From the case files of Private Investigator Brian Blackwell. Names have been changed to protect anonymity. Copyright © 2012 Brian Blackwell.
SEATTLE
Monday, April 23, 2012, 1:10 p.m.
Received a call from an attorney needing an audit trails investigation (locate hidden assets) on a male Subject involving a child custody-divorce case she's working.
I was hired to gather evidence proving that the husband, John (Subject) was suspected of having money and assets stashed away that his wife didn't know about.
I dispatched my associate, September, to the attorney's office on Pioneer Square while I made a beeline to Pike and 3rd to see a guy about a guy who has special grift talents I may need to use.
2:30 p.m. — Arrangement made to meet up with Joe, a semi-pro grifter who got pinched by NYPD back in 1993 at 25 and did a nickel stretch (5 years) on Rikers Island, New York, for financial crimes (I'll keep unnamed) before bringing his show to the Emerald City.
2:45 p.m. — September reported in, information on Subject picked up and placed in a file and sitting atop my desk. At 3:23 p.m., met up with Joe. We enjoyed a Reuben and a tall cold one on tap at Pikes Place as we negotiated payment for services.
Subject is suspected of not being as financially insolvent as he claims. So I need Joe to run a ruse and befriend him to gain knowledge that otherwise may not be available.
Wednesday, 10:05 a.m., calm and sunny in Seattle. He's as elusive as they come. 2:25 p.m., sitting in the car; waiting/watching outside a bar near the marina for his next move.
6:45 p.m. — Subject's on the move. Look's like he took the bate; let the games begin.
10:38 p.m. — A damp, cold night in the Puget Sound region, sitting in the car—waiting/watching outside a condo in Gig Harbor. Unknown, at this time, if the condo is owned by Subject. Waiting for John to go on the move again.
Joe did a good job; befriended John well. He took the bate. He should be trusting and open up to Joe and lead us to the money—the money we are confident that he is hiding from his ex.
Thursday, 2:53 a.m. — Subject is in for the night. Time for me to get some sleep.
Later that morning at 9:00 a.m., sitting in a cafe at the marina enjoying a coffee as I watch the Subject's condo across the street—waiting for his next move.
1:25 p.m. — He's on the move. Heading west on Highway 16. Stopped at a storage facility where he had some items stored that he didn't disclose. Caught the Ferry back to Seattle; trailed him to the eastside where he met a female for dinner. 6:10 p.m., watching outside the restaurant...waiting.
7:43 p.m. — Subject and lady friend enjoyed after dinner drinks. 9:10, they departed, going separate ways. Ended surveillance. Obtained photo and video footage.
Friday, 6 a.m. — Started surveillance outside John's condo. 7:20 a.m., followed him to his work location; arrived 7:50.
Continued surveillance of Subject's vehicle until 10, at which time, one of my associates took over. I went and checked on other information that came in on John.
4:30 p.m. — Took over surveillance. 6 p.m., Subject departed work; arrived home 6:35. No stops in-between. Watching/waiting outside his condo.
11:45 p.m. — No movement; Subject is in for the night. Maybe tomorrow will be the day. My gut tells me he has a secret bank account. He will drive to his other bank soon. (He has a reputation for not doing online banking.)
My suspicion that the Subject had a secret bank account was confirmed Saturday morning. I had information that the Subject didn't do online banking or any other online transactions. It was a safe bet that I would eventually catch him going to a bank/credit union his wife didn't know about.
I've gathered evidence that the Subject has items of value stored in a storage facility and a secret bank account. Things the wife had no knowledge of.
Monday, April 30th — Monday's surveillance proved to be the most beneficial. Subject met with Joe for the ruse I planned to find out (roughly) how much money Subject may have hidden away. And did we ever hit the jackpot!
For a confidential way to prove Subject had a secret bank account, I orchestrated the following ruse....
First, let me preface the story with....Subject is a financial company executive whose hobby is boating. I had Joe play the part of a well to do boat enthusiast who made his fortune in the high-tech industry, which isn't too uncommon in this area since Seattle is the high-tech capitol of the country. Joe got him on the hook and reeled him in.
Joe enticed John for a day on the waters of Puget Sound with a daysailer (sailboat with sleeping accommodations) that I talked a friend into letting me borrow. Joe, pretending the boat was his, told John he was selling the boat and talked him into buying it from him. Joe convinced him he would only need to put a down payment on the boat to buy it, then pay the balance later, which he agreed to.
Subject delivered a check to Joe for the down payment. Now, we had John's bank account number and routing number for the client. I made a copy of the check and gave it to my client. I had Joe call him the next day to give back his check and void the sale.
Since the amount of the check that Subject presented was of a substantial amount, we now know that he has a large sum of money hidden away. Time will tell exactly how much.
As Joe was doing his performance, I was taking video of Joe and Subject doing the transaction while September was getting audio of the transaction.
3 p.m., Tuesday, May 7, 2012 — Submitted report and evidence on the Subject to client.
The Case of the Seattle Deadbeat Dad is closed....at least for now.
BRIAN BLACKWELL
Private Investigator
Copyright © 2012 Brian Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.
info @ brianblackwell.com
