Philippines Financial Investigations
Philippines financial investigations are done in order to determine and document the movement of money. The goal of financial investigations is to provide proof of criminal activity by showing the link between the source of the money, the recipient, and the time and place where the amount was deposited.
Criminal activities can be grouped into two: crimes against people and crimes against property. Crimes against property are motivated by greed. It needs a different approach from crimes against people which are motivated by passion. It requires the expertise and knowledge of a special type of investigator.
The Purpose of Financial Investigations
A financial investigator uses his skills in order to determine the events related to the movement of funds during the progress of a criminal activity. For example, if an accountant is believed to be stealing money from an employer, the employer can hire a financial investigator to identify what accounts the suspect is taking funds from, the exact dates this happened, and where the funds have gone. Being able to identify these particular events and showing proof of their connection, the investigator provides the client proof of the crime committed by the accountant.
Importance of Philippines Financial Investigations
Financial crimes remain a serious problem in the Philippines due to various reasons. For one, the Philippines is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International. Additionally, the country is also known for being part of the international narcotics trade. The high volume of overseas remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers also encourages money laundering.
Given the high possibility of financial crimes in the country, the financial investigation is an indispensable weapon against organized crimes. Some of the crimes that may require financial investigations include public corruption, tax evasion, and so on.
Crimes Requiring Financial Investigations
Fraud – is the act of falsely representing information to another person so that that person is prompted to hand over something valuable.
Tax Evasion – happens when an individual falsifies information when filing taxes or fails to pay taxes.
Bribery – occurs when one offers money, services, information, goods, and other valuable items in order to manipulate the action or decision of the one they are offered to.
Embezzlement – happens when an individual who was given custody of money or property uses the same for his or her own personal benefit.
Larceny – is when a person unlawfully takes another individual’s money or property with the purpose of converting or stealing it.
Forgery – happens when a person uses a fake instrument, such as a fabricated document or a check with fake signature in order to cheat or harm the recipient.
These are just a few of the possible crimes that require financial investigations. Don’t hesitate to contact Orion Support Incorporated if you suspect any of the crimes happening to you or your organization.