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How to Conduct a Criminal Background Check Like an Expert

There are several things you should know about the person you are investigating before you conduct a criminal background check like an “expert”: Full name (preferably what appears on the person’s driver’s license or another government-issued document) including any nickname and maiden name Date of birth from an official source (e.g., driver’s license, passport, etc.) […]

Investigative Lessons from The Wizard of Lies

It’s a little overdue, but I’ve just finished reading Diana Henriques’ The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust.  It’s an in-depth look at the biggest Ponzi scheme in history. Henriques goes to great lengths to document Madoff’s life and retrace the beginnings of the Madoff scam and the feeder funds that […]

Samuel “Mouli” Cohen Found Guilty

After a three week trial, a jury found Samuel “Mouli” Cohen guilty on 29 of the 35 counts in the superseding indictment including 15 counts of wire fraud, 11 counts of money laundering and three counts of tax evasion. As previously reported, in August 2010, federal prosecutors in California unsealed a criminal indictment charging Samuel “Mouli” […]

Extensive Background Check – 20 Records That Should Be Included

Below is a list of information that should be included in an extensive background check.   What separates an extensive background check from everything else is the ability to identify information from various disparate sources to gather a more accurate, comprehensive and complete picture.  By uncovering the complete picture, and not just a small piece, for example by […]