Two former Maricopa County attorneys, Lisa Aubuchon (Deputy County Attorney) and Andrew Thomas (Country Attorney) launched investigations into graft and corruption in the county’s allegedly corrupt government. Their investigation led to charges against County Supervisors, and a County Judge, of racketeering charges. Following their investigations, Thomas was relieved of office and Aubuchon put on administrative leave due to claims that the investigations and charges were unethical. Read the full article »
Posts Tagged ‘msi services’
Private Detectives Retained to Ensure Ethical Behavior
By Jeff L in Crime, Criminal Background Check, Criminal Records, Electronic Fraud, Electronic Theft, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Police Records, Private Investigator, Safety, Screening, Security, Surveillance Services, Technology, fraud, legal papers, technorati at August 24th, 2010 | No commentsTags: Crime, criminal conduct, criminal investigation, criminals, ethical investigations, ethics, fact-finding, Fraud Investigations, information gathering, interrogation, investigation, MSI, MSI Detective Services, msi services, Myers Investigative Services, Myers Services, PI, police, political investigations, politics, Safety, unethical conduct, video surveillance
Undercover Investigation: University of Phoenix
By Jeff L in Background Checks, Chicago, Crime, Criminal Background Check, Electronic Fraud, Illinois, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Private Investigator, Safety, Screening, Security, Surveillance Services, Technology, Theft Investigations, fraud, hidden cameras, technorati at August 22nd, 2010 | 2 comments
The University of Phoenix is the largest for-profit college in the United States, with nearly half-a-million students. Former students, however, say they were misled into paying huge sums and taking on debt by recruiters, earning degrees that didn’t improve the student’s job prospects.A Noble, IL mother desired to become an elementary school teacher and, after seeing an online ad, emailed the university. Minutes later, a call came in from a Phoenix recruiter who told her that enrolling in the degree program would “fast track” her for success due to an agreement between the Illinois State board of Education and Phoenix. Read the full article »
Tags: Business Fraud, business intelligence gathering, business investigation, Crime, criminal investigation, fact-finding, fraud, information gathering, investigation, MSI, MSI Detective Services, msi services, PI, private investigations, Private Investigator, Surveillance, Undercover, undercover investigation
Chicagoland Man Charged for $3.7 Million Ponzi Scheme
By Jeff L in Background Checks, Chicago, Crime, Criminal Records, Electronic Fraud, Illinois, Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Private Investigator, Stolen Property, Theft Investigations, fraud, technorati at August 19th, 2010 | 1 comment
Joseph A. Dawson, a far-north Chicago suburban businessman was charged following an FBI investigation into his business. According to the FBI, Dawson defrauded 26 investors of $3.7 million dollars using a ponzi scheme.
The Fox Lake, IL, resident was charged with three criminal counts of wire fraud for allegations that he stole more than $1 million of investors’ funds for his own use and then used the investor’s funds to pay returns on investment to other investors. According to prosecutors, monies used to repay others totaled $2.8 million.
Dawson, a commodity futures & securities trader, owned an investment fund called LEAP and Dawson Trading, LLC; his businesses operated in Ingleside, Fox Lake, and Lakemoor. Dawson Trading took over LEAP (founded in 2001), and its customers, in 2004.
From 2004 to September 2009, investigations into Dawson’s business practices revealed that he’d offered and sold approximately $3.7 million shares to 26 clients in promissory notes; the notes supposedly ensured the investments were safe and promised to return as much as 80% of any trading profits earned.
Dawson never invested the funds, instead using investor’s money for personal items, like landscaping, automobiles, and a swimming pool addition for his home. To reassure investors, Dawson lied about their investments, allegedly creating & distributing fraudulent statements showing gains.
Wire fraud carries maximum penalties of 20-years in prison and $250,000, plus restitution. Courts may also impose fines doubling the victim’s loss, or twice the the defendant’s gain, whichever amount is greater.
Tags: Chicago, criminal investigation, criminal investigations, defraud, Electronic Theft, fact-finding, fraud, Fraud Investigations, Fraudulent, MSI Detective Service, MSI Detective Services, MSI Investigations, msi services, ponzi scheme, Surveillance, Wire Fraud
“Security by Committee” Doesn’t Work
By Jeff L in Investigations, MSI Detective Services, Privacy, Private Investigator, Safety, Screening, Security, Technology, Terrorism, technorati at August 11th, 2010 | 1 comment
Security decisions within the federal government don’t work according the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports. Federal institutions tend to make security decisions by forming committees that, when reviewed by the GAO, don’t have the information, or federal job rating necessary to “choose and to fund the appropriate measures to safeguard their facilities.”
Diverse federal departments are often located within the same building or complex, and each of the department chooses a representative to sit on the Federal Security Committee (FSC). The FSC addresses security issues and approves security countermeasures at the building.
The GAO, however, found two critical deficiencies within FSC’s organizational structure.
First, federal offices that occupy government buildings are not experienced, nor do they have training that’s necessary to assess complex security issues.
Perhaps even more problematic is that FSC committee members do not have authorization to allocate funding. According to the report, FSC members have to request funds from higher up the chain, and funding isn’t available in a timely manner.
Another disturbing issue brought to light was that the FSCs across the nation don’t have guidelines for operation; since 1995, FSCs have received no guidance for policies and procedures on steps necessary to make decisions or establish accountability.
Federal buildings are managed by the GSA (General Services Administration). However, they are protected by the Federal Protective Service, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. The FPS’ mission is to assess federal building security, highlight vulnerabilities, and suggest methods to counteract building weaknesses.
Once completed, the report is submitted to the building FSC to determine which measures to enact and maintain.
The FSC’s lack of formal lines of communication and guidelines actually put federal offices at greater risk.
As an example, an FPS official recommended that 24-hour security measures be implemented at a government facility in a crime-ridden neighborhood. However, the recommendation was never enacted because the FSC could not garner approval from their diverse tenants. In another example, a federal building’s committee asked FPS inspectors to not recommend improvements, “because there is not sufficient funding in regional budgets to purchase and maintain the security equipment.”
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