Blackhawk’s Asset Tracing Service

Understanding why you may need to track down assets that belong or have been awarded to you is at the core of our asset tracing service, but the other critical aspect of the service is the resources we use to achieve a successful asset tracing outcome.

Asset tracing is a multi-discipline task. Those involved need to understand the process from start to finish to ensure the integrity of the investigation and to preserve any evidence that may be necessary in forcing guilty parties to reveal the location of targeted hidden assets. As such, our investigative resources are composed of highly skilled and trusted people. It is essential for the clients we have served in the past to be able to place their complete trust in Blackhawk Intelligence and our abilities.

Companies Trust Blackhawk’s Asset Tracing Service

Blackhawk’s services are regularly used by FTSE 100 companies, SMEs, leading property companies, solicitors, accountants, banks, insolvency practitioners and private individuals. To undertake a multidisciplinary operation, which means trawling through data from any number of home and foreign jurisdictions, Blackhawk’s asset tracing team includes:

• investigative lawyers, who unravel the fine print most of us tend to glaze over and work in a dedicated in-house legal team
• former law enforcement officers, who have been at the business end of criminal investigations
• computer forensics experts, who are able to convert data into the all important evidence of asset concealment
• an internet/website research and analysis expert, who trawls the net in search of the “online footprint” of either business or individual. They can give you chapter and verse on the life story of any website of your choice – who owns it? Is it making money? Is it trading honestly?
• specialist researchers, who dig deep into data to uncover trails in the most unlikely places

Investigations often include working in overseas jurisdictions, so what about cost? Blackhawk is known for taking a commercial, cost/benefit approach to assignments, and is happy to tell potential clients not to pursue a claim if there is little or no chance of a favourable judgement.

Investigation step by step

Below we outline the typical pattern of an asset trace, starting with an initial approach to Blackhawk by a potential client:

• You believe you are owed money or property and want to know how to gain legal access or negotiate an out-of-court settlement to recover any assets owned by your debtor
• You approach Blackhawk to a) find out if your debtor has any assets of value and/or b) where they are concealed
• Blackhawk works with you directly or with your own professional advice team to trace the assets (eg real estate, stocks and shares, intellectual property rights and money)
• Blackhawk gives you a detailed intelligence report on its pre-litigation findings
• You discuss with Blackhawk whether there is a strong enough case for pursuing your claim
• If no, you may have saved yourself costly litigation fees but, if yes, Blackhawk will go ahead to secure the assets asap and track down the individuals concerned. We do this through background checks, computer forensics, employment investigations, surveillance and exhaustive internet research
• In court, Blackhawk presents its evidence which it has gathered professionally, using methods recognised by the courts
• Following a favourable court judgement, Blackhawk will then realise all possible assets

Asset Review Report (ARR)

A key client deliverable as part of our asset tracing service, is the Asset Review Report. The principle purpose of an asset trace is to discover if it is worth while pursuing somebody who has transgressed against you or your firm and where they may be hiding valuable assets you can pursue. Our ARR report comprehensively reviews the findings of our investigation enabling clients to take decisive action one way or the other. In summary, the report outlines the following:

• Historical analysis, current financial status and advise, updated asset search
• Confirmation of ownership of known and newly discovered properties.
• Updated valuations/equity on known and discovered properties.
• Analysis of most recent financials for companies associated with the subject.
• Updated compliance, financial and credit check.
• Advice and recommendations as to further action.

Choose Blackhawk Investigations

Blackhawk has been operating for many years and over that time has helped some hundreds of clients recover many millions of pounds worth of assets.

To find out more or to arrange a confidential consultation about your asset tracing service needs, please contact Blackhawk Intelligence on +44 (0)20 8108 9317 or contact the asset tracing team.