Category: Family Offices

Background Investigation, Executive Background Check, Family Offices, Household staff, News of Interest, Private Invetigation

DDC Investigations™ identifies violent gang member connected to job applicant for billionaire’s household staff

A billionaire’s family office recently engaged DDC Investigations™ (“DDC”) to vet a household staff job applicant. The candidate applied to work in one of the billionaire’s residences, and the position would have allowed her to have direct contact with the billionaire, his family and other staff.

While research indicated the applicant had minimal experience, it also indicated she had no criminal record, no civil litigation, no debt and no obvious red flags.

DDC uses a proprietary research method that routinely produces differentiated research results for clients. Research of the candidate’s social media presence indicated she had been in a 4-year relationship with a young man. DDC dug deeper. Research into the boyfriend revealed various photos of him on social media and included evidence that indicated he was involved with a criminal gang that is noted for its extreme violence.

While DDC is the worldwide leader in detailed executive background checks, mergers and acquisitions research, and other investment due diligence, DDC handles each assignment with thoroughness and care, including the background check of household and family office staff.

DDC specializes in detailed research and business investigations and executive background checks on behalf of family offices, hedge funds and private equity firms, law firms and public and private companies worldwide.

DDC Investigations™ is a Florida licensed private investigation agency (License # A1300198) affiliated with Due Diligence Consulting LLC.

Family Offices, Investment Due Diligence, Private Companies, Private Equity

Ex-con fools investment bankers

DDC was recently engaged by a private equity focused family office to conduct investment due diligence on a person and business that claimed to be in the midst of a geographically focused “roll up” of smaller companies in a very fragmented industry in the eastern USA.

DDC found that the founder had been using a similar name to his actual name, was previously incarcerated for fraud, had been banned from the securities industry, had negligible assets while running large expenses (lease luxury vehicle, luxury rental home, etc.), and misrepresented his employment and education history.

During the course of this assignment DDC found that this person had raised almost $50 million from individuals and family offices who were shown the “opportunity” by two different investment bankers. Both investment bankers claimed to have done due diligence on this person and business.

The best way to avoid scenarios like this one is to (1) do a thorough check on a person or entity everywhere there is a contact or connection to the most original source level possible, and (2) do your own due diligence rather than rely on what someone else says they have done (especially if you are not given a copy of the written report).

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Peter Barakett

President

DDC – Due Diligence Consulting LLC

DDC Investigations LLC