Uncovering Hidden Assets: How Private Investigators Can Help

One of the most common types of fraud or theft of assets in business arrangements, divorce, and other legal settlements is hidden assets. In this type of fraud, one party might try to cover up assets so they don't have to split them up with the other party or maybe even hustle assets that rightfully belong to another. 

In most legal proceedings, attorneys have the right to subpoena records, so if you suspect that your partner is hiding assets in some specific account, you can ask your attorney to request information from entities that maintain those accounts. 

What an attorney can't do, though, is conduct an expedition asset investigation based only on weak suspicions of their client's missing property. That's where private investigators come in. PIs can help dig up clues to help your case.  

Asset concealment in legal disputes is a crime in most states and may result in unfavorable rulings, fines, sentences, and other court sanctions or even criminal charges.

Recognizing Hidden Wealth Signs

• Unwillingness to Share Finances. Reluctance to talk about their income, assets, or expenditures
• Alterations in Spending Behavior. We are talking about sudden extravagant living or reduced spending (for example, if your business partner is skimming off the budget, they end up ordering cheaper supplies).
• Increased Secrecy in Accounts. Going out of the way to block access to accounts or refusing to create joint accounts. It's good to keep accounting details private, but excessive secrecy beyond what is necessary is undoubtedly something to look into. 
• Misleading Financial Statements include claiming more debt than actually is, underreporting income, excluding assets from the balance sheet, and other efforts to present an image of financial struggle.
• Avoiding Money Discussions. Deflecting or running from discussions about budgets, savings, and assets
• Observable Clues in Documents. Unreported business ventures or property deeds,  cash purchases of luxury items, or even business agreements that seem strange or unclear. 

Hire a PI to Find Hidden Assets in a Child Support Case

Sly co parents may underreport assets during divorce. When the legal procedures are over, they’d pay less child support or even get out of it completely.  If you suspect that your ex has hidden assets to pay less child support, you can hire a private investigator to unearth the truth. With the evidence the PI gathers, you can go back to the courts or the negotiations to get a better deal for your child. In cases like these, people commonly hide assets in crypto wallets, cash based businesses, and even trust and shell companies.  A private investigator can perform a discreet ‘lifestyle audit” of the person in question by tracking their movements and spending habits. They can even review public records, such as land registry or Point of Sale system records at their place of business, to uncover hidden assets.

Techniques for Concealing Assets

• QuitClaiming a property by hiding it in the name of another trusted person such as an attorney, a relative, or a friend so that a mere title search will only show the trustee instead of the real owner who is masquerading as the previous owner.
• Transferring wealth to others such as their family members, friends, or new girlfriend or boyfriend
• Inflating liabilities or costs
• Undervaluing assets or businesses
• Establishing secret financial accounts
• Accumulating cash and valuables such as luxury items, real estate, etc
• Utilizing offshore and digital accounts
• Buying untraceable goods

Legal Consequences of Asset Concealment

Most states criminalize asset coverups in legal proceedings such as divorce or arrangements such as child support, alimony, insurance, and debt agreements. Individuals can be fined, penalized, and even financially disgorged to pay back victims. They may also be brought up on criminal charges and even ordered to serve prison time. 

Professional Help in Asset Discovery

Dealing with hidden assets is not easy. As mentioned, you may not know where to begin, and your lawyer cannot use subpoena powers as a fishing expedition. That's where private investigators come in. We can help you track financial records, investigate suspicious transactions, and identify stashed wealth without getting you in legal water. Any evidence we unearth can be helpful in getting a favorable outcome in legal proceedings. 

Who May Use PI Asset Search Services

Anyone who stands to lose assets in a situation involving little to no financial transparency or feels that their partner is skimming off the top.

These include:

• People going through marriage divorce
• Business partners
• Individuals seeking child support or alimony
• Creditors pursuing debt
• Victims of fraud or theft
• Estate executors, heirs, and beneficiaries
• Lawyers representing clients in various legal matters
• Government agencies pursuing tax evasion, money laundering, and such like schemes
• Insurance companies suspect fraudulent claims

Steps to Locate Hidden Accounts

• Retrieving and analyzing financial documents and transactions
• Forensic analysis of financial records for discrepancies or trustee arrangements
• Tracking down unreported assets in unlisted bank accounts, tax returns, insurance statements, and offshore accounts.
• Physical surveillance of the subject to identify banking, investment spending information
• Utilizing software and databases to track assets that can't be located manually
  Analyzing digital footprints. We are talking about the trail people leave when they use the internet. These include things like their IP addresses, browsing history, text messages, social media activity, and precise location, such as their storage facility, banks, and places where they are hiding assets, as well as their secret lifestyle that may reveal lavish spending. 

Key Financial Documents to Examine

• Bank Statements with addresses or even names that don't match the individual's residence or official identification. We do SWIFT code lookups and check verification systems to discover hidden bank accounts and even the activities in those accounts. 
• Real Estate Records. A deep dive into historical records, and title forensics on prior deeds to find out the previous owners of properties.
• Tax Returns and Property Insurance Records. These may reveal what properties individuals own even if they've quitclaimed them because they still have to pay taxes and insurance on the properties.
• Insurance Policies, such as life insurance policies, annuities, and other insurance products, show that someone is clearly trying to hide assets.
• Pay Stubs to see if the person has reported less than they actually get. Pay stubs may also reveal undisclosed bonuses, commissions, or other income sources.
• Investment and Brokerage Account Statements. We compare claimed asset lists with investment and brokerage account statements to identify undisclosed bonds, stocks, mutual funds, and other financial assets.
• Business Financial Records to see if the subject has underreported the value of their business income or transferred an asset from their business account into their personal account.
• Debt Statements should be examined to see if any hidden assets are being used as collateral or offered as settlement. They may also reveal that the individual has taken loans to purchase assets that they're keeping secret.
• Gifts and Loans to Friends or Family. We can investigate to determine if these transfers are genuine or are being used to hustle assets.
• Employment and Contractor Agreements indicating undisclosed or underreported income

Cost of PI Asset Search Services

In most cases, it all comes down to the scope of the search and the asset being investigated, among other things. We offer three types of services. Here's the breakdown: 

Basic Background/Asset Search

• Cost: $1,500.00 + $45.00 for FedEx (Total: $1,545.00)
• Turnaround Time: 24 hours or less

Financial Institution Account Search

We are discussing investigations of the subject's bank, savings, and other checking account activities. 

• Statewide Search: $4,800.00
• Nationwide Search: $7,500.00

Brokerage Account Search

We are talking about retrieving and comparing asset lists with investment and brokerage account statements to identify undisclosed bonds, stocks, mutual funds, and other financial assets. 

• Statewide Search: $4,800.00
• Nationwide Search: $7,500.00

Impact of Hidden Assets on Divorce Settlements

If your partner covers up assets that are meant to be shared or even grabs what belongs to you, you could end up with a lower share of assets. This could mean financial trouble in your future. It's always important to investigate hidden assets in divorce proceedings and other arrangements to protect your financial future. 

When you confront your partner with evidence of their illegal stash, they may quickly agree to your settlement terms. Alternatively, you may present everything in court for a favorable ruling. 

Preventative Strategies Against Asset Hiding

Safeguarding Finances During Mediation. It's important to create complete financial disclosure documents when going through a divorce. You can work with your partner and financial expert to avoid snafu and hidden assets.

Proactive Measures to Detect Concealment. We are talking about regular audits and financial reviews. Scope out bank statements, credit reports, tax filings, and property deeds and watch for behavior that indicates asset coverups. You can use forensic accountants to dig up irregularities or potential concealment.

Asset concealment is a common type of fraud in business agreements and family law proceedings. Someone may try to cover up assets that belong to a partnership, file a fraudulent insurance claim, or even snatch what belongs to another party. 

Such efforts may mean financial struggles for the other party. It's always important to investigate your suspicions and protect your rights and financial future. Our private detectives can help you investigate and track down records to blow things wide open, revealing illegal asset stashes without breaking the law and jeopardizing any ongoing legal proceedings. 

We Are Here To Help

Do you need help finding hidden assets? Our investigators are former federal agents with various law enforcement departments and can help you with hidden asset searches, be it in a divorce, alimony, spousal support, insurance, business arrangement, or even debt collection cases. Feel our online form or dial 1-800-577-1080 to speak with a qualified investigator today to learn how we can help. 

FAQs

Martin Investigative Services

Martin Investigative Services office is located at 620 Newport Center Dr Suite 1100, Newport Beach, CA 92660 

Open: 24/7

Phone: (800) 577-1080