Manners matter, even in the simplest of things. … Read More
Articles tagged "IDDO"
L. Burke Files quoted in Free Malaysia Today
Again our very own L. Burke Files is quoted in Free Malaysia Today on the 1MDB Scandal. … Read More
NY Post / Swiss Bank Linked to Malaysia Scandal
NY Post / Swiss Bank Linked to Malaysia Scandal I have a nice small quote in a big story. … Read More
Playing With Ebola
Playing with Ebola Pdf in English I had a nice quote in a amazing story of how the Mob continues to operate and bring mischief everywhere is goes - this time with the help of the UN and a $200 billion dollar bait. … Read More
Customer Due Diligence Requirements for Financial Institutions
Customer Due Diligence Requirements for Financial Institutions It can be said to be no big thing, unless you are now subject to the rules. The new inclusion of investment advisors, financial planners, pension … Read More
Mr. Files letter to the Editor of the Financial Times
The Financial Times was kind enough to publish a letter to the editor on crimes and cash and the elimination of the €500 note. … Read More
What is it worth?
What is it worth? Most people don't realize they have a need for an appraisal. The need for the appraisal is usually an event, such as insurance, loss, or value for division or liquidation, and you have sadly … Read More
DUE DILLIGENCE, APPLICATION AND CHALLENGES IN WEST AFRICA
DUE DILLIGENCE, APPLICATION AND CHALLENGES IN WEST AFRICA I have decided to consider West Africa in its entirety in the above mentioned theme, but will narrow down to Ghana, my homeland. I also appreciate the fact … Read More
L. Burke Files in All Andorra
Mr. Files was asked a series of questions on the impact of the Banca Privada de Andorra scandal as well as what is in the future for Andorra as an OFC. As he say Andorra is not Switzerland - but Switzerland is … Read More
Due Diligence and The $50.00 background check.
Due Diligence and The $50.00 background check. You have seen them on the web, you get offers them in the email. Quick easy solutions for your hiring needs. Enterprise solutions and pricing … Read More
IDDO Certification Class – USA January 4th-9th
January 4th – 9th • Fort Worth, Texas IDDO Certification Class Details coming … Read More
IDDO Certification Class – Europe – September 30th – October 2nd
September 30th – October 2nd • London, UK IDDO Certification Class Location and specifics coming … Read More
Due Diligence: NGOs and Charities
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and charities have slowly evolved, under the radar, to become significant channels for laundering money. The veneer of decency used to hide mischief. Charities alone in the US … Read More
Due Diligence and the Future of Financial Institutions
I have spent the last two months traveling around Europe, the Middle East and Africa looking at trends in finance. I have been looking at the economies shaping finance, how customer demands are shaping finance and … Read More
African Due Diligence
Last month, I saw an advert for a firm who said ‘They know Africa’ and that they could help with any research in Africa. This sort of puffery for anyone who has spent time in Africa is laughable, but for those … Read More
Due Diligence – Studies Show…
We have just finished a series of three very difficult cases. The common theme in each case involved either a “survey” on trade dress issues or scientific studies supporting the opposition’s claims. In any … Read More
Due Diligence: M&A Sans Investment Bankers
As a CEO you go to an investment banker and you say, “gee I think I am going to acquire a company for US$N per share. Do you think it is a good idea?” What are the chances they say no? If they say no, you get … Read More
Due Diligence: Here a Regulator, There a Regulator, Everywhere a Regulator
How did we come to this? How did we come to this oppressive weight of regulations and regulators? I did some high end sleuthing and plied my subjects with wine, fatty food and cigars to loosen their lips and tell … Read More
Bay Area Launch Event
Thank you to everyone that came and showed interest, and lended their support to our first bay area event held February 6th in San Mateo at the Marriot. Our flier of the event. Handout from the event. … Read More
First Certification Event – Texas A&M Lawschool
The International Due Diligence Organization held its first Certification program in Fort Worth Texas on January 4th. 20 Future lawyers are now certified in IDDO due diligence. … Read More
Due Diligence on USA’s Recognition of Cuba and the Impact on CARICOM
Due diligence is about asking questions until you get the answers you need. It is a quest for information upon which to make choices. Many of the questions should be based upon current circumstance and future … Read More
Due Diligence For Asset Recovery
Due diligence investigations into the assets of a fraud feasor is delicate work. Even proposing to do some research into a potential fraud feasor to see what can be done to recover assets, that is if there are any, … Read More
The Big Debate: Citizenship by Investment
Economic Citizenship – Do Your Due Diligence By Burke Files, President, FEE Inc, United States Citizenship is a privilege granted by birth, heritage, or earned over time. Economic citizenship is a privilege … Read More
Due Diligence In The MENA
The topic is as fascinating as it is complicated, not just complex. I am sure; at least for me that is why I find the work fascinating. The first step is to understand the nature of the target of your research. … Read More
Financial Service Firms, Boom Goes The Balance Sheet
There have been a series of recent acquisitions of second and third tier financial services firms. The firms have included different types of firms such as insurance, family business management, securities, trust … Read More
Due Diligence – Insider Trading
For me, the gimlet eyed investigator, it is getting to the point that one cannot trade on any information that is either not already public, or that comes from an ephemeral fiscal itch to invest. I understand the … Read More
Due Diligence: Our Client Has Been Sanctioned
It happened. As silly as it may seem it really did happen. One of our cherished client trust companies was working for a client that got sanctioned. That is when we got the call. When one runs an international … Read More
Due Diligence: Red Flags On Investment Schemes
Everyone has their own biases when investing and I am certainly not immune. One bias that has nothing to do with any factual support is anyone wearing Qiana shirts. This was a big thing back when I was an … Read More
Due Diligence – The High Net Worth Individual’s Circus
High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) do not play by the rules, or at least the rules the rest of us have to play by. It is both part of their success and part of their charm. I have enjoyed working with my HNWIs … Read More
Due Diligence: Digital Currency
Linden Dollars, Liberty Dollars, e-Gold, Bitcoins are all Fiat Currencies issued by entities with some form of limiting mechanism so that they just don’t keep issuing bazillions of digital dollars - like some … Read More
Due Diligence – Flight Capital
Part of due diligence is anticipatory in nature, what risks do you see in your organization, industry, or market space that you can either - assume, transfer, hedge or accept. But also what risk events occur that … Read More
Due Diligence: Cash and Remediation
There is a saying on a poster in our office “Come the revolution things will be different, no better just different;” no doubt one of the more optimistic sayings from Murphy the philosopher and his book of … Read More
The Art Market – It’s a Rigged Bet
Oh did I get in trouble. I received all sorts of calls and emails after a short quote in the Wall Street Journal. "Art funds always lose money...investors always lose in an engineered and contrived market." was the … Read More
Due Diligence – Social Media
There was an article I saw recently about how over 30 per cent or more of college admissions departments are now looking at posts on social media websites such as Facebook, Pinterest, MySpace, LinkedIn, Sgrouples, … Read More
Due Diligence – Chinese Corruption
I worked in China a number of years ago and while it was corrupt then - it has, in my opinion, become markedly worse. I was asked: can one actually do business in China of any size and not run into trouble amidst … Read More
Due Diligence Fails
We have seen many of them; abject total monstrous failures of due diligence that make the headlines. War heroes running newspapers who never served in the armed forces, presidents of companies who do not possess … Read More
De- Centralised Due Diligence
Most nations’ financial regulations copy those drafted in the US and the EU. These regulations have been promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements (bis.org) through a publication by the Basel … Read More
Due Diligence – Examples in Ibiza
So what does a financial investigator do when on a short holiday in Ibiza? Well, he gets bored on the beach after about an hour. He also gets annoyed, as every three to four minutes, yes I timed it, a Senegalese … Read More
Due Diligence: Investigating the Investor
Due diligence is often thought of as a process to be used by the one with the money, to be applied to the representations of the party seeking the money. Thus, why does this need to be turned on its head? Why does … Read More
The Not So Strange Case of Tangerine Investment Management and Axiom Legal Financing Fund
I have been watching the story of Timothy (Tim) Paul Schools, Tangerine Investment Management (TIM) and Axiom Legal Financing (ALF) unwind since last August. David Marchant of Offshore Alert has been doggedly … Read More