Digging for Disclosure : Tactics for Protecting Your Firm's Assets From Swindlers, Scammers, and Imposters

The indispensable due diligence guide: how to protect yourself from corporate crime or fraud in any major investment, acquisition, merger, or deal! Top investigators reveal how to “think like a swindler”... uncover hidden assets and a borrower’s true finances... perform international or corporate background checks... gain powerful competitive intelligence... and more!

The Start-to-Finish Due Diligence Guide to Investigating Potential Partners, Borrowers, Acquisitions, and Investments

“Our members, being both high net worth individuals and private investors, need to be wary of potential fraudulent landmines when investing. This book provides both a guide and resources of savvy due diligence practices to help navigate those pitfalls.”

—Jonathan L. Kempner, President, TIGER 21

“This is essential reading for anyone who wants to invest without losing their shirt the old-fashioned way—by getting ripped off!”

—Jonathan Wald, Graduate School of Journalism, Adjunct Professor, Columbia University; and former Senior Vice President, CNBC

“Worried about being defrauded? You should be! Former FBI Special Agent Kenneth S. Springer reveals the best tactics for discovering financial fraud–before you make the investment!”

—Don Dixon, Managing Director, Trident Capital

“Your tip to good due diligence is Third Party Verification, which, of course, requires background checks of potential managers and business partners. Surround yourself with the talent to avoid making mistakes harmful to your career and financial well-being. Kenneth S. Springer and Joelle Scott will show you the way to succeed!”

—Frank Casey, Member of The Fox Hounds, SEC Madoff Whistle Blowing Team Led by Harry Markopolos

Financial crimes constantly victimize sophisticated companies, executives, and business deal-makers. Whether you’re planning a major investment, acquisition, or merger, don’t let it happen to you! In this book, the leaders of a world-class corporate investigations firm show you exactly how to protect yourself.

Drawing on decades of experience as corporate and criminal investigators, Kenneth S. Springer, a former FBI agent, and Joelle Scott teach powerful techniques for recognizing and exposing fraud and corporate crime. Through dozens of real-world stories, they show how to “think like a swindler”...find a criminal past of an executive...locate former employees who have critical information about the company you are dealing with...uncover colorful regulatory problems of your money manager...understand the true state of a borrower’s finances...find crucial information that only exists offline...perform background checks on people and corporations...and investigate the potential involvement of organized crime.

These days, you must know who you’re dealing with. Digging for Disclosure will help you make sure you do—always.

Just when you think you know someone
Why you’d better not skip that background check—and how to do it right

Finding crucial information that’s hidden in plain sight
How to interpret and analyze public record documents and where to find them

Going beyond borders: the international investigation
Uncover foreign criminal behavior, fraud, and bribery

Gaining crucial competitive intelligence
Discover investigative techniques that help you plan investments and outwit competitors

Financial crimes and scandals constantly victimize sophisticated companies, investors, executives, and business deal-makers. Whether you're planning a major investment, a corporate acquisition, or merger, you can't afford to have it happen to you. In Digging for Disclosure, the leaders of a world-class corporate investigations firm show you exactly how to protect yourself from financial fraud. Kenneth Springer and Joelle Scott draw on decades of experience as investigators working for top clients. They present dozens of stunning stories of real-world financial malfeasance, as well as powerful lessons and techniques for recognizing the signals of fraud, and successfully exposing it. You'll discover little-known databases for uncovering what corporate criminals don't want you to know—and how to go beyond the Internet to find crucial information that only exists offline. Springer and Scott show how to “think like a swindler”... track down fraud both before and after a transaction... gather crucial competitive intelligence... find hidden assets such as co-op real estate... uncover foreign criminal convictions... understand a potential borrower's true financial situation... perform background checks on corporations... even investigate the potential involvement of organized crime. You can't afford not to know who you're dealing with. Digging for Disclosure will help you make sure you do—always. Just when you think you know someone A swindler state of mind We call that a clue The grey area : somewhere between fraud and fudging Sometimes you just gotta ask Crossing borders : international investigations Digging for disclosure The competitive edge Never too late : when problems arise post-investment Tracking down a threat Now that is criminal Dial "f" for fraud : the benefits of an ethics hotline This one goes out to the attorneys The godfather in the boardroom Show me the money Investigating the inc You, the referee The secret sauce And the moral of the story is Testing, testing. These days, you must know who you're dealing with. Digging for Disclosure will help you make sure you do--always. --Book Jacket