#thomas ruskin

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Thomas Ruskin discusses the militarization of local police.

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The Tech Savvy Private Investigator - Embracing New and Old Techniques

Any private investigation firm worth its salt is ready and willing to accept exciting technological advancements to upgrade their investigative arsenal, while merging the old tried and true gum shoe methods, such as physical surveillance and interviews.

While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the newest technology out there, it’s also smart to keep in mind its application. Drones Some P.I. firms utilize the use of drones, yes drones, in their surveillance.  While this may be beneficial in some investigations, such as cheating spouse or insurance fraud cases in certain areas, it may not apply to all geographic locations. 

For example:  A drone may be beneficial to perform surveillance in a rural area for an insurance fraud case.  If a person is claiming they are disabled and can no longer work, yet they are perfectly capable of trekking through the wilderness on a hunting expedition, what may be a more difficult surveillance because of the elements, not to mention the presence of hunting rifles, just became possible (and safer) through the use of a drone.

While we at the CMP Group work all over the country and world, we mainly stay in urban areas, such as New York City, where we are based.  I cannot imagine using a drone for an infidelity surveillance on the streets of Manhattan, but could see it as beneficial in an investigation in upstate New York.

Hidden Cameras

It’s like the holidays when we get new devices for the team.  Everyone’s always excited to try them out and be amazed on how efficient and once again, smaller everything is getting.  The CMP Group has been in operation since 1999, giving us a front row seat to the newest technology available.  One of our favorites are hidden cameras.

Even doing a quick google search can be quite the eye opener on how sophisticated the technology has gotten.  While pen cams are a commonly known industry standard, there are also watch, key chains, button (as in a shirt button), glasses, coffee mugs, belt and tie cameras (to name just a few).  We always spend the first few minutes with each piece of gear in sheer amazement of how well the camera is hidden.

Computer Forensics

While called computer forensics, this useful way of recovering deleted or hidden files off of a computer (laptop or desktop) can be applied to tablets and phones too. 

A 2013 statistic shows that 55% of Americans use smartphone and tablet apps more than PCs to access the internet. 

To reflect societal norms, investigative firms that perform computer forensics now must adapt to perform forensic on those mobile devices.

GPS Tracking

While GPS tracking has been used in the field for years, the technology continues to exponentially improve.  Devices become smaller, hold a longer battery charge (3 weeks in some cases) and are extremely accurate (as in a couple of yards accurate).

GPS tracking does come with laws to abide by, such as the need for the client to own and have access to the vehicle, in other words you can’t put a GPS on a car that you don’t have permissible use and ownership of.  In cases where physical surveillance may not be in the budget, a GPS can be a great alternative to show where the subject goes, how fast they are traveling and when they come and go.

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Proving Elder Abuse with Surveillance

According to the Administration of Aging, there are almost 40 million senior citizens in America, roughly 13% of the American population.  As life expectancy increases yearly, in 2014 you can expect to live to be around 78 years old, so does the need for assisted senior living situations, such as home aids (CNA’s), assisted living homes and family members taking on this responsibility.

Unfortunately, there is also a growing problem with elder abuse.  So much, for the golden years.

Seniors endure various forms of abuse, whether it is physical abuse (usually disguised as a slip and fall), mental abuse, neglect, financial fraud or others who would take advantage of those who can no longer effectively fight for themselves.

Using surveillance, both physical and digital, allows you to make sure that your loved one(s) are being properly cared for.

“Granny Cams” In the form of a sweet stuffed animal, such as a teddy bear (like the one pictured), they can blend right in to their home environment and can capture abuse, neglect and/or theft.  They can also be in the form of a wall clock, smoke detector, DVD player and many other devices.

Surveillance Sometimes abuse isn’t made up of bumps and bruises.  Oftentimes caretakers (sometimes family members) will manipulate the senior to modify their Will, give the fraudster money and/or valuables.  For these sneaky individuals surveillance may show what their activities are.

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Intellectual Property Investigations

Everything is started with an idea.  Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs as well as branding symbols, names and images.

Intellectual property (IP) is protected by US patents copyright and trademarks which enables people to earn recognition and/or financial benefit from what they have created.

The four main types of intellectual property are:

Patents  For inventions - new and improved products and processes that are capable of industrial application.

Trademarks  For brand identity - of goods and services allowing distinctions to be made between different traders.

Designs for product appearance Of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture or materials of the product itself or its ornamentation.

Copyright for material Literary and artistic material, music, films, sound recordings and broadcasts, including software and multimedia.

As always, in every industry, there are thieves.  Like the saying goes, copying is the highest form of flattery.  Chances are, if someone is trying to steal your idea, it must be a good one. 

What should you do if someone steals, copies or uses your intellectual property?

You should seek legal counsel immediately.  If you were smart you should have gotten a patent, trade mark or copyright (depending on the medium).

One of the first steps, usually, is sending them a “Cease and Desist” letter which informs the user that the work is yours and that if it’s not taken down within a certain period of time, you will take legal action. 

This is usually where we come in.  Private investigators at the CMP Group conduct IP investigations in a number of ways.

Forensics accounting

Computer forensics (aiding with electronic discovery)

Surveillance

Undercover Work

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Charmed Robbery - White Collar Crime

On White Collar Crime Wednesday, we usually outline famous (infamous) white collar crime cases such as; where the term Ponzi Schemeoriginated, the Real Wolf of Wall Street and the Types of White Collar Crimes.

Today’s title should allude as to what we are blogging about today.  Con-men (and women) and their ability to charm, convince and deceive people out of millions of dollars.

Bernie Madoff (Madoff Ponzi Scheme) and Jordan Belfort (better known as the Wolf of Wall Street) had one characteristic in common, charm.

According to various studies conducted by the Association of Certified Examiners, approximately 90% of white collar criminals have no previous criminal record.  It also shows that the higher the monetary value of the economic crime, the less likely that the perpetrator will have a previous criminal record.

How do you protect yourself and your business?

White Collar Criminals need four components to exist: Money, Trust, Greed and Opportunity.  When you remove one of these (especially trust and opportunity) your chance of being a victim significantly decreases.

Most criminals will only commit a crime if they believe the benefit trump the risk.  Do not be too trust worthy and also surround yourself with objective and trusted advisors – outside of the firm you are working with.

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Is someone following me? When private investigators are hired for counter surveillance

At the CMP Group we perform all sorts of surveillance.  In past blog posts we have talked about the different types of surveillance an investigative firm are commonly asked to perform; cheating spouse, personal injury and child custody.

There’s another type of surveillance too, counter surveillance.

Counter surveillance is when a client hires an investigative firm to make sure that no one is following them (i.e. another investigative firm, stalker, disgruntled employee, corporate espionage agents, ex-lovers). 

How is counter surveillance done?

In short we would follow you and identify vehicles and individuals who seem to be following you.  Once we identify the person(s) that are following you, we would attempt to identify them if you are unsure who they are.

Keep in mind someone may not just be following you on the street but also via your technology via spyware that can be installed on computers, tablets and phones).  To combat this, counter surveillance may include:

Bug Sweeps (Technical Surveillance Counter Measures –TSCM)

Computer forensics

What do I do with that information?

If you know that person (ex, stalker, disgruntled employee, etc.) and are fearful of them, counter surveillance may offer proof that they are stalking you which will facilitate action by your local authorities, such as a restraining order.

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What Collar Crime Wednesday - SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White Cleans Up Wall Street

Though we usually cover white collar criminals on White Collar Wednesdays, their cases and how they were eventually caught, it may be interesting to talk about how the SEC has decided to escalate the way they pursue white collar crime, like the agency has never done before.

“You don’t want to mess with Mary Jo.” President Obama said when nominated former US Attorney Mary Jo White to take over as Chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission last April.

Mary Jo White is best known for convicting the terrorists responsible for the 1999 World Trade Center Bombing, as the U.S. Federal Prosecutor in the Southern District of New York from 1993 to 2002.  Her credentials also include jailing New York City’s top mobster, John Gotti, as well as successfully prosecuting three big banks for criminal fraud.

Since getting the post at the SEC Mary Jo White has:

Made it so that crooked financial managers had to actually admit guilt, rather than just pay arbitrary fines.

Stepped up investigations on the “gatekeepers” – board members, lawyers and accountants who tend to shield companies by failing to flag their fraudulent operations.

No one is “too big to fail” going after well-connected lawyers, accountants, consultants and other enablers.

As Mary Jo White sees it, the SEC is taking a “be everywhere” approach to enforcement.  The SEC has recently announced the latest number of arrests since Mary Jo White took over a year ago, which totals 700 thus far.

Ms. White has overseen an arguably "tougher" SEC, from rejecting a settlement with hedge funder Philip Falcone, to personally implicating SAC's Steve Cohen in his firm's insider trading scandal to forcing JP Morgan to admit wrongdoing in the London Whale Trading mishap.

Mary Jo White has also defended Wall Street’s biggest names during her tenure as the chair of the litigation department at Devevoise & Plimpton, such as former Bank of America CEO, Ken Lewis. 

While some argue that White career of defending of Wall Street’s villains is counter-productive to what the SEC hopes (and needs) to accomplish, others take the stance that because she could defend them, she can prosecute them even better now.

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Thomas Ruskin on HLN - Missing Baby Lisa Irwin 10-20-11 Thomas Ruskin, Retired NYPD Detective and President of CMP Protective & Investigative Group, discusses the missing baby case, Lisa Irwin.