How independent investigators can help during all stages of fraud and internal investigations
Support Scenarios
In-house and outside counsel, HR, security professionals and private individuals turn to us for investigative services in the following types of internal investigations or fraud-related scenarios:
Embezzlement + Corporate Fraud
Product Diversion + Theft of Company Assets
Payroll + Expense Fraud
Vendor Fraud
Identity Theft
Romance + Other Online Scams
Cyber Fraud
Race + Discrimination Claims
Sexual Harassment + Sexual Abuse
Clergy Sexual Abuse
Insider Threat
Workplace Violence
Leak Investigations
Some internal investigations involve theft or fraud but not all, and not all fraud happens in the workplace but instead can be a bad actor(s) targeting an individual. Clients confronting all manner of internal and external fraud and workplace investigation scenarios retain us. 221B Partners helps clients untangle these knots and get to the truth through a combination of stakeholder and witness interviews; backgrounding and profiling subjects of interest through public records and open-source research; reviewing emails, financial records and other documents; analyzing digital data; surveillance; and, at times, liaising with law enforcement.
Why Using an Outside Investigator Can Be Essential
As experienced investigators, we tailor our approach and methodology based on a variety of factors depending on case circumstances and client objectives. The benefits of using a third-party, independent investigative team include:
Serving as unbiased, impartial and objective fact gatherers
Experience in taking statements and conducting interviews, and assessing the credibility of those interviewed
Providing employees with confidence that their employer is taking the claims seriously and protecting the integrity of the investigation
Avoiding issues with colleagues interviewing one another
Experience with preserving collected evidence and chain of custody protocols
The need for an independent report, confidentiality, and/or attaching privilege when hired through counsel
Deep experience with public records and open-source research and finding past patterns of similar behavior
Ability to thread together complex issues and / or evidence
Access to myriad research databases and tools
Internal investigations and fraud matters come in myriad shapes and sizes. They can be limited to one location or span the globe. Whether it relates to sexual harassment and racism in the workplace, theft or diversion of company merchandise or products, or credit card or payroll theft, 221B Partners can help clients sort through the questions and remediate. Our team comprises former law enforcement professionals, journalists and research and investigative technologies experts who have located and interviewed hundreds of witnesses, reviewed thousands of phone records and emails, found previously unknown connections and associations in criminal enterprises and class action suits, and provided law enforcement with everything from leads to confessions.