Investigations

Types of Investigations

We understand the keys to successful management and performance of domestic and cross-border investigations. We have our own internal capability to perform general investigation services. In those cases where we require external consultants to provide more specialised investigation services we have established the necessary close relationships and alliances with specialist fraud investigation and other third party service providers, to manage the project and ensure the job is done cost efficiently and with a clear end game in mind.

Deniliquin Freighters Victim of Fraud

Russell – Owner, Deniliquin Freighters: “I’m the owner of Deniliquin Freighters Transfer Company based in the Riverina in New South Wales. It just seemed to me that we weren’t making the profits that we should have been making. We’d sort of employed a general manager…

Investigations for Business:

Duxton Hill has broad experience in conducting investigations for businesses impacted by employee, supplier or even director misconduct.

Our investigators and lawyers have the expertise to get to the bottom of any allegations quickly and efficiently. At our firm, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail and our commitment to providing our clients with the information they need to make informed decisions.

Employee fraud is a common form of misconduct that can have serious consequences for businesses of all sizes. Employees, managers and sometimes directors can use their position within the company to steal or misappropriate company funds, assets, or other resources for personal gain.

At Duxton Hill, we specialise in investigating allegations of internal fraud, including analysing financial records, conducting interviews as well as using other investigative techniques such as physical surveillance and open-source intelligence. It is important to act fast, assemble the right team and ensure that evidence and assets are preserved via search orders and freezing orders where necessary.

Investigations for Government:

Duxton Hill are a premium provider of misconduct investigation services to local government.

We have a proven track record of conducting impartial and thorough investigations into allegations of misconduct, with particular expertise in handling complaints falling within the operation of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 (Vic) and Local Government Act 2020 (Vic).

We understand the unique challenges facing local government and the negative impact allegations of misconduct can have on councils, undermining public trust and damaging reputations. Duxton Hill is committed to conducting investigations with the highest level of professionalism, impartiality, and transparency.

As a multidisciplinary firm with deep experience in integrity and anti-corruption law, our investigative outcomes involve not just findings of fact but also detailed consideration of applicable laws and recommendations that council can implement to improve their policies and procedures and prevent misconduct from occurring in the future.

Asset Tracing Investigations:

One of Duxton Hill’s core competencies is assets tracing investigations. We specialise in conducting thorough and comprehensive investigations to locate and recover assets that have been misappropriated as a result of fraud, misconduct or corruption.

Our investigators are highly experienced in identifying fraudulent activity and tracing assets across borders and jurisdictions. We employ a range of investigative techniques to gather evidence and have a wide network of associates both in Australia and around the world. We understand the importance of speed and stealth in locating and locking down assets so that they are available to victims of fraud or misconduct.

Open-source intelligence (OSINT) is a critical component of our assets tracing investigation services. We are highly skilled in gathering information from publicly available sources to support our clients’ investigations, not just from public records such as company and land title registers but also from social media to identify individuals or entities of interest and gather information on their activities, connections, and behaviour.

Physical surveillance is another critical component of our assets tracing investigation services. Covert surveillance can be deployed to locate both individuals and assets, such as vehicles or equipment that have been hidden or transferred to evade detection.

Professional Disciplinary Investigations:

Duxton Hill has specialist experience in representing persons and organisations before professional bodies where it is alleged a client’s conduct fails to measure up to the standard of professional conduct of members of their profession.

We have valuable insight into the procedures, hearings, evidence and standard of proof of such inquiries.

We have expertise in representing individuals the subject of professional disciplinary investigations by various State and Federal regulatory bodies, including:

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which oversees the regulation of doctors, pharmacists, dentists, psychologists and other health professionals;
Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner, which regulates lawyers in Victoria.

Professional disciplinary investigations can have a catastrophic impact on an individual’s working life and ability to earn an income. While it is often tempting for people to represent themselves in these less formal legal settings, even minor misconduct findings can lead to devastating consequences if not properly handled, and so it is vital to get timely and comprehensive advice.

General Investigation Services:

IT Forensics, data preservation, Court data acquisition, mobile device extraction & analysis, analysis, systems compromise investigations.
Fact finding
Surveillance
Interviews
Foreign bribery
Finding people (domestic & international)
Asset Tracing (domestic)
Identifying assets of potential suspects
Evidence gathering