International Asset Search

Investigating and Locating Assets Worldwide

The international investigative practice of Hudson Intelligence was founded in response to challenges faced by our clients who conduct business, pursue opportunities and resolve disputes in an increasingly interconnected world.

From our offices in the United States, our global reach continues to grow:

• International asset searches and fraud investigations were conducted in the past two years in Argentina, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

• We have worked for clients in countries across six continents, including Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad and Tobago, and United Kingdom.

Since the founding of our firm in 2011, our investigators have tackled complex cross-border investigations, developed capabilities for tracing accounts and assets overseas, and built a trusted network of in-country sources to assist with local inquiries in foreign jurisdictions.

Focus of an International Asset Investigation

The scope of an investigation will depend on the client’s objectives and the nature of the case. International asset searches are conducted to support financial due diligence, commercial arbitration, pre-trial discovery and post-judgment collection.

Common areas of an international asset search include:

• Foreign and Offshore Bank Accounts

• Real Property Ownership and Financing

• Foreign Business Interests
  (Including Shell Companies, Special-Purpose Vehicles and Off-Balance-Sheet Entities)

Depending on the nature of the case, we may also conduct research of litigation and insolvency (bankruptcy) proceedings in local courts within the appropriate foreign jurisdiction. Investigations of foreign nationals can also include criminal history, professional background, regulatory enforcement and other elements of reputational risk, political exposure or financial liability.

Global Insights in Asset Discovery and Investigation

International asset investigations will vary considerably in terms of subject, circumstances and country. However, over the years, several trends remain remarkably consistent.

• Offshore accounts and foreign assets remain favored holdings for high-net-worth individuals seeking to minimize tax exposure and maintain anonymity for family fortunes. The dark web of global wealth is facilitated by a broad cohort of offshore accountants, attorneys, and asset protection professionals. The enthusiasm for foreign trusts and shell companies has only been lightly dampened by developments like the Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, and promises from Swiss and UK financial institutions to increase transparency with US tax authorities.
  
  

• The digital economy and electronic fund transfers have opened floodgates for money laundering. Want to create an offshore account in the Caribbean? You don’t even need to leave the house. Moreover, many criminals and others who are truly serious about concealing the flow of their illicit funds have found a stronger alternative: cryptocurrency.
  
  

• Fraud is big business online – and nearly all of it is international. Threats from organized criminal syndicates and rogue states continue to expand and evolve, despite coordinated efforts by technology firms, law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
  
  

• Today, foreign business transactions aren’t exclusively reserved for Fortune 500 companies or the most financially sophisticated investors. Outsourcing services and products from Asian markets — once the sole province of multinationals — is now a common practice for small businesses. Placing a bet on a promising stock in London or Dubai only takes a few keystrokes. Yet when these deals take a turn for the worse, financial losses can be compounded by geographic distance and the difficulty of legal discovery in unfamiliar jurisdictions.
  
  

Hudson Intelligence leverages our experience in asset searches and financial investigations to deliver accurate, reliable and useful insights for our clients.

Consult an Investigator

If you would like to discuss an international asset search, please complete the form below. You can also speak with an investigator by contacting our offices at 1-845-632-0700.