Below are the top four reasons the CMP Protective and Investigative Group is retained to perform an Asset Investigation. Also referred to as an Asset Search or Check, this type of investigation involves a search of public and proprietary records to locate personal property, real estate or tangible assets held by either an individual or corporate entity.
- Litigation
Oftentimes investigators are retained by lawyers or their clients before litigation commences. Sometime to retain us before litigation is better than during. To commence an asset investigation before actually filing litigation to discover if the person or entity can even cover the amount you may be seeking or even come close to it. If the person doesn’t have the assets, allowing you to make an informed decision to proceed with potentially costly litigation. It may not be in your interest to pursue the case. Under any circumstances never tip off the party that you may conduct an asset investigation, because it may allow them to start hiding assets.This form of investigation is important in a divorce case, if you feel your spouse is hiding assets. It’s also great if you are looking to potentially settle a case. If your opponent doesn’t have the financial power to continue on, and you know this, you may be able to use this bit of knowledge to facilitate a settlement.
- Issuing a Loan
It’s wise, when lending money, to see what assets the receiving person or entity has just in case they decide to not pay you back.
- Recovering a judgment
Winning the case is only half of it, the other half is spent finding assets to seize with your judgment.
- Fraud
A red flag for an embezzlement cases is when the person(s) in question is living a lifestyle far above their means. An example of this is Rita Crundwell – a small town controller who embezzled $50 million and had her own thoroughbred horse farm, despite the fact that her salary was only $80,000 at the time of her arrest.
Thomas Ruskin 