DUE DILIGENCE INVESTIGATIONS Financial industries throughout the world are under constant scrutiny and are faced with the challenge of maintaining the reputation, integrity, and honesty of their businesses and employees. The old adage of businesses - to "know your customer" - has been expanded to "know yourselves and your associates." A poor decision in hiring or associating with the wrong entity or individual can be disastrous for a company. Business professionals agree that the value of a company can be eroded by a lack of adequate oversight or poor decision making on fundamental issues, and this is a recipe for failure. In a highly competitive business environment, the protection of current and future intellectual property is essential for a company's growth and survival. Shareholder value, investor confidence, and employee morale can be irreparably shaken or damaged by a single, avoidable lapse in judgment. Due diligence investigations can provide businesses with the appropriate intelligence information and enable them to make informed decisions regarding partnerships, joint ventures, mergers, and other business arrangements. Exercising due diligence increases efficiency and effectiveness in company operations. Furthermore, it can assist companies in meeting businesses' goals and objectives in a timely manner. Martino Consulting and Investigative Services Inc. utilizes a wide variety of investigative techniques in conducting due diligence investigations. Upon consultation with the client, the firm will design a due diligence plan, which can discretely limit these techniques to public record searches or expand to in-depth investigations based on the needs of the client. BACKGROUND AND ASSET INVESTIGATIONS The most important resource of any successful organization is its employees. Today, mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions are common, and employee turnover is high. In some cases, employees no longer feel the need to prioritize their loyalty to the company. Technology has enabled companies to expand markets exponentially and outsource responsibilities at an ever-increasing rate. At the same time, companies have become more vulnerable with increasing exposure to the threat of theft of trade secrets, intellectual property, and other proprietary information. Although vigilant computer security can detect or impede some of these thefts, exploitation of sensitive information by unscrupulous individuals can be far more damaging, undermining the character, reputation, and viability of a company. Effective and objective background investigations provide valuable information in the pre-employment phase of hiring personnel. Additionally, these investigations can be used to verify information on job applications, resumes, and business proposals, and can be adapted for each client. A thorough background investigation may uncover derogatory information that can be properly vetted to assist in the decision-making process. Background investigations can be focused on records only or augmented with personal interviews at the request of the client. In litigation matters, background investigations can provide attorneys with invaluable information concerning the opposing parties. Background investigations can provide insight into the character, reputation, and ability of a business or individual party. Asset investigations can provide information about the net worth of an individual or company, which can be linked to financial statements and other accounting records. Also, assets may be hidden or grossly inflated deliberately by individuals and companies for the purpose of fraud. In the event that a judgment is rendered as a result of litigation, the prevailing party has the ability, in many cases, to affect the disposition of identifiable assets in seeking damages. An asset investigation can assist an attorney and/or client in making decisions as to the potential value of litigation and the viability of a case. ON-LINE INVESTIGATIONS Martino Consulting and Investigative Services Inc. utilizes a wide variety of databases in conducting investigations on behalf of our clients. The firm makes every effort to gather as much pertinent intelligence and information as possible in furtherance of client needs. We routinely review the sources of information and evaluate performance of various vendors on an on-going basis. In conducting these investigations, it is extremely important that the client provide as much identifying information as possible regarding the business entity or individual of interest. The firm's goal is to be an efficient and effective resource for the client.