Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
The political season is in full swing, and not a year goes by that you don’t read something that makes you wonder – Why didn’t they know about this before? A recent example is my latest entry in the Due Diligence Hall of Shame, because, in politics – as in life – it’s good to […]
“Plays well with others” Remember your report cards from kindergarten? Early on, we were encouraged and graded on our ability to get along with classmates and teachers. Now that we’re all grown up (in some ways), it seem that we’re still learning. Thanks to recent high-profile alleged improprieties, the spotlight is definitely on how well […]
If ever there was a candidate for the Due Diligence Hall of Shame, this is it. Thanks to investigator Brian Willingham, who posts really good stuff on Twitter, I came across a recent NY Times article that describes the fraud and the outcome, and they’re both shameful. I’ll start with the outcome, and then I’ll […]
Writing about due diligence mishaps is a tricky proposition. It’s easy for me to second guess why someone goes through with a partnership or investment, even with obvious warning signs. Usually, the news sources provide few details, and it doesn’t seem fair to judge after the deal goes bad. And then there are the cases […]
Recent news about student journalists investigating their new principal’s credentials – and her subsequent resignation – earns this Kansas school board a place in the Due Diligence Hall of Shame. According to reports, these students started doing some research and quickly found “some things that just didn’t quite add up.” They then published their article, […]
Due diligence background investigations provide competitive advantage and help prevent fraud. Digging into someone’s past reveals a lot of information that can be used today – and here are two reasons it works so well: 1. The past often predicts how someone will act in the future. It’s the rare instance when a con man […]
Using the internet for investigations, including due diligence background checks, is becoming more and more commonplace. Online works great in certain situations, such as when the client needs a quick first pass or you want to fly under the radar and can’t make calls to former co-workers. However, depending on budget, time frame, and level […]
I didn’t need to look long or far for the next entry onto the Due Diligence Hall of Shame. Right there, on the front page of my local newspaper, the Denver Post, I found this article about a $30 million Ponzi-like investment scam. Apparently several clients, including Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez, Rockies pitcher Roy Oswalt, […]
I’ve been collecting articles that illustrate some of the best reasons for conducting due diligence and some of the best examples of due diligence mistakes. It’s time to share these with you, starting with the missteps by Walgreens executives when vetting Theranos, prior to their soon-to-be doomed partnership . As reported by the Wall Street Journal, […]
I just received one of the best phone calls an investigator can get. A client called to say thanks and let me know that our due diligence process worked. A fund manager lied about their MBA and had even supplied a falsified degree. Apparently, he’d gotten away with this for a while – until our […]