Asset Searches & Open Source Intelligence

One thing most private investigators do during asset searches is look for publicly available information a.k.a. Open Source Intelligence (“OSINT”). Websites that can help private investigators collect OSINT, are listed at the OSINT Framework. It has links to websites like Spydialer which identifies phone numbers & FotoForensics the digital photo forensics tool.

HOW OSINT CHANGED THE COURSE OF A MONEY LAUNDERING INVESTIGATION

Law enforcement officials also use OSINT. This is demonstrated by prosecutors in Poland who were searching for assets allegedly laundered by a shell company. The prosecutors researched the shell company by using Knowlesys’s website, which harvests OSINT. This research revealed the shell company had addresses in London, the U.K. & in Delaware, U.S.A. Based on the Delaware address, the prosecutors drafted a letter rogatory which was eventually filed with the Court in Delaware. The letter rogatory basically asked the Court for permission to subpoena witnesses in Delaware who knew about the shell company.

Knowlesys collects OSINT from data agents and/or data mining on the Internet