White Collar Crime

Integrity through intelligence

Choose transparency with Lauth

White collar crime is one of the most devastating types of corporate fraud  within a busniess or organization, because it is often perpetrated by the leadership with the most internal power and influence. The more power the perpetrator holds, the greater the fraud. In this way, the calculable potential losses associated with white collar crime could exponentially grow to seven figures, both during the misconduct and as a result of it.

At Lauth, we believe our due-diligence extends from the bottom of the corporate ladder to the top, and that means holding executives accountable for their fraud. White collar crimes occur at multiple levels of leadership and creates a malignancy within the corporation. When leadership is indifferent or negligent, it can have a ripple effect throughout the entire company. With our diverse list of intelligence services, you can excise the fraud in your business.

Our services can be applied to many different types of white collar crimes, including but not limited to:

  • Securities fraud
  • Insider trading
  • Money laundering
  • Identity theft
  • Tax evasion
  • Corporate fraud
  • Ponzi scheme
  • Embezzlement
  • Insurance fraud
  • Bank fraud
  • Bribery
  • Criminal justice
  • Commodities fraud

How Lauth can help you with your white collar investigation.

Surveillance

Lauth uses the latest in surveillance technology to expose the unseen factors within any workplace. Our investigators have a wealth of experience in threat identification and risk assessment with regards to the safety of the workplace.

Background Checks

Lauth uses verified databases to secure a comprehensive background report on the relevant Subjects in any fraud or forgery case. Our investigators are trained to view a person’s criminal, financial, address, and litigation history to identify significant risk factors and provide expert recommendations for our clients and their businesses.

Undercover operations

Our investigators have the necessary toolchest to conduct objective, covert undercover operations within any organization, seeking the unseen factors in any workplace.

Evidence gathering

Combined with our surveillance technology to bring certainty to fraud & forgery investigations, our investigators are highly trained in discreet evidence gathering to support their findings in the case.

Why clients need our services

Corporate crime is something that is often written about, but never dissected on a national platform. According to a 2019 NPR report, 39% of CEOs who departed their positions did so due to misconduct and white collar crimes. It is also unsurprising that white collar crime and associated fraud often goes unreported out of fear that corporations and businesses will become less valuable due to that fraud. Reporting a corporate fraud like this to law enforcement increases the chances that the story may be leaked to the press, and bad press can also damage the image of the organization. Law enforcement may be ill-equipped to handle the fraud, either because they are inexperienced in this particular type of crime, or because investigations centered on violence are often prioritized. CEOs are amongst those with the most power to ruin a corporation from within, and as such, corporations must be proactive about uncovering executive fraud. With a private investigator on your side, a corporation can protect its own interests while ensuring that the fraud is heavily vetted and the culprit exposed.  Lauth’s investigators are trained to review documentation and conduct undercover operations in the interest of the truth.

Independent objectivity

First and foremost, it is impossible to have an objective investigation into white collar crime when the investigator is a member of an internal investigations team. It is hyper-common for internal investigators to address issues of executive fraud, but they still have direct or indirect stakes in the outcome and consequences of that investigation. That’s why it’s important to contract a third-party investigator to document white collar crime. A private investigator can exhaust leads in the crime that internal investigators might ignore due to professional or personal bias because of their daily contact with the organization. An outside set of eyes can also identify potential subjects in a white collar investigation that might otherwise go unexplored. In this way, perpetrators of the fraud do not have the benefit of internal bias to cover their tracks.

Background screening

In cases of white collar crime, it’s not uncommon for the background screening tools used in the hiring process are either lacking or non-existent. These comprehensive background screenings are a form of intervention and oversight that can save a corporate from the devastation of white collar crime. They provide an opportunity for a hiring agent to exercise intervention by flagging that applicant due to factors that might signify an inclination towards theft or fraud. Private investigators can develop comprehensive background checks on subjects of interest in preventing executive misconduct. Lauth’s private investigators have access to verified databases to build background histories of relevant subjects in cases of white collar crime. As part of their risk assessment skillsets, our private investigators can review these background checks and look at relevant factors such as litigation history, credit history, internal documents and highlight items of interest in order to develop leads. We compile all relevant fraud factors into our reports so we can make the best recommendation possible to our clients.

Private investigators & discretion

One of the reasons leadership might be inclined to an internal investigation of a white collar crime is the invaluable discretion they can exercise. Discretion is one of the most important aspects of a quality white collar crime investigation. Conducting a fraud investigation of any kind under the nose of misbehaving executives can be tricky, and requires the skills of an investigator with a wealth of experience in undercover operations. In crimes like Ponzi scheme, insider trading, or securities fraud, any inkling from the white collar criminal that they are about to be exposed can lead to loss of witnesses and evidence that might be the foundation of the case. At Lauth, our private investigation team is comprised of former military and law enforcement personnel with diverse experience working undercover in the field. In addition to covert interviews of witnesses, Lauth private investigators can also document crucial evidence such as internal communications, reports, and other documents with relevant information to the white collar crime.

Independent testimony

Should the results of an investigation eventually trigger a criminal charge or some form of litigation, Lauth private investigators are also highly adept at serving as expert witnesses in both civil and criminal court. When dealing with questions of fraud, having a witness independent of both employer and employee can go a long way in the courtroom. Our independence and brand of integrity add an additional layer of objectivity to our testimony, ensuring that results of the investigation are not easily challenged by opposing counsel.

Corporate culture

In large corporations with levels of leadership populated by executives, white collar crime might be more common than in other businesses. If a corporation is experiencing repeated instances of white collar crime, there might be a much bigger problem. Repeated instances of white collar crime means the corporation might be suffering from poor corporate culture. Corporate culture is how policy, enforcement of that policy, and engagement between employees directly effect the quality of life within a workplace. When good policy is not in place, or when good policy is not enforced is usually the crack where fraud manages to penetrate a business. The good news is that a corporate culture audit can find the source of these oversights and provide leadership with recommendations on how to improve it. Learn more about our corporate culture audit program here.

Corporate restructure without intervention or due-diligence is one of the biggest mistake a business can make following a white collar fraud. The corporate culture within any company, without question, effects their bottom-line day to day. Just to name a few avenues, this occurs through operations, interpersonal relationships between employees, and a level of engagement from leadership that requires consistent enforcement of their established mission and values. Because a corporation’s internal culture often remains hidden from consumer view, it’s not uncommon for leadership to simply restructure operations. Unfortunately, if every aspect of a company’s culture is not examined, this solution is just a band aid.

The Iceberg Metaphor

When concerning a corporation’s culture, we often use the iceberg metaphor as a means of defining it. Ten percent of a corporation’s values and culture are above the water where the public and consumers can see it, and the other 90% lies below the surface. It’s that 90% that directly affects a company’s employee morale, productivity, and bottom line. A corporation often places its highest priority on how they are perceived by their consumer base, and therefore that 90% of company culture and values are either placed on the back burner, or corporations find themselves at a complete loss of how to get in front of the issues. 

Relevant Blog Posts

Investigating Executives & White Collar Crime

Investigating Executives & White Collar Crime

Don't let executive misconduct ruin your corporation... When it comes to running a business, the executives who are the visionaries and decision-makers that shape a company should always remain above reproach. White collar crimes have the potential to pull a business up from the root with devastating consequences. Unfortunately, Americans know from media coverage and social media that there’s...

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What Is White Collar Crime And How Much Is It Costing YOUR Business?

What Is White Collar Crime And How Much Is It Costing YOUR Business?

Did you know that a single shady threat is behind a potential $1.7 trillion in annual losses for American businesses each year? Alarmingly, the number can only be estimated because as many as 90% of instances of this particular flavor of crime go unreported. And who or what is this sly and shadowy danger? It's none other than white collar crime. So, would you know how to protect yourself against...

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