Asset Investigations
Professional, in-depth asset investigations related to individuals, companies or organizations for legal and business purposes.
Asset Search Investigations

Asset Search Investigations are provided by Investigative Resources International LLC (IRI) in support of law firms, corporations, financial institutions, investors, government agencies, and private clients for a variety of matters, including litigation, estate and probate, family law, investment due diligence, and civil judgments.

Investigative Resources International LLC is an established and experienced firm. We have developed a variety of sources and methods used in conducting investigations to include public and open source records (OSINT), proprietary information systems, reliable sources (HUMINT), professional associates, and a network of field investigators.

Litigation


Asset Search Investigations can provide significant insight into the actual financial condition of an opposing party in both pre-litigation and post litigation. These investigations can also reveal valuable financial information during settlement negotiations or when moving to obtain preliminary injunctions, temporary restraining orders, or writs of attachment.

Dependent on the type of litigation, the nature of the opposing parties, and other specific issues of concern, these investigations can be planned and organized to accommodate client needs at any stage of the litigation process.

Understanding an individual or company’s true financial position can provide a significant advantage in planning litigation strategies or to determine if a case should be pursued. An in-depth, professional asset investigation will also serve to establish a foundational baseline of an opponent’s true financial position in the event of subsequent fraudulent conveyances or bankruptcy in avoidance of judgment.

Estate & Probate


Asset Investigations are commonly sought by executors, administrators, counsel, trustees, and surviving family members in estate and probate matters. Investigation can be utilized to identify unknown or hidden assets when the financial details of a person’s estate are not well documented or are otherwise unknown. Investigation can also be pursued to identify facts useful to resolve probate disputes.

Assets held by the decedent at the time of their death can be identified during the course of investigation. These assets might be held in the name of the individual or in the names of identified companies, personal living trusts, family trusts or other legal entities.

In some cases, investigation can be directed to identify evidence of improper or fraudulent activities, or a breach of fiduciary duties on the part of executors, administrators, caregivers, or family members. Evidence of inappropriate, unauthorized, or fraudulent transfers of assets can be identified and documented during the course of investigation.

Family Law


Legal matters involved in the dissolution of a marriage frequently include the division of the marital estate, spousal support, and child support. These matters can be resolved by settlement agreements, court orders or judgments, all of which are reliant upon complete, accurate, and truthful disclosures by all parties. If suspicion exists, or it is clearly evident, that income, asset ownership interests, or financial accounts have not been fully disclosed, an asset investigation is advisable.

Parties seeking modifications to prior agreements or rulings often rely upon information developed as the result of an asset investigation to establish a cause of action and to develop evidence for use in court.

Undisclosed asset ownership interests, hidden accounts, income sources, and fraudulent transfers can be identified during the course of a well conducted asset investigation. Involvement of previously unknown or undervalued business entities, personal living trusts, family trusts, and inheritances can also be identified.

Business & Investment


Asset Investigations are provided in support of corporations, financial institutions, investment banks, private equity and venture capital firms, and individual investors. These investigation are conducted in support of investments, mergers & acquisitions, contract disputes, litigation, financial judgments and due diligence.

We offer a flexible approach to accommodate our client’s specific needs on a case-by-case basis. These investigations are planned and organized according to a variety of factors to include specific application, the nature of the subject companies or individuals, and the involved jurisdictions.

The scope of investigation might include a small company and its principals, privately held companies and their beneficial owners, or a publicly traded network of companies on a global basis. These investigations can be planned and organized to verify representations, identify assets and liabilities, provide confirmation of business activities or to identify pending adverse or beneficial events.

Financial Judgments


Court awarded financial judgments are often uncollected by judgment creditors. A common reason judgments remain unenforced is the absence of knowledge of the judgment debtor’s sources of income or asset ownership interests. This can be remedied with a well-directed asset investigation.

Investigation can identify the source of income or employment for an individual for purpose of garnishment or levy. Financial accounts, business ownership interests, real and personal property, vehicles and equipment held in the name of the subject individual or company can be identified and subsequently recovered through liens, writs of attachment or by other means.

Judgment debtors often hide assets in avoidance of judgment recovery. Assets might be transferred to other individuals or legal entities prior to, or following, a judgment award. These transfers might also constitute a fraudulent conveyance. Identification and documentation of these activities can provide the legal basis for their recovery.

Hidden Assets/Offshore


Our firm is experienced and successful in conducting investigation to discover hidden assets or foreign and offshore holdings. These investigations are conducted in the United States and countries worldwide. We have extensive knowledge of the strategies and methods used by individuals and companies to conceal or disguise asset ownership interests.

Assets can be hidden or otherwise disguised by means of various schemes, transfers, or fraudulent conveyances. These activities might involve the use of elective or nominee parties, shell companies, special-purpose legal entities, special jurisdictions, and other methods used to conceal true ownership.

Asset protection strategies are commonly used in avoidance of financial judgments, and the concealment of assets from interested parties (including a spouse or business partner). These strategies and methods are also used to conceal money laundering, tax evasion, proceeds from fraud, embezzlement and other criminal activities.

Sources and Methods

The following areas of investigation are commonly involved in an Asset Investigation, dependent on the type of investigation and the nature of the subject individuals or companies. The specific focus of investigation might include any of the following:

  • Identification and verification of names, name variations, alias name usage; personal and company identifiers; associated addresses and address histories; relatives and associated individuals; and telephone numbers, email addresses, user names. These details serve to inform subsequent investigative research.
  • Identification/verification of company registrations and business filings to determine registration status, jurisdictions of operations, principals, beneficial owners, addresses, name changes and associated companies.
  • Identification of current/prior employment, sources of income of individuals.
  • Identification of business ownership interests/affiliations (domestic and international) to include legal entities, fictitious names, shell companies, elective or nominee parties, officers, directors, members, shareholders, parent companies, subsidiaries, linked affiliates.
  • Identification of personal trusts and family trusts.
  • Identification of current and prior real property ownership interests. This activity is inclusive of residential, commercial, agricultural, mineral rights, lease holds, and rental properties. Specific research and documentation can also determine co-ownership, ownership type (vesting), transactions histories (transfers of deeds), property values, the existence of mortgage loans, equity lines of credit, liens, or other encumbrances.
  • Identification of active financial accounts to include banking (checking, savings, money market), investment/brokerage accounts and retirement accounts (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), certificates of deposit (CDs), 401k accounts), safe deposit boxes, trust accounts, and offshore/international accounts.
  • Identification of company benefits programs and plans (retirement/profit-sharing).
  • Identification of cryptocurrency wallets/addresses.
  • Identification of payment application and payment processor accounts (i.e. Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, Zelle, Google Pay, CashApp, Square, etc.).
  • Identification of motor vehicles (automobiles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, haulers, trailers, ATVs, snow machines, etc.); commercial vehicles (tractor-trailers, utility vehicles, fleet vehicles, haulers, heavy equipment), aircraft (private aircraft, commercial aircraft, shared/fractional ownership); watercraft, marine vessels; equipment & machinery; and industrial equipment.
  • Identification of private collections (fine art, antiquities, jewelry, precious metals, vehicles, trading cards, comics, books/literature, etc.).
  • Identification of unclaimed/abandoned property and accounts.
  • Identification of intellectual property interests (patents, trademarks, copyrights, design rights, domain names, licensing agreements, royalties).
  • Identification of secured transactions (Uniform Commercial Code).
  • Identification of consumer or commercial loans, lines of credit.
  • Identification of state and federal tax liens, financial judgments, default notices, bankruptcy petitions and filings.
  • Identification of state and federal professional and occupational licensing (active and historical).
  • Identification of business licensing; regulatory and administrative licensing & compliance (including complaints, sanctions, penalties, adverse actions or other disciplinary actions).
  • Identification/verification of business activities and operations, financial/investment activities, bid activity and project awards, shipping activities, marketing activities/representations, etc.
  • Identification of social media accounts and online activity to include deep web and dark web for Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). Identification of online platform/social media posts by, and related to, an individual or company (including its branches, subsidiaries and primary officers, directors, board members).
  • Civil litigation history (active and historical) including pending matters, beneficial and adverse judgments. This activity is useful to develop leads to identify business and financial activities, ownership interests, accounts, etc.
  • Identification of published accounts or news stories in press releases, newspapers, magazines, journals, trade publications, etc. to identify any evidence of financial activities, ownership interests, business operations or other information of interest.

In some cases, field activity might be required for on-site records research and retrieval; to conduct interviews; site visits and verifications; or surveillance activity.

Information developed during the course of investigation is related to the client in the form of a courtroom-ready written report with extensive supporting documentation. These reports include an executive summary identifying key findings and might also include specific comments or recommendations.

Permissible Use/Legal Concerns

Investigations involving financial accounts, and certain other types of information, require a permissible use be demonstrated by the client.

Investigative Resources International, LLC and our professional associates comply with all applicable state and federal law and regulation, relevant international law, treaties, and conventions, including the following:

The Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act or GLBA)
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA)
Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA)
The Right to Financial Privacy Act (RFPA)
USA PATRIOT Act
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
General Data Protection Regulation (EU)

All Investigations and casework conducted by the firm are done so in an ethical and professional manner.

All information, documents and communications involved in each engagement are deemed confidential. Investigative Resources International, LLC maintains all such information, documents and communications as confidential and will not disclose them to any third party without client’s express written consent.

Confidential Inquiries

Submit your case interest online and we will respond via email or telephone within minutes. You can also use Live Chat to discuss a matter with an investigator during normal business hours. All matters are held in strict confidence.

Contact Us

or simply call us at
+1 888-370-5557

Asset Investigations Brochure

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