Fact Gathering

During Disputes

Asset Tracing

When individuals, companies or governments owe you money, we find the debtors’ assets.

Asset Tracing Investigations Around the World

We specialize in asset tracing around the world. Mintz Group has helped creditors enforce judgments in hundreds of cases over the past 30 years. 

Long before a court judgment is obtained, we can give you a clear picture of how deep an adversary’s pockets are, helping you make sound business decisions throughout disputes.

And even earlier in business relationships, we can help you test — rather than blindly rely on — other parties’ representations about their financial condition.

We pay particular attention to highly convertible assets – not only cash, but commodities in transit, real estate, accounts receivable and inventories. 

Expertise in Sovereign Disputes

We have substantial experience in sovereign disputes and are mindful of the high evidentiary requirements for enforcement against assets of sovereigns’ alter egos.

Corporate veil-piercing is usually front and center in our sovereign enforcement cases.

Our asset-tracing cases are invariably multi-layered, frequently cross-border, and often in offshore jurisdictions. 

Before, During, and After Disputes

From the beginning of a brewing dispute to enforcing a judgement at the end, we provide a clear picture of how deep your opponent’s pockets are.

Kleptocrat: Our Game About How to Hide Dirty Money

We built an app as a public service — to help people bust kleptocracy (rule by thieves). You play as a corrupt ruler, being pursued by a relentless investigator.

Play it now on iOS and Android!

Opinion | This is how corrupt politicians launder money

Jim Mintz explains the 6 steps to hide dirty money.

Vannin Capital’s In Conversation Series with Ian Casewell

Mintz Group partner Ian Casewell discusses how litigation funders effectively use investigators.

Why Mintz?

  • We have 30 years of experience in conducting internal investigations around the world: researching and obtaining records, conducting interviews, and overseeing the forensic collection and analysis of electronic data.
  • We have invested in developing “boots on the ground” and internal “cookbooks” of resources for the 130+ countries in which we regularly work.
  • We recruit our staff based on their investigative experience in various countries and their language skills. We have in-house fluency in more than two dozen languages.
  • All information in our reports is sourced, to a document where possible. Our memoranda sit atop copies of the actual documents in which our information appears. We do not rely on rumor or innuendo, and our reports avoid using vague statements – such as “according to sources.”
  • Our methodology and investigation work product have been subject to review by regulators and used by companies as a standard in responding to corruption allegations.

Why Mintz?

  • We have 30 years of experience in conducting internal investigations around the world: researching and obtaining records, conducting interviews, and overseeing the forensic collection and analysis of electronic data.
  • We have invested in developing “boots on the ground” and internal “cookbooks” of resources for the 130+ countries in which we regularly work.
  • We recruit our staff based on their investigative experience in various countries and their language skills. We have in-house fluency in more than two dozen languages.
  • All information in our reports is sourced, to a document where possible. Our memoranda sit atop copies of the actual documents in which our information appears. We do not rely on rumor or innuendo, and our reports avoid using vague statements – such as “according to sources.”
  • Our methodology and investigation work product have been subject to review by regulators and used by companies as a standard in responding to corruption allegations.

Representative Matters

Individuals

The Economist reported in 2013 on a $40 million judgment against the notorious Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi: “[The brokerage firm] remains determined to get the 77-year-old Mr Khashoggi to cough up, even hiring Mintz Group, a firm of investigators, to help its lawyers at Levi Lubarsky & Feigenbaum (LL&F) hunt for assets. They are sceptical of his claims that he long ago frittered away a fortune once estimated at close to $4 billion.”

Counsel for a judgment creditor received unconfirmed reports that a bankrupt individual was improperly removing valuable art and furnishings from his home. We identified and contacted a former employee of the bankrupt individual, who provided solid evidence of the looting.

Assigned to look for the assets of an individual based in the U.S., we found a customs record documenting his export of marble to an island in the Caribbean. Searches of local property records uncovered his lavish second home on the island.

Entities

It is a matter of public record that we were appointed to search for the assets of individuals associated with the notorious bankrupt Bennett Funding.

To help a European client that was attempting to seize the assets of a supplier against whom it had a judgment, we looked for places in which the supplier might be storing goods. We traced the supplier to a Belgian warehouse and the foreman there confirmed to us that the supplier was storing its inventory there.

Sovereigns

Through our work in sovereign disputes for more than 20 years, the Mintz Group has developed an expertise in tracing the assets of governments and government agents, from heads of state to state-owned enterprises.  Our asset tracing assignments have included investment treaty arbitrations, sovereign debt disputes, sanctions evasion investigations and fraud/kleptocracy claims.

  • We are regularly retained by claimants to search for government’s assets held outside their territory in anticipation of multi-billion dollar ICSID arbitral awards. In the past few years, we have conducted investigation of more than 15 separate sovereigns in support of these claims.
  • We are currently retained on two matters to search for assets belonging to a sovereign’s state-owned enterprises held outside of their territory in anticipation of ICC arbitral awards.  These cases have included tracking revenue streams and supply chains to aid in global enforcement efforts. 
  • We have successfully identified the assets of an African state held within the European Union that enabled our client to recover its full judgment, plus interest.  This case presented particular challenges with respect to differentiating between Central Bank and development money-funded assets. 
  • We have worked on several matters on behalf of investors in sovereign debt, in which our assignment was to track down the assets of a government outside its territory.​
  • For the government of Kenya, we have been involved in asset tracing through the Anti-Corruption Commission and revenue authority, pursuing banks and individuals involved in money laundering and tax evasion.

Talk to one of our specialists

Ian Casewell
Partner and Co-Head of Disputes Practice
London
Find out more >
Christopher Weil
Interim co-CEO
Washington, D.C.
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Jen Cherner
Partner and Co-Head of Disputes Practice
Washington, D.C.
Find out more >