On December 11, 2008, financier Bernie Madoff was arrested by the FBI and charged with masterminding a long-running Ponzi scheme. Madoff would gain notoriety for running the multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme, widely considered the largest financial fraud of all time....

Like so many tech companies, Bitwise Industries had a grand vision: to transform underserved cities with technology-based solutions. The ascendant startup had almost 1,000 employees, a bevy of impressive investors and a valuation north of $200 million — and then it...

Obviously, no one wants to be the investor that was duped. Better due diligence can save you from financial loss…and reputational risk. Here are the emerging due diligence trends you need to consider adopting…pronto.

Due diligence is all about risk mitigation and comprehensive knowledge about who you consider connecting yourself with—financially and in other ways. While this includes gathering information about one’s professional experience, legal history, and reputational stature, it’s also crucial to be aware of the political affiliation and exposure of a potential partner, investee, or employee for transparency and compliance.

Operational due diligence is crucial for uncovering potential risks and protecting investors from financially devastating outcomes. When it comes to the pre-investment investigative process, company background checks that include these essential aspects will allow stakeholders to rest assured that their investment is in good hands.

The integrity of organizations and their personnel can be a key indicator of the success of a potential investment opportunity. Consequently, a criminal records search as part of a background check on possible business partners, fund managers, or a company’s executive management is a crucial part of the pre-investment due diligence process. By gaining transparency about an individual’s criminal background, you can properly consider the risks and liabilities that could impact your final investment decision.

The purpose of a social media background check Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Reddit, and other platforms have seamlessly integrated their way into our daily lives. Today, with more than half the world using social media, it’s clear why it...

In the world we live in today, the media controls the narrative, and thus, public opinion relies significantly on media portrayal. As a result, any news regarding an individual or company that’s presented in a negative light can have serious reputational and financial implications. This is why it is essential for due diligence background checks to cover adverse media. However, while technology has made global news more accessible and readily available, it has also made it easier than ever for fake news to spread.

Executive management and board members stand at the helm, steering a company towards success. However, given the power and responsibility of upper-level management, investors and board members need to be sure they are placing their trust and their capital in the right hands. But how can investors know if an executive candidate is telling the truth about their background? In this case, many firms are using executive background checks to provide the complete picture of any potential business partner or executive hire.

Operational risks originate from the interaction of people, processes, and technology, both internal and external to an organization. Advances in technology have changed the nature of work, but companies remain driven by people, and people remain imperfect. Employees, customers, vendors, and service providers are all sources of risk within a changing regulatory framework under increased scrutiny. That being said, recent developments in AI-powered risk intelligence provide new tools for operational risk management. These tools can help anticipate threats and prevent long-term damage to an organization.

With the advancement of the modern globalized economy, international background checks continue to grow both in prevalence and in importance. Given that investors often seek out foreign investment opportunities, ensuring complete transparency requires conducting pre-investment due diligence that includes an in-depth global background screening of a company and its executives.

The current Russia-Ukraine conflict has sent ripples throughout the global economy. With the U.S. and other Western countries imposing expansive sanctions against Russia, companies are on high alert to ensure that they are in full compliance with the recent announcement made by the U.S. and European governments. This has major repercussions on current and future investment opportunities, both for asset managers and asset owners. With these directives coming into effect, it is all the more important for these businesses to protect themselves and their high-stake ventures.

When considering the pace at which business deals progress today, investment opportunities require an in-depth analysis covering all possible red flags to be delivered as quickly as possible. As a result, investors and operational due diligence professionals have advanced to adopting background check software to generate accurate and reliable background checks faster than ever before.

Top-level management often represents the face of a company. In today’s society, where public scrutiny and opinions spread like wildfire, the integrity of a firm is not only affected by the organization’s performance, but it is intrinsically linked to the ethics and reputations of its senior executives.

Executive management is the heart of any company. Their leadership dictates its present operations and steers the way into the future. But what happens when that leadership is flawed? We look at some of the recent biggest unethical corporate scandals and how they might have been avoided.

High-end screening is a necessity, not a luxury, for people and organizations making investments, establishing partnerships, and hiring high-level executives. The reputational and financial risks of failing to know what you should have can be devastating.

AI is redefining business practices and enabling firms to achieve their overarching goals. In the financial industry, due diligence is a prime example of a business activity in which the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning can help firms actualize their objectives of absolute efficiency. By reducing natural human errors, eliminating manual inaccuracies, and automating internal operations to increase productivity, AI is transforming due diligence and investment risk analysis norms.

Many companies have made significant investments in preventing corporate crime and fraud, and yet, 47% of executives surveyed reported that their company had experienced white collar crime in the past two years. With the problem so prevalent, what can be done to further prevent white collar crime?

Harm to a company’s reputation can have a significant overall financial impact. While other forms of risk are easier to identify and mitigate against, reputational risk can appear random and impossible to prevent. Recent developments in AI-powered risk intelligence are changing that and making preventing reputational damage increasingly possible.

Getting caught by a company engaged in law-breaking or dishonest business practices has always been a risk in any investment opportunity. With high-profile cases such as Theranos still hitting the headlines, we ask what constitutes corporate fraud, how it is different from other forms of white-collar crime, and how you can reduce the risk of being duped.