by admin_lauth | Jan 25, 2018 | Personal Investigations
Canadian Pharma Billionaire and Wife Murders Unsolved
Family Hires Team of Private Investigators
“Big Pharma Tycoon” Dr. Barry Sherman, Ph.D., 75, and his wife Honey, 70, were found dead in their Toronto, Canada home on December 15, 2017.
Media initially reported their deaths as a “murder-suicide,” but Sherman’s children all emphatically disagree with the initial police assessment.
Dr. Barry Sherman and his wife Honey
Apotex Pharmaceutical Holdings, Inc. is Canada’s largest maker of generic drugs, earning the Shermans a fortune estimated at $4.7 billion, placing Barry Sherman as the 12th wealthiest person in Canada, according to Forbes Magazine.
Apotex was founded by Sherman in 1974 and grew from a two-person operation to employing over 11,000 people. The company sells approximately 300 generic drugs within 120 countries.
Dr. Sherman had a Ph.D. in astrophysics from MIT and had formerly been the Chairman of former Cangene Corp., a Canadian biotechnology firm specializing in hyper immunes, contract manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, and biodefense. It has been reported the company had several bioterrorism contracts with the United States before the company sold in 2014.
Honey Sherman had been active in service to the community and had been awarded a “Community Service Award” from Canadian senator Linda Frum.
“I am gutted by the loss of Honey and Barry Sherman. Our community is steeped in grief. I am heartbroken,” Frum posted on Twitter.
Sherman 12,440 square foot mansion in North York, Toronto
Described as “incredible philanthropists” and beloved members of Canada’s Jewish community, their deaths have shocked their neighborhood of North York, along with medical and political circles throughout the world.
Sherman’s Children Issue Press Release
Sherman’s four children say a murder-suicide made absolutely no sense and proceeded to issue a statement.
“Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community. This is totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulating in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths,” the statement read.
“We are shocked and think it irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true,” the Sherman children said in the statement. “We urge the Toronto Police Service to conduct a thorough, intensive, and objective criminal investigation, and urge the media to refrain from further reporting as to the cause of these tragic deaths until the investigation is completed.”
Body being removed from Sherman’s Toronto home
The full story of what happened is not known but according to sources in various reports, the last time the couple was heard from was the evening of December 13th. They both arrived at their Old Colony neighborhood residence in two cars Wednesday evening after meeting with an architect for a home they were planning to build in Forest Hill, about a 20-mile drive south.
Barry, a self-admitted “workaholic”, didn’t show up at his office the following day but this didn’t cause immediate concern. The couple were found deceased in the downstairs indoor pool area of their home tied to a sturdy railing with two men’s leather belts, each around their necks. It is said they still had their winter coats and boots on.
A murder-suicide just didn’t correspond with their activities or mindset prior to their deaths. They were building a new home and celebrating the birth of a new grandchild. They were planning a wedding and booked airline tickets to fly to Florida for the holidays. Barry was about to become a member of the Order of Canada, an honor he valued.
Family Hires Criminal Lawyer and Private Investigators
According to Business Insider, “The mysterious death of billionaire Barry Sherman remains unexplained – and the family’s lawyer has criticized the police investigation,” the Sherman children immediately hired a criminal attorney.
Powerful criminal attorney, Brian Greenspan, has disapproved of the police handling of the investigation, demanding a second autopsy. The autopsy was conducted by a forensic pathologist on December 20, 2017, producing shocking results.
The forensic pathologist and former Toronto homicide detective found markings on the victim’s wrists consistent with being tied with a cord or plastic zip ties. However, when the bodies were found their wrists were not tied and no cords or rope were found at the scene.
The forensic pathologist also conducted a toxicology report, concluding no signs of drug use.
The Shermans were buried on December 21, 2017.
Greenspan has hired a private investigation team, including former homicide detectives, to ensure “no stone is left unturned” and work alongside police.
The team has concluded the couple had been strangled to death with two men’s leather belts around their necks and attached to the sturdy bar.
Police Theory Debunked
The Sherman’s real estate agent discovered the deceased couple in the basement of their $5.4 million home.
In a Business Insider article, “Mystery still shrouds the death of Barry Sherman, the Canadian billionaire found strangled in the basement of his $5.4 million mansion,” reports police have now marked the deaths as “suspicious” and a homicide – but not murder.
A Toronto Sun cited “sources close to the case” believe Honey may have been killed in another location of the house, then moved to the lower level of the home where their bodies were found.
Thomas Lauth, CEO of Lauth Investigations International, has 20 years of experience working alongside police agencies and prosecutors on unsolved murder cases. “In any homicide case, one must look at the circumstances from every viewpoint, even what may seem inconceivable,” Lauth said. “In addition to a thorough forensic examination of the crime scene, it becomes crucial to be able to analyze a crime scene for the unseen, and for anything that may create an “at risk” circumstance where someone is at higher risk to become a victim of crime be it their personal lives, business acquaintances, political activities, wealth, or all of the above.”
Political Lobbying
August 6, 2015, Barry and Honey hosted a private $1,500 per-head fundraiser for the Liberal Party at his home. The lavish event was attended by “movers and shakers” and dignitary Justin Trudeau, who became the Canadian prime minister two months later.
Reported in New Canadian Media “JDL protesters greet Trudeau at private fundraiser,” about 30 protesters organized by the Jewish Defense League of Canada, gathered outside the Sherman home to voice their displeasure of the reception given to the Liberal leader despite the Liberal party endorsing the nuclear deal with Iran.
“It is unprecedented to protest at the home of a Jewish leader,” acknowledged Meir Weinstein. If the Liberal party hadn’t backed an agreement deemed by the government of Israel to be dangerous, “we wouldn’t be here.” As Trudeau pulled up in his black van, protesters shouted, No Iran deal!” and the protest seemed to frighten attendees and community residents.
Justin Trudeau, Canada Prime Minister, friend of Barry Sherman
The Defense League was criticized for their protest and Weinstein eventually apologized for a “personal inconvenience” in a civil phone call to Sherman; however, the damage had been done.
A government watchdog group, Democracy Watch, filed a complaint against Sherman and Apotex, and in January 2017, an investigation was initiated by Canada’s Federal Lobby Commissioner to see if the fundraiser had violated government rules stating, “a lobbyist cannot lobby officials they assisted in getting elected.”
Sherman sued the Lobby Commissioner to shut down the investigation and called the investigation an “unanchored fishing expedition pursued in bad faith.”
Despite Sherman’s death the lobbying commission, Karen Shepherd, confirmed the investigation would proceed.
Could the Sherman’s be victims of a professional hit?
The Toronto Sun newspaper asks that question in “WARMINGTON: More questions about deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman.”
From all accounts, the couple was adored by family, friends and the community. Their relationship was solid and their life together peaceful and loving; however, everything needs to be considered when a murder occurs.
Barry had been sued by his cousins, the children of Lois Winter, who had helped him build his “pharma empire” in the early days. Kerry, Paul, Dana and Jeffrey Winter are four brothers who made allegations Sherman owed them 20 percent stake in Apotex based on sign contracts and verbal agreements signed when Sherman acquired their father’s company, Empire Companies, during the 1960s.
The case dragged on for nearly a decade, but a judge dismissed the claim against Sherman, in the months preceding their deaths.
The Sun article poses several questions that are certainly not out of the realm of possibility when one is worth over $4 billion and your professional life deals with the “cut-throat” business of pharmaceutical sales and even bioterrorism contracts.
As a pharmaceutical company, Sherman made his wealth by reverse engineering patented drugs from established drug companies. Sherman was also known as a “bulldog” who was not intimidated by others.
Motives? Maybe.
Former Toronto Police homicide detective, Tom Klatt of Klatt Investigations, has been brought on board to work in tandem with police and ensure “all out-of-the-box possibilities are looked at.” Klatt is a police veteran with more than 70 homicide investigations under his belt. Described as a consummate professional, very smart and a straight shooter.
Attorney Greenspan felt it necessary to hire a team of distinguished law enforcement officers to address the family’s concerns that no murder-suicide occurred as originally reported in the press.
The examination of Sherman’s death has now risen to the largest homicide investigations in Toronto history.
“Sometimes, it is necessary for a family to advocate for their loved ones,” Thomas Lauth says, reflecting upon his own experience working with police and prosecutors. “Hiring a team of investigators ensures everything that can be done is being done. It is necessary in the pursuit of justice.”
Jonathon Sherman cries as he speaks during a memorial service for his parents, Barry and Honey Sherman, as his sisters look on Thursday, December 21, 2017. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
At the Sherman home, sewers have been swept for possible evidence, vehicles were removed and surveillance within the home and neighborhood has been secured. Again, sources have said a second crime scene within the home has been carefully analyzed.
Speaking at the funeral, Jonathan Sherman says of his parents, “Our parents never left anyone behind.”
Still so many questions remain but one thing for sure is the couple died of ligature neck compressions. They were found sitting with legs out straight and sources describe them both wearing jackets that were around their arms and pulled down behind their backs.
“A private investigator is a second set of eyes and ears in a murder investigation and we must remain cognizant that whoever murdered Barry and Honey Sherman, remains on the street and a danger to others, not to mention the importance of justice for the family,” said Lauth. “I am convinced if anything was missed in the initial police search, Klatt with his investigative skills, will find it.”
Written by Kym L. Pasqualini
by admin_lauth | Jan 9, 2018 | Private Investigations News
Is Your Employee a Drug Trafficker? Opiates in the Workplace
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sales of prescription opioids quadrupled during 1999 to 2014. Referred to as an opioid crisis in America, it seems we all know someone battling an addiction to prescription medications.
Opioids include prescription pills (including Vicodin, Oxycontin, and Percocet), as well as Heroin and Fentanyl, a drug that can be injected, taken as a lozenge or through a skin patch.
Nationwide 1 in 4 people who are prescribed opioids will struggle with addiction. The depth of the problem is highlighted in a disturbing CDC post stating, “Almost all prescription drugs involved in overdoses come from prescriptions originally; very few come from pharmacy theft. However, once they are prescribed and dispensed, prescription drugs are frequently diverted to people using them without prescriptions. More than 3 out of 4 people who misuse prescription painkillers use drugs prescribed to someone else.
In addition to the personal toll to the addicts and the American family touched by opioid abuse, the CDC also estimates the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the cost of healthcare, loss of productivity, absenteeism, increased injuries, addiction treatment, theft, criminal justice involvement, and legal liabilities.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimates 68.9% of all drug users are employed.
The Drug Enforcement Agency estimates employed persons who misuse opioids account for 64.5% of medically related absenteeism and 90.1% of disability costs.
The use of opioids in the workplace is a growing battle for American business. According to a National Safety Council (NCS) survey, 57% of employers perform drug tests. However, more than 40% do not test for synthetic opioids like oxycodone, one of the most abused narcotics on the market, making accurate national statistics unreliable.
An NCS survey also found 29% of employers reported impaired job performance due to use of painkillers, with 15% citing injuries due to drug use. Up to 70% of employers said their workforce has been negatively affected in one way or another.
The Impact of Drugs in the Workplace
Use of drugs impairs decision making and causes physical impairment, a deadly condition when at work. It causes an overall decline in employee morale, an unsafe working environment and increases employer liability.
It is estimated at least 1 of 6 employees use drugs at work and the toll on the workplace is costly in the following ways:
- Addicts are 1/3 less productive than their counterparts
- Five more times likely to cause accidents
- Are absent up to 20 times more often
- Five times more likely to request workers compensation
- Contribute to 40% of all industrial work fatalities
- Health care costs for addicts is three times higher than other employees
- Admitted to selling drugs to coworkers
- Admitted to stealing from employers and coworkers
It is estimated 70% of 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed. It is safe to assume if you have drug abusers on the job, you probably also have drug dealers operating within your company.
As drug dependency increases, it is common for addicts to buy drugs from friends or coworkers and even steal from their company, co-workers and clients.
Experts have also found the number of heroin addicts have increased as it is common for an opioid user to transition to using heroin when they begin running out of pills and money. Heroin is significantly cheaper than opiates and easier to obtain. Heroin laced with Fentanyl is becoming increasingly popular because it can be 50 times stronger than heroin.
The drug dealer of today is no longer the shady guy driving a decked-out Cadillac, meeting his clients in a dark alley or an unlit street corner. Dealing drugs to coworkers is preferred over standing on the corner selling to strangers and for a drug trafficker, less risky.
At work, a dealer has an employed clientele able to afford the drugs, and someone they can establish trust with while selling under the radar of management in the restroom, parking lot, lunch-room or cubicle.
Oftentimes workplace dealers will sell drugs on credit or a “front” according to the book Undercover Investigations in the Workplace by Eugene Ferraro. Drugs are sold to an employee with the agreement of paying later, usually on payday. Co-workers make the perfect client for a drug dealer and quite a lucrative business, with one Oxycontin pill demanding up to $50-$80 each on the street according to a CNN Money article Prescription Drugs Worth Millions to Dealers.
According to Ferraro, “We have caught employees-dealers (earning less than $10 an hour from their employer) who never carried less than $10,000 cash to work.”
Paydays are usually the biggest days for drug trafficking activity. However, to pay for drugs, addicts often turn to their employers to fund their habits.
With addicts in the workplace, there is a higher incidence of theft of equipment, tools, products and part inventories where drug trafficking and abuse is occurring. Aside from being at increased risk, both abusers and drug dealers are more likely to become involved in additional criminal behavior, stealing from their employers and fellow employees.
What are the signs of drug trafficking and abuse in the workplace?
Are certain employees driving an expensive car far beyond the means of what they make working? Flaunting money? Are your employees leaving without notice to meet clients? High turnover and absenteeism and/or meeting in the bathroom or parking lot? What may appear on the surface to look like comradery, could be a sign of something more.
Robert Avery, 41, worked as the Parental Involvement Director at a Head Start program in Gadsen, Alabama. Instead of offering educational and health services to low-income children, Avery was arrested for selling the prescription drug “Roxycontin” to undercover agents from the program facility.
Even police departments are not immune. November 20, 2017, Jellico Police Department Dispatcher and Fireman Robert Rookard, was arrested in “Operation Thanksgiving Harvest” for selling drugs at work.
In August 2017, more than a dozen Atlanta USPS workers were rounded up for running an illegal drug distribution operation. Sixteen employees working at post offices across Metro Atlanta were arrested for accepting bribes in exchange for delivering kilogram packages of cocaine.
When the FBI received a tip that drug dealers were running packages of drugs through the mail system, they began an 18-month sting putting a fake drug dealer on the street to see how many postal workers they could get to sign up. In a bribery agreement, workers agreed to provide special addresses to the drug trafficker, intercepting and delivering the packages to the dealer, who just happened to be working with law enforcement. The number of postal workers who agreed to participate astounding.
While some companies may assume there is no liability for the actions of an employee, one company is feeling the devastating effects. According to the October 13, 2017, Chicago Tribune article, “Oak Park appeals board upholds pantry’s closure after employee accused of selling heroin,” it was reported The Village of Oak Park in Chicago closed the Austin Food Pantry after 55-year old store manager Edgar Lucas was arrested on 17 counts of heroin sales and possession at the establishment. Charges include 5 counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance determined to be heroin. In the aftermath, the city revoked their business license.
In an appeal, the store owners stated they had no knowledge of the employee’s drug activities; however, Village of Oak Park trustees upheld the decision to permanently close the business. In a written ruling, trustee Cara Pavlick said Austin Pantry owners were “negligent, reckless and careless at a minimum in allowing their business to be operated as a place for the sale of illegal narcotics on numerous dates.”
Drug use and trafficking are often difficult to spot and many times even harder to prove. However, every employer and Human Resources department has a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for all employees, immediately addressing any infraction or suspicion to reduce liability within the workplace and protect your company.
Private Investigators – A Weapon in Battle to Reduce Illegal Drug Use
An internal investigation sometimes involves drug-testing, some use dogs, and some use undercover operatives. Wall Street and other large corporations began using private investigations long ago with the demand ever increasing.
General Motors (GM) reported substance abuse by some of its 472,000 employees and their dependents cost the company $600 million in 1987. To combat the problem, GM instituted undercover operations at 10 mid-western plants and said it would not hesitate to use such investigations in the future. That was then, and drug use in the workplace has only increased.
While employers are encouraged to practice a covenant of good faith and dealing with all employees, protecting the workplace should be the primary goal, and often requires professional private investigators to work alongside law enforcement to ferret out drug use and other illegal activity.
Conducting a private investigation not only reflects your company as being proactive, careful documentation can help achieve a conviction and reduce liability.
Thomas Lauth, owner of Lauth Investigations International, specializes in undercover investigations for both blue-collar and white-collar companies. Having spent over 20 years in the field as a private detective, he believes diligence is key to combating workplace crime. “One can never be too careful or diligent when protecting their company. When working with clients, we tailor our investigation to the needs of each individual client.”
When hired by a client, Lauth’s investigative team provides an assessment and tailors the investigation to the needs of the specific case. Working with Human Resources, the business is profiled to determine the best course of action.
The most effective way to detect drug trafficking and abuse in the workplace is to conduct a covert investigation planting an investigator within the company. Typically, the investigator goes through the hiring process like any other employee, informing minimal staff, allowing the undercover private investigator to protect their identity and integrity of the investigation.
From there, the investigator fits in with employees, developing friendships to gain information about drug activity. In Lauth’s experience, “Many times, our investigators uncover additional illegal activities, resulting from the initial investigation,”
Periodic background checks can also assist companies in identifying employees who are high risk for illegal activity. “At Lauth Investigations, we recommend conducting background checks of all employees, newer employees as well as those who have worked for the company for several years. A lot can change after the hiring of an individual,” Lauth says.
For those who may be concerned office morale may be damaged, Lauth points out a background check can be conducted legally without the employee’s knowledge. “Background checks can reveal drug offenses, fraud, theft and other criminal activity on record with a police department or court and one of the most important steps a company can take to protect their company.”
For more information contact Thomas Lauth, Lauth Investigations 317-951-1100.
Written by Lauth Investigations Feature Writer Kym Pasqualini.
by admin_lauth | Jan 2, 2018 | Private Investigations News
Spies, Espionage, and Intellectual Property Theft
Government and military entities are not the only ones spying and conducting espionage investigations to protect our national security. More and more corporations and even small businesses are now hiring expert private investigators to conduct espionage investigations and counter-surveillance to protect “trade secrets” and other classified information.
Cases of economic espionage, industrial espionage, corporate spying and corporate espionage are commonly conducted for commercial purposes but can also include personal information that can later be used to blackmail, discredit and control enemies and competitors.
Espionage or “Insider theft” can cause significant personal and financial harm and described as an individual obtaining secret information without the explicit permission of the owner. For example, a corporation or company spying on another company’s activities, collecting data and information for gain or cause damage, most commonly through the doorway of employment.
Espionage involves clandestine activities. Though methods and motives of spying have changed over time, the desire to uncover competitor’s secrets has not. There is a war going on, and spying the primary weapon.
Federal Effort to Combat Economic Espionage
According to a 2015, CNN Politics Report “FBI Sees Chinese involvement amid a sharp rise in economic espionage,” the FBI announced the bureau has seen a 53% increase in economic espionage and intellectual property theft cases leading to the loss of billions of dollars.
The FBI concludes “insider threats” or employees familiar with the inner workings of a company who obtain sensitive industry secrets in exchange for large amounts of cash are becoming more common and pose a significant threat to companies worldwide.
To combat this ever-increasing menace to American businesses, the FBI produced a video “ ” to raise awareness.
Private investigator Thomas Lauth, CEO of Lauth Investigations International, says, “Global trade of fake goods is damaging U.S. markets, along with theft by U.S. retail workers.”
Pirated and imports of counterfeit goods are worth nearly half trillion dollars annually with much of the proceeds going to organized crime, according to the OECD and the EU’s Intellectual Property Office.
“Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Mapping the Economic Impact,” reports fake products like footwear, handbags, even strawberries, are commonly presented to the U.S market. While there is significant financial damage occurring, products like pharmaceuticals, toys that are harmful to children, baby formula, and failing auto parts are endangering lives.
According to former Attorney General Loretta Lynch in a 2015 Department of Justice press release, “The digital age has revolutionized how we share information, store data, make purchases and develop products, requiring law enforcement to strengthen our defenses against cyber crime – one of my top priorities as Attorney General, “said Lynch. “Companies like Sony and Target – have demonstrated the seriousness of the threat all business face and have underscored the potential for sophisticated adversaries to inflict real and lasting harm.”
While the Attorney General’s Office, FBI, Homeland Security and law enforcement are allocating more resources to combating intellectual property theft from dangerous outside adversaries, companies throughout the world are encouraged to take the necessary steps to protect their own intellectual property from outside and insider threats.
Insider Theft of Intellectual Property
Experts maintain upwards to 70% of a corporation’s value is found in Intellectual Property (IP). Insider threats come from the inside because the “thieves” are given access to their day-to-day employment.
The value of an organization’s secrets, product plans, customer data, and price lists cannot be underestimated. It becomes necessary to find a balance between productivity and protocol that allows a watchful eye to protect sensitive data and detect insider threat activity. Operational staff should be prepared with information to help them better understand how insiders can damage their agency, and in the various methods used by insiders. They are the front line to help battle IP theft crimes.
Insider thieves commit crimes for varying reasons, to include gaining a competitive business edge, to start a competing business, or personal financial gain.
It is not uncommon for thieves to use networks to send internal server data outside of an organization. The most common method of stealing data is the use of external media such as a writable CD or USB mass storage device. Using corporate email accounts to send information off-site to personal emails and competitors is also common and requires monitoring to prevent such abuse.
It is necessary for organizations to identify risks and develop standards of best practices and policies that address the many ways IP can be exploited. These should include but are not limited to IT Security, removable media policy, controls and inventory, physical security, logs, and indexing tools to identify patterns in behavior. It is especially important to implement heightened security measures during reorganization, acquisition, downsizing, mergers or other organizational events.
Non-Compete Agreements Protects the bottom-line
Employee departures resulting in the scheming of trade secrets and clients has increased significantly in recent years. Many employees leave their employment to begin a similar start-up or pursue freelance work. As a result, it has become common for former employees to approach old clients, steal data, marketing materials and even share negative information to damage their former employer’s credibility.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, with the help of investigators, over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of departing employees being successfully sued by former employers for breaching Non-compete Agreements (CNC).
Considered one of the most effective ways to prevent the theft of a company’s secrets, having a Non-compete in place and requiring every employee to sign it, can prevent damages that could otherwise last years.
Private investigation firms are playing a significant role in the effort to safeguard information, the detection of costly breaches and providing an evidentuary solution presenting facts when litigation is necessary.
Lauth Investigations International is working to prevent intellectual property breaches, global piracy, counterfeiting and insider threats with data mining experts and field investigators who focus on safeguarding IP and detecting violations utilizing sources that are not commonplace to HR and Operations Supervisors. “It is vital to be able to detect violations to prevent violators from reaping profits and expanding their worldwide market, where damage can extend for years,” says Lauth.
Brand Protection areas include:
Apparel
Music and Apps
Tools and Hardware
Cosmetics and other Products
Logos and Authentic Branding
Indigenous Rights
Author Rights
Content and SEO Detection and Protection
Plagiarism, Marketing Materials and Website Protection
“Our investigators conduct trademark infringement for brands, large and small, trekking through some of the most complicated cases and vast markets such as Hollywood celebrities, apparel, and electronic clients,” says Lauth. “Our team provides intellectual property and litigation support for small business and corporations working with corporate executives, HR, and those in Operations Supervision to provide research and investigations, crisis intervention, employee screening, vendor and supplier screening, electronic discovery, surveillance, loss analysis, and expert testimony if needed.
Working to protecting your brand
“Our private investigation firm will not only work with key staff and operations supervisors to identify current and potential breaches, we work with companies that operate throughout the world to implement the right policies and safety protocol to help protect their IP into the future,” says Lauth.
Lauth Investigations offers free consultations and guidance to help protect your brand. Following are a few tips to help you better protect your IP.
- Protect web content and marketing materials by utilizing a DMCA account and protection badge.
- Think globally. Obtain trademark protection for worldwide protection.
- Set up a Google Alert to police your brand.
- Obtain IP Protection for Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents.
- Register trademarks with the US Patent Office.
- Develop a Policies and Procedure Handbook and have each employee review and sign.
- Utilize Marketing Analytics software such as TrackMaven and Travel IQ for online tracking.
- Monitor unregistered infringements.
- Create various divisions for a more controlled environment.
- Create a distinctive mark.
- Develop and implement a Non-Compete Agreement.
For more information about how you can protect your IP, please visit www.lauthinveststg.wpengine.com or call 317.644.2788.
Kym Pasqualini, Lauth Investigations Feature Writer
by admin_lauth | Jul 21, 2014 | Private Investigations News
Photo courtesy of Cuito Cuanavale, Flickr
The recent surge of undocumented children entering the United States has brought up several issues, one of which is human trafficking. With so many minors coming in unaccompanied, many are worried that the children will become victims of this growing problem. Although slavery seems to be a thing of the past, the number of trafficked humans is much larger than it was centuries ago and continues to rapidly increase worldwide. Part of the problem is lack of awareness and the disbelief that slavery could occur, especially in the Western world. “No country is immune,” warns the United Nations, “whether as a source, a destination or a transit point for victims of human trafficking.”
Trafficking Worldwide
Although the exact number of victims is unknown, researchers estimate the amount of trafficked people to be between 12.3-25 million worldwide. Some are forced into unpaid labor, working in dangerous conditions for little to no pay. Others become victims of sexual exploitation, forced to become prostitutes and earn money for a pimp. Unsurprisingly, the biggest motive for trafficking humans is money. According to experts, the total market value of human trafficking is $32 billion, with nearly a third of that amount coming from the actual sale of victims (United Nations).
Trafficking in the United States
Despite the official abolishing of slavery in 1865, thousands of people are still trafficked within the United State’s borders. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly 300,000 children become victims of sexual exploitation alone. Many of them are runaways or were abducted from their homes. One in three teens are lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home (National Runaway Hotline). And once a child or teenager is trafficked, especially across country or state borders, it can become much more difficult to find them .
Even though the outlook seems grim, many non-profit organizations and government agencies have begun to battle this epidemic. Recently, the FBI rescued nearly 170 child victims of sex trafficking and arrested 281 pimps (CBS News). Many of these children were never even reported missing, and could very well still be on the streets if not for the FBI’s crackdown. The Bureau’s Innocence Lost program has identified and recovered almost 3,600 children who were victims of sexual exploitation since its start in 2003.
Hiring a Private Investigator
Despite the efforts of the FBI and other agencies, around 2,300 people still go missing in the United States each day (Crime Library). Because the amount of missing persons cases is so high, many families choose to look for outside help. A private investigator will work with the family and friends of a missing person and help generate leads for law enforcement. Private eyes have the time and resources to focus on a specific case, and those that have experience finding missing children know what signs to look for. “What is the PI going to do that the police won’t? He is going to keep on searching
,” says Jerrie Dean of Missing Persons of America. “He is getting paid to find the person, not the reason they left.”
According to Dean, hiring a private investigator can help even if the person isn’t found right away. “He brings that information back to the family, the family tells the media, the media reports it and then the police are renewed and following a new lead to [the victim],” says Dean. Part of the problem with missing persons cases is publicity. Too often, the media only broadcasts photos of missing people that will gain the most viewers, and eventually the attention peters out. Keeping a case alive can be the driving force in finding a missing person.
by admin_lauth | Apr 19, 2013 | Private Investigations News
The day after Valentine’s Day of 2013, national news reports indicated a spike in new online dating memberships. Once somewhat frowned upon, looking for love online has become more socially acceptable within the last ten years.
Ann Friedman, a politics columnist for New York’s website, reported in her article Cupid’s Cursor, that one-third of America’s 90 million singles have used online dating services. While some find love, get married, living happily ever after, some have met with tragedy.
Robyn Gardner - Still Missing
Tragedies
Robyn Gardner, who I wrote about August 25, 2011 in an article Missing Persons Advocacy Network, remains missing after meeting Gary V. Giordano online. They met each other on an online dating site, and saw each other a couple times a month. Robyn considered Giordano a friend and agreed to take a vacation to Aruba where she vanished. Her family is still desperately searching for answers. After her disappearance, Giordano attempted to sue American Express for a $3.5 million insurance policy he took our on Robyn prior to their trip to Aruba.
Gary Giordano arrest photo. Courtesy of AP.
Robyn Gardner is just one of many people who have fell victim to an online predator. November 30, 2012, Michigan law enforcement announced the body of Leigh Swanson had been found in the woods, approximately 10 miles northwest of Midland. Her cause of death was a fatal gunshot.
Swanson, 45 years old, had met a man on an online dating site according to her mother, Beverly Kane. Kane said her daughter had expressed that she had a bad feeling prior to going on the date but made a call to her mother on November 18, 2012 from the man’s home indicating everything was fine and she would be home soon. She never arrived and no one knew whom she had gone on the date with.
Leigh Swanson
After Swanson was reported missing, authorities traced the call to a house in Edenville Township, and dispatched deputies to the location. When the deputies approached the front door, they heard a gunshot from inside and ordered anyone inside to come out with their hands over their heads. A man exited the home holding a cell phone in his hand. The man had been on the phone with 911 reporting his son had just shot himself. A search ensued, and police found Swanson’s body in a wooded area on a neighboring property.
While the positive stories about online dating far outnumber the bad, the harsh reality is that online dating can also put people at risk. Following are some tips that can help keep you safe. Remember you can never take too much precaution when it comes to your personal safety.
Protect Yourself
1. Always meet in a public place. Never invite the individual to pick you up from your home or accept an invitation to theirs.
2. Use the online dating site email system to communicate. Remember, the more information you give out the easier you are to find. Even providing a private email address gives someone enough information to find out who you are and where you live.
3. If you decide to meet personally, attempt to obtain as much verifiable information about the person prior to the meeting, such as name and phone number.
4. Make sure you let someone close to you know who you are meeting, where you are meeting, and as much information about the person as possible. You can even have your friend call you during the date. This gives your friends and family peace of mind but also sends a clear message to the individual you are with that others know where you are.
5. Do your homework. It is not unreasonable to conduct a background investigation on a potential mate and could lessen the danger to yourself and those you love.
6. No matter how comfortable you feel with the person, never leave your food or drink unattended.
While I am not discouraging anyone from online dating, I do encourage you to take every precaution necessary to protect yourself. We must not permit tragedies or the lives of victims to be in vain.
About the Author: Kym L. Pasqualini is founder of the Nation’s missing Children Organization in 1994 and the National Center for Missing Adults in 2000. She served as CEO until January 2010. Kym is recognized as an expert in the field of missing persons, and has spent 20 years working with families of missing persons and homicide victims, government officials, advocates, and national media. She is also a contributor to Lauth Investigations International and the Missing Persons Advocacy Network.
According to Ferraro, “We have caught employees-dealers (earning less than $10 an hour from their employer) who never carried less than $10,000 cash to work.” 
Even police departments are not immune. November 20, 2017, Jellico Police Department Dispatcher and Fireman Robert Rookard, was arrested in “
The FBI concludes “insider threats” or employees familiar with the inner workings of a company who obtain sensitive industry secrets in exchange for large amounts of cash are becoming more common and pose a significant threat to companies worldwide.
Insider thieves commit crimes for varying reasons, to include gaining a competitive business edge, to start a competing business, or personal financial gain.
