Interviewing and Investigations

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With over 26 years as a federal agent, Kari is known as an adept interviewer.  She is very disarming, which elicits strong interviews and obtains confessions.  She has continued to develop and refine these skills since opening Overson Investigative Group in 2018.

Kari's expertise includes embezzlement, bank fraud, loan fraud, conversion of collateral, bribery, kickbacks, corruption, procurement fraud, false statements, wire fraud, mail fraud, bankruptcy fraud, theft of government property, false claims,  money laundering and occupational fraud, such as internal theft and creating false invoices and false accounting records.

Kari has over 29 years’ experience involving U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) programs including its loan programs and government contracting programs.  

When matters arise, it is important to get witnesses' statements on record early to get the information while it's fresh in their mind and before records or other documentation are destroyed intentionally or accidentally.  With over 29 years of interviewing experience, we have the ability to focus an issue quickly and effectively so the organization or owners can address the problem and prepare for next steps.

Loan investigations include:

· Paycheck Protection Program loans by lenders and guaranteed by the SBA

· Economic Injury Disaster Loans made by SBA

· 7a SBA-guaranteed business loans made by lenders

· 504 loans made by Certified Development Corporations and other lenders

· Mortgage loans

· Commercial loans

Loan cases may include false statements on applications, false statements regarding collateral, hidden ownership interests, misuse of proceeds, false cash injection, inflated and/or altered appraisals, falsified documentation, false invoices, false financial statements, false tax returns, false statements regarding payroll, false statements regarding tax liability, false statements regarding citizenship or criminal history, and straw borrowers.  They may also include bribery and kickbacks. 

Some loan cases include two sets of books and two purchase and sale transactions so that the true nature of the loan is hidden from the lender.  Receipt of funds from bank fraud and several other federal crimes can be used as a basis for charging money laundering if additional financial transactions were conducted with those funds.  

The perpetrators of loan fraud can include borrowers, sellers, attorneys, accountants, bookkeepers, appraisers, brokers, loan officers, bankers, investors, escrow officials, and other third parties. 

Procurement fraud investigations may involve the following:

· False front companies

· Affiliation issues affecting company's size

· SBA's Size Program

· 8(a) Business Development Program, including Alaska Native Corporations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and Tribal concerns

· Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Program (both SBA’s and VA’s)

· Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program

· Woman Owned Small Business Program

· Mentor-Protégé Agreements

· Protests involving the above

· Certificates of Competency

· Surety Bonds

· Excess Property

· Small Business Innovative Research Program/Small Business Technology Transfer Program

Procurement fraud may include false statements to the contracting office, false statements regarding eligibility in any small business contracting program, false statements to the SBA regarding eligibility, false certifications on General Service Administration websites, false front companies, affiliations with unreported entities, percentage of work violations, bribery, kickbacks, bid-rigging, false claims, subcontracting fraud, product substitution, and conflicts of interest violations.  

If you suspect a competitor is not eligible to bid on procurements, contact us early for a consultation.  

We have conducted many internal investigations involving employees.  Investigations include embezzlement, theft, bribery, kickbacks, selling Government property, theft of pay, false accounting records, and conspiracy.

Many bankruptcy fraud cases involve making false statements and/or concealing assets in a Bankruptcy proceeding.  Debtors may fail to disclose all their income and liabilities, pay creditors outside of bankruptcy, hide assets from bankruptcy, and divert receivables away from the estate.

We can assist you in finding hidden and/or diverted assets, tracing proceeds, obtaining a revocation of discharge, and preparing a case for law enforcement, prosecutors and/or trustees.