Caught

CASE STUDY #216

A background investigation reveals a new employee’s criminal past

FAMILY’S CHALLENGE

“We just hired a new Assistant Accountant,” explained the Family Office Director. “Just to be sure, can you guys conduct a background investigation on this young woman? I need this by Thursday, if you can – her first day of work.”

PALADIN’S SOLUTION

Two primary factors drive the cost of this service. One is the subject’s name and how common it is. The second is where they have recently lived – and in how many jurisdictions the subject has either lived or worked. In this case, Paladin was able to quickly identify her address history as well as her age, social security number and other key data.

Then we began conducting research for criminal records, as well as an examination of the public record for indicators about her personal, education and professional history. Had she been sued or was she herself party to filing lawsuits? Were there any allegations about her character in the filings? Did she have a history of credit issues? Had she recently filed for bankruptcy or been party to any liens and judgments? Had she been forthcoming about her prior work history and education?

VALUE TO THE FAMILY

Paladin uncovered criminal filings that revealed she had been indicted for embezzlement more than $10,000 from a former employer. Digging further into her credit history, we discovered a poor payment history as well as large outstanding credit balances. We also identified adverse information she posted on social media that she may not have realized was even viewable to the public. The candidate was fully aware of the background process and when challenged with the information we identified, confirmed that the information was factual. She said she had “learned her lessons” and was “looking for a new opportunity.” Our client retracted its offer of employment, relieved that this particular window or risk had been closed.

The Project Manager’s Thoughts on this Engagement

“Our job is to identify facts and provide our clients with the opportunity to make an informed decision on which team members should be entrusted with supporting the family operation, whether they work remotely from home or physically in either the family office or one of the family residences themselves.

Our commitment is to provide the right information, at the right time, to the right individuals. In this case, we were pleased to provide information that helped keep the family and family office safe and secure.”