Forensic investigations
In today's commercial environment, companies and directors are under greater public and regulatory scrutiny. They need to ensure that when a problem arises they act quickly and that incidents are investigated independently and thoroughly.
The team has a wide range of expertise to offer a comprehensive forensic investigation service.
We have experience in the following areas:
- corporate fraud investigations
- asset tracing
- criminal defence
- Proceeds of Crime Act
- insolvency investigations
- regulatory and disciplinary investigations
- computer forensic investigations
Corporate fraud investigations
If your organisation has been the victim of a fraud it is essential to establish quickly what has gone wrong and to recover misappropriated assets.
Our investigation team has extensive experience in undertaking large and complex investigations.
We help organisations investigate suspicions vigorously, assist management to evaluate the situation and provide expert evidence for you to determine how to proceed with the investigation.
Asset tracing
We do more than just schedule bank statements. By using our knowledge as to how transactions affect the books and records of an organisation and its financial statements we can identify relevant documents that may otherwise have been missed. These can be used to build up a more complete factual matrix.
With three former police officers in the full-time forensic team information can be garnered from both helpful and seemingly unhelpful witnesses. This information can supplement and corroborate that obtained from the documents alone.
Our experienced investigative accountants produce evidence and analysis to assist lawyers in obtaining search orders and freezing orders. As part of the Nexia network we have access to professionals in over 90 countries around the world to provide local ‘know-how' and assistance.
Criminal defence
Police officers don't have the expertise to prepare financial evidence for business crime cases. This can result in conceptual and calculation errors in the prosecution's evidence. We test the prosecution's financial and computer evidence rigorously and then prepare reports and witness statements for both privately and publicly funded defendants.
A number of our financial investigators have undertaken work for the Serious Fraud Office and our senior computer forensic analysts are both former police officers.
Proceeds of Crime Act
The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 marks a renewed determination by the UK government to confiscate the assets of those suspected of being guilty of criminal wrongdoing.
We specialise in financial investigations resulting from restraint and confiscation proceedings and provide experienced witnesses.
Regulatory and disciplinary investigations
The profile of many regulated businesses means that the reputational damage they may suffer can be greater than any direct financial loss. The involvement of a regulator can complicate a situation and will often require additional management time to resolve.
The forensic investigations team has undertaken assignments involving the:
- Financial Services Authority
- Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Department of Justice
- Accounting Investigation and Discipline Board
- London Stock Exchange
- Department of Trade and Industry
By calling in an experienced team such as ours, it shows the regulator that the issue is being addressed and may result in the regulator intervening less and allowing management to focus on the business.
Contact us
For more information about our forensic investigation services contact Graham Hain.
