investigations | business intelligenceDifferent industries define "business intelligence" in different ways. Human resources personnel may require background research on an executive candidate. Business development directors may require competitive intelligence on a competitor’s new product launch.
Discovering the true standing of a potential partner makes good business sense. Alternatively, a judgment against a bankrupt adversary may not be worth pursuing. Nardizzi & Associates accesses thousands of databases with public records and open source information such as: criminal records, professional sanctions, news/media references, litigation, bankruptcies, contracts, internet postings, past address histories, liens and judgments, business affiliations, securities filings, etc.—these are just a few areas that clients call upon the firm for timely reporting.
Armed with a backbone of database intelligence, and if the situation warrants, the firm then interviews relevant parties such as former employees, contractors, and industry experts to flesh out non-confidential information.
And we have proof our due diligence is second to none.
• Venture capital / equity financing
• Executive and other high-level hires
• Personal assistants / nanny / child care
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Asset searches
• Due diligence background checks
• Competitive intelligence
• Benchmark surveys
• Vendor contracting
Some case studies are listed below:
* Executive not what he appeared: A client in the venture capital industry contemplated a relationship with a well-known individual. Research revealed possible business entities associated with that individual in a distant state. Further research confirmed that the individual controlled those businesses, which were facing numerous lawsuits alleging embezzlement and fraud. Moreover, the individual’s real property holdings were burdened with heavy debt. Armed with those insights, the client decided to forgo the relationship.
* Family background: A long-time client became concerned about something happening in her personal life: her daughter was dating a young man who seemed evasive about his background. A full scan of court filings showed he was involved in several troublesome lawsuits in a different jurisdiction. Research of his social media research revealed several secret email accounts he was still using on an active dating profiles. The client was able to intervene successfully.
* Hedge fund manager arrested; Nardizzi report saved investor millions
02/27/09 - In the wake of repeated news of SEC investigations of hedge fund and investment management firms, an investment bank credited an early-stage due diligence report by investigative firm Nardizzi & Assocs. Inc. for saving clients from multi-million dollar fraud losses.
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Pearl River, N.Y., investment management firm Westgate Capital Management, LLC and its managing member, James M. Nicholson with operating a large-scale scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors of millions of dollars. The SEC alleges that Westgate solicited investors with false claims of an almost unbroken eight-year string of monthly investment successes.
In the fall of 2007, a New York investment bank had retained Nardizzi & Assoc. to investigate links between Nicholson, Westgate, and other individuals. The report issued by Nardizzi swayed the investment bank away from investing with Nicholson.
The investigation into Nicholson began when Westgate investors reacted to alleged Ponzi mastermind Bernard Madoff's $50 billion scheme. When they began to redeem their own investments in different Westgate hedge funds, nearly $5 million in checks bounced.