Conducting a successful asset search is one of the most important, yet time consuming and frustrating processes for any lawyer or lay person involved in a business deal or lawsuit.
Doing an asset search
on a person or business
is difficult enough, add
in the fact that often
times, people conducting
asset searches wait until
it is too late and the
party being searched has
had time to hide or move
assets. Finding hidden
assets is even more frustrating
and time consuming and
usually leads to futile
results. However, experience
has repeatedly proven
that working with an experienced
and knowledgeable asset
tracer can make the process
of an asset search relatively
painless and effective.
The most common areas
covered in an asset search
and to identify hidden
assets include:
• Bank
account asset searches
in compliance with the
federal and state law
• Brokerage and
investment accounts in
compliance with the federal
and state law
• Motor vehicles
searches
• Watercraft searches
• Aircraft searches
• Real property
searches
• Employment related
asset searches
• Business ownership
and affiliations
• Patents, trademarks,
and copyrights
• Safe deposit box
asset search
• Off-shore bank
accounts
• Foreign asset
searches on individuals
and business entities
• Public record
asset search information
Hidden assets are often
traced back to friends,
family members or business
interests of the target
person being searched.
A variety of investigative
techniques can provide
valuable leads to identifying
possible assets. For instance,
when searching for off
shore accounts or business
interests, knowing where
the person being searched
has traveled over the
preceding 3 years can
often lead to hidden accounts
in off shore havens. The
common off shore “havens”,
Panama, the Isle of Man,
the Caymans, the Bahamas
and many others, typically
do not cooperate with
the long arm of the United
States legal system. Alternative
means must be employed
to perform asset searches
there. Subpoenas, Letters
Rogatory and other international
cooperation treaties are
often ignored. The same
is true in Switzerland
and other European “havens”.
A good private investigator
can perform an effective
asset search in these
countries using their
contacts and expertise.
For further information on this and other related issues, you can email Robert Seiden at rseiden@fortressglobal.com.
Robert W. Seiden is the President of Fortress Global Investigations & Security, a well-established firm with offices throughout the world. Seiden is a former prosecutor, former litigator, licensed lawyer and private investigator, as well as a former technologist, who has personally conducted and/or overseen thousands of investigative and security assignments throughout the world.
Copyright ©2005 Fortress Global Investigations Corp.
Asset Search
