Private investigations
Corporate Internal Investigations
Independent investigations of employee theft, embezzlement, misconduct and harassment complaints. We interview, review the documents, preserve the digital evidence properly, and give leadership or counsel a written account they can act on.
When you need a corporate internal investigation
A corporate internal investigation is a structured, independent inquiry into an allegation against an employee, manager or executive, run so that the facts are found fairly, the evidence is preserved, and the company can make a defensible decision. It is different from an HR conversation. It has a defined scope, a written plan, interviews in a deliberate order, and a report that separates what was proven from what was alleged.
Companies bring us in when:
- Inventory, cash or fuel cards are coming up short and the pattern points inside
- A bookkeeper or controller’s numbers do not reconcile, or a vendor nobody recognizes is getting paid
- An employee has filed a harassment or discrimination complaint against a supervisor
- HR cannot investigate because the person accused is senior, or is HR
- A departing employee may have taken customer lists, pricing or source code
- An anonymous hotline tip names someone and leadership needs to know if it is true
What we deliver
Theft and embezzlement
Transaction testing, vendor and payroll review, and the paper trail behind missing money or product. Larger financial trails go to our financial investigations team.
Misconduct and harassment complaints
Neutral interviews of the complainant, the respondent and witnesses, with credibility findings explained in writing and tied to your written policies.
Document and records review
Expense reports, point-of-sale voids, access badge logs, timecards, vehicle logs and emails the company already owns, reviewed against the allegation.
Digital evidence handoff
We identify which devices and accounts matter and hand them to digital forensics for proper imaging. Data theft cases move to our IP theft and employee investigations team.
How an internal investigation works
- Intake and conflicts check. We confirm who the client is, who the decision-maker is, and whether counsel is directing the work.
- Preserve first. Before anyone is interviewed, we identify the email accounts, devices, video and records that need to be held, so nothing disappears after word gets out.
- Written plan and quote. Scope, interview list, document requests and deliverables, approved in writing before work starts.
- Document review. We study the records first, so interviews are built on facts rather than rumor.
- Interviews. Witnesses first, the subject last. Every interview is documented, and participation is voluntary.
- Report. Findings on each allegation, the evidence behind each finding, and anything we could not resolve.
- Next steps. If the facts support it, we organize the file for a police report, an insurance claim or civil counsel.
Arizona and federal rules to know
Outside investigators must be licensed. Arizona regulates private investigation under A.R.S. 32-2401 et seq. A firm you pay to investigate an employee’s conduct, habits or transactions should hold a DPS agency license. Ours is No. 1759795.
FCRA and workplace investigations. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a third party’s report to an employer about suspected workplace misconduct, or about compliance with laws or the employer’s written policies, is excluded from the definition of a consumer report if it meets the conditions in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(y). One condition is that the report goes only to the employer, its agents, government agencies or the other recipients the statute lists. If the employer then takes adverse action based on the report, it must give the employee a summary of the nature and substance of the communication. We write reports with that summary in mind. Pre-employment background screening is different, and it follows the FCRA’s consumer report rules.
Recording interviews. Arizona is a one-party consent state under A.R.S. 13-3005, so an investigator who is part of an interview may record it. We tell participants when an interview is recorded. We do not record conversations we are not part of.
Company systems only. Under A.R.S. 13-2316, knowingly accessing a computer, network or data without authority, or beyond authorized use, is computer tampering. We review company-owned systems and accounts the employer controls. We do not log into an employee’s personal email, phone or social media.
When harassment turns into threats. An Arizona employer can petition a court for an injunction against workplace harassment under A.R.S. 12-1810. If an investigation surfaces threats, our workplace violence team can assess the risk alongside it.
Mistakes that damage an internal investigation
- Confronting the suspect first. The subject hears the allegation, then deletes the texts. Preserve, then interview.
- Wiping or reissuing the laptop. IT reimaging a departed employee’s computer is the most common way evidence is lost. Hold it untouched.
- Letting a friend investigate a friend. A manager who works closely with the subject cannot give the company a credible finding.
- Promising confidentiality you cannot keep. Tell witnesses the information will be shared only as needed, not that it will never leave the room.
- Writing conclusions without evidence. Each finding needs the document, video or testimony behind it. Opinions belong in a separate section, if at all.
- Forgetting the timeline. Insurance claims, police reports and employment decisions all move faster when the facts are already organized by date.
Who this is for
- Owners of small and mid-sized Arizona businesses
- HR directors facing a complaint against a senior leader
- In-house and outside employment counsel
- CFOs and controllers with unexplained losses
- Boards and audit committees acting on a tip
- Multi-site employers across the Phoenix and Tucson metros and Pinal County
How it is priced
We do not list prices. The cost depends on the number of interviews, the volume of records, and whether devices need forensic imaging. We quote in writing before any work starts, and changes in scope are approved in writing as well.
| Included | Quoted separately |
|---|---|
| Investigation plan and preservation checklist | Forensic imaging and analysis of devices |
| Interviews named in the approved scope | Additional interviews or locations |
| Review of records the company provides | Financial tracing beyond company records |
| Written report with findings and exhibits | Testimony, depositions or arbitration |
Frequently asked questions
Should our attorney hire you, or should we?
Either works, but talk to counsel first. If legal claims are likely, counsel often directs the investigation and decides how privilege is handled. We work within whatever structure counsel sets.
Can an employee refuse to be interviewed?
Interviews with us are voluntary. Whether refusing to cooperate has consequences under your policies is an employment decision for the company and its counsel, not for the investigator.
Can you look through an employee’s phone?
Only a company-owned device, or a personal device with the employee’s written consent, and only through a forensic process that preserves the data. We do not access personal accounts without authority.
Will you tell us who is guilty?
We tell you what the evidence shows on each allegation, and where it is inconclusive. Discipline decisions stay with the company. Criminal charges are decided by police and prosecutors.
How do you keep the investigation quiet?
We limit who knows, schedule interviews off the main floor or offsite, and use plain email subjects. A small circle on your side is the best protection against leaks.
Related services
- Email forensics and BEC investigation
- Legal hold and data mapping
- Background checks
- Surveillance services
- Threat assessment and stalking response
- Due diligence
Related guides
- Corporate internal investigation process, step by step
- Workplace harassment investigation guide for HR
- Embezzlement investigation for small businesses
Sources: 15 U.S.C. 1681a(y), FCRA exclusion for employee investigations, A.R.S. 32-2401, private investigator definitions, A.R.S. 13-2316, computer tampering, A.R.S. 12-1810, injunction against workplace harassment, A.R.S. 13-3005, interception of communications.
Request this service
Tell us what you need in a few lines. Your request goes straight to the right team, and you get a written quote before any work starts.
Guides on this topic
Find out what happened, then decide
Request an internal investigation online and it goes to the investigations team in confidence. If an employee has threatened someone, or evidence is being destroyed right now, use our urgent intake form.