Wyburd & Co LLP researchers offer experience of over 750 due diligence & investigations cases, in almost every country world-wide. Casework experience includes:

Due Diligence

• Companies, intermediaries and individuals throughout Russia; supported by our Moscow based researcher and security sources; also in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and Armenia.  We handle 2-3 cases monthly in the FSU.
• Individuals and companies in Europe and North America, particularly in connection with finance, oil/energy, trading, property and acquisitions.
• Local/offshore & state owned companies, banks, politicians, directors & shareholders throughout West & South Africa, including Nigeria, Niger, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Gabon, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Angola and South Africa; supported by our West Africa specialist and dedicated researchers specialising in individual countries.
• Oil & products traders, regional offices and employees, in Switzerland and elsewhere; whether employees at a Moscow trading office had been involved in criminal activities or were former KGB employees.
• Shareholders, finances, relationships and risk factors relating to intermediaries, companies and contractors in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Turkey and Sudan.
• Intermediaries in India, and private and state-owned companies in India in connection with proposed joint ventures, including pharmaceuticals, steel, power & oil/energy.
• Intermediaries and prospective joint venture partners in China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
• Detailed analysis of public and quasi public Iranian entities and key managers/connected political figures; supported by our Iran specialist and Iranian oil/energy researcher.
• Individuals and companies claiming ability to develop business in Iraq, including through the current government.  Also, previously, whether named companies and individuals were trading with Iraq, and if so how.
• South American state-owned & private oil/energy companies and contractors in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile; also corruption and reputation issues relating to leading politicians.
• Screening of prospective senior employees.

Insurance Claims & Trade Investigations

• Non delivery of metals, minerals and commodities under pre-payment contracts in Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Georgia, Cuba, Brazil.
• Failure of an African government to repay loans made to finance importation of fertilisers.
• Non-payment for supply of police and ministry vehicles in East Africa.
• Enquiries in Liberia, relating to fraudulent war damage claims.
• Non delivery of agricultural products under pre-pay contracts from Madagascar.
• Failed power projects in China [thermal] and Indonesia [geo-thermal].
• Non-payment by Cuban government for sugar, & actions/interests of traders outside Cuba.
• Counterfeit / grey market pharmaceuticals from India and China.
• Whether unusable condition of steel coils was due to defective manufacture or voyage damage.
• The ability, structure and equipment availability of the Russian rail system to support rail tank car movements; analysis and production capacity of key RTC manufacturers in Russia and Ukraine.
• Investigations relating to seizure of steel cargoes or obtaining temporary restraining orders in respect of monies payable under letters of credit.
• Matters relating to power plant construction and the Libyan "Great Man Made River" project.
• Non-delivery of specialist leather products for the automotive industry from Argentina to the USA; including connected companies in Argentina, Italy and the USA.
• Counterfeit / grey market pharmaceuticals from India and China.

Asset Searches

• An Indian trader living in the UK, under investigation by the UK authorities.
• External government assets of an FSU country, in connection with non-delivery of cotton.
• A leading Bangladeshi company with international offices, in breach of banking covenants.
• A UK trader living in Monte Carlo, in connection with losses arising from trading outside agreed limits.
• Directors of a Bermuda based reinsurance broker, in connection with litigation arising from non-disclosure of risk on policy inception.

Letter of Credit Fraud

Investigations into a $400m letter of credit fraud, covering:

• Connected companies and counter-parties in India, Europe, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
• Shipping document investigations in Felixstowe/Rotterdam/Antwerp, South Africa, USA.
• Connections between named individuals, companies and shareholders.
• Meetings in Bombay with the Directorate of Enforcement,
• Informal contact with Indian banks, and UAE Central Bank.

Locating Individuals

• Witnesses to English commercial litigation, including relating to insurance and contract default.
• A Singaporean national living in the UK, including information about activities and personal & corporate assets in the UK and Singapore.
• A Nigerian national involved in a major oil/energy contract dispute.
• Witnesses connected with fraud related losses at the Bombay Stock Exchange.
• A Russian inadvertently paid in excess of £1.5 million, after which he disappeared.
• Key executives of an international financial services company.

VAT Fraud

• Investigations to acquire evidence that an individual was successfully prosecuted and imprisoned for VAT fraud, for use as evidence in civil litigation.