degree, coupled with his interest in fitness, would be exactly what the gym needed. Although Joe’s business education suggested it, he didn’t feel the need to conduct due diligence because after all, Brian was a close friend. After a year of partnership, Joe started to feel uneasy. Brian refused to invest in newer equipment and Joe worried that memberships would continue a downward trend. Occasionally, Brian was late or didn't show up at all. Joe worried that Brian's lack of commitment [...]

Cell Phone Forensics Illuminates Murder

When the nearly naked dead body of a 28-year-old male was discovered in a wooded area near a lake, the local sheriff's department requested an autopsy, announced that a large amount of heroin was found in the young man's blood stream and treated the death as a drug overdose. Quickly, the case was closed. Although the grieving family members were enraged at the actions of local authorities, they gathered to bury the young father of three. But in the weeks following the funeral, they soon discovered that they could not let go of the case. They did not believe the conclusions drawn so quickly by the Sheriff's department. After all, this young man, called Chip by family and close friends, had absolutely no history of [...]

Is it Stress or Is It Insurance Fraud?

By the time Hal met with , he looked downright exhausted, not to mention angry. Nothing in life had been easy since the situation at his company had spun out of control. By the way, “the situation” involved Hal's very successful real estate company and Gwen, his very difficult employee. Gwen was hired to be an administrative assistant after Hal explained that the role could be busy and stressful. Gwen had assured her new employer that she could very confidently complete all of the tasks. Hal was so impressed with Gwen that he did not follow through with the routine background investigation. Five months after Gwen's probationary period ended, she began to frequently call in sick. Her absences gradually increased to once or even twice [...]

Turn to When You Need to Find Missing People

A missing person search can begin for a wide number of reasons, but when it involves a child, the sense of urgency is heightened. When a little girl named Maddie vanished from her foster parents' home, the entire community was alarmed. Concerns about child predators or the potential of the little 6-year-old girl possibly drowning in the nearby reservoir were on everyone’s minds. Immediately the local police issued an Amber Alert, hoping someone somewhere would see the missing child. Unsure of whether Maddie's foster parents might be involved in her disappearance, social workers removed three other young children from the couple's home. While the foster parents were under investigation for any wrongdoing, local police detectives questioned neighbors and friends of the family. An effort was [...]

Monthly Archives: October 2014