Case Studies

Check Fund Manager's team of experienced investigators digs deep to uncover information that helps our clients evaluate manager character and credentials. Here are some real examples of recent investigations where our findings helped steer our clients away from high-risk investments.

Investigators utilize unique skills and access to fill gaps missed by others:

While many of our competitors only use automated software "intelligence" to access records, our investigators go far beyond these initial searches to scrutinize many sources that cannot be searched by software robots.

In one recent case, Check Fund Manager's investigator flagged current felony drug charges on a subject, noting that the records were only available in very specifc local jurisdictions that the AI databases are unable to access. As one of the person's criminal cases was ongoing, our researcher was able to provide real-time updates to our client as the charges were being prosecuted and plea-bargained.

This scenario is not unique. Just a short time after this research concluded, our investigation of a different subject revealed ten criminal cases from five different jurisdictions, four out of five were missed by the record databases upon which our competitors rely.

False university degree and transcript surface twice:

Two years ago, Check Fund Manager performed a routine university degree verification on a prospective investment manager for our client. Initial sources did not corroborate the person's stated education credentials, so our researcher spoke directly with the university registrar. Despite the subject's insistence that the degree was authentic, the registrar also could not verify either enrollment or graduation. The subject even submitted a photocopy of the diploma, which our researcher determined had been falsified.

Very recently, the same person was again under consideration for an investment. This time, the subject of our investigation provided an embossed university transcript that detailed course records and the degree obtained. Our researcher contacted the university registrar, who was again unable to verify the credentials presented by the subject. We flagged several inconsistencies in the transcript, and going the extra mile, our investigator even discovered the online document forging service that produced the phony transcript. In fact, the exact list of classes on the subject's fraudulent university transcript was identical to the "sample" degree promoted by the online provider!

Freedom of Information Act inquiry revealed sanctions before the fund collapsed:

One of our investigators made a FOIA inquiry to the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of comprehensive research into a fund. Based on the correspondence received we suspected that the firm was under investigation by the SEC.

It turned out that the company was negotiating with the SEC to settle a securities fraud case. As a result, our client chose not to make a multi-million dollar investment into this fund, which ultimately was shuttered as a condition of the SEC settlement.

Investigator linked disparate records to tell a manager's whole story:

Although a manager's name was misspelled in multiple court records, our investigation revealed numerous criminal and civil cases. He also misrepresented education credentials in his biography, and had a bankruptcy filing that was complicated by additional serious charges.

Check Fund Manager's investigator was able to piece together his litigation history by matching up case numbers and dates via multiple sources, and by reviewing extensive case details which referenced other cases that the manager tried to deny. We showed our client his mug shot that proved his complicity in all of those cases.

Our research revealed criminal records that managers were trying to erase:

• During an investigation of a fund executive, we discovered a felony theft charge, which led to a misdemeanor conviction. Despite his efforts to remove it from his record, he ultimately admitted to the crime, due to the fact that our report showed the charge was corroborated by multiple sources.

• Another case revealed that a manager was arrested in a prostitution sting operation, which he was trying to expunge from his record. The manager's name is the same as the name of the firm, which adds another level of headline risk above and beyond the criminal issue.

• A large California public fund was invested with a manager for whom we uncovered charges of domestic abuse and methamphetamine possession, which he was trying to remove from his record. Upon learning this information, along with other detrimental findings, the public fund canceled its investment. This manager was later barred from the from the securities industry due to serious charges of misrepresentation, and his fund collapsed.

False records reported by AI database software:

• A client contacted us after his use of an AI based investigation tool indicated that the manager they were investigated was convicted of felony theft and served time in a federal prison.

• Our research revealed that the crime was not committed by his prospective manager but by a different individual who stole the innocent manager's identity (his name and date of birth) which was then entered into the public records when the criminal was apprehended.

• In doing so we were able to protect our client's reputation with the manager by avoiding an awkward confrontation and false accusation.

Common name confounds Artificial Intelligence software:

• A client contacted us out of frustration when his AI based investigation tool linked bankrutpcy court records to his manager who had a common name.

• Our research identied the correct personal identifying information associated with the manager and eliminated the false bankruptcy records connection.

Russian Investment Manager accused of International Loan Fraud:

• A client asked us to conduct pre investment diligence on a Russian with European ties.

• Our research uncovered an open court case in the Netherlands where the lender claimed his Russian corporation failed to repay a $25 million loan because he had misappropriated the proceeds into personal accounts.

• Three international jurisdictions were involved in this case including frozen assets in the Netherlands and business holdings in Russia.

Misspelled Court records missed by DIY (Do it Yourselfers):

• Here is a list of misspellings uncovered by just one of our investigators in U.S. court records over the course of a year. The database lookup techniques used by clients who run their own name only based queries would have missed all of these.

• Case 278254 last name misspelled in a lawsuit where the subject was a defendant in a NY county lawsuit alleging sex discrimination due to a hostile work environment

• Case 278211 last name misspelled in multiple federal court records

• Case 276291 two word last name misspelled in Cook county assault case
  llinois Court Report
  Offender Information
  Name: ********
  Case Number: *******
  Case Filing Date: 06/10/20**
  County: COOK
  Sex: Male
  Offenses
  Groups: CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS
  Categories: ASSAULT (Attempt)
  Case Filing Date: 06/07/20**
  Court Offense: ASSAULT
  Court Statute: 720-5-0-12-1-A

• Cases 274965 & 274327 names misspelled in three civil cases

• Case 278078 first name misspelled in 3 state tax liens

• Cases 278045, 273822, 254657, 275576 & 274654 first or last name misspelled in traffic court

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Check Fund Manager's
Background Investigations

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