Fraud Investigation in France

RCI Detectives provides professional fraud investigation services in France for companies, attorneys, law firms and international clients facing suspected financial, corporate or commercial fraud.

Based in the Paris area and operating throughout France, our licensed private investigators conduct discreet investigations to identify relevant facts, verify information, document suspicious activities and gather legally obtained evidence.

We regularly assist international clients and legal professionals requiring a fraud investigator in France for matters involving individuals, employees, executives, companies or business partners.

Fraud within or against a company can take many forms and may involve employees, executives, suppliers, business partners or third parties.

RCI Detectives conducts corporate fraud investigations in France to help companies understand what has occurred, identify the individuals or entities involved and obtain relevant evidence.

Depending on the circumstances, investigations may concern:

• Misappropriation of company assets
• Employee fraud
• False or misleading business information
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest
• Fraudulent business relationships
• Suspicious corporate structures
• Diversion of clients or business opportunities
• Unauthorized commercial activities
• Breach of contractual obligations
• Unfair competition

The scope of each investigation is adapted to the suspected fraud, available information and the client's objectives.

Financial fraud often requires combining information from several sources to understand relationships between individuals, companies and assets.

Our investigators can conduct research into:

• Corporate ownership and management
• Shareholdings and business interests
• Professional activities
• Financial consistency
• Property and identifiable assets
• Related companies
• Business relationships
• Potential undisclosed economic interests

Where appropriate, a fraud investigation can be combined with an asset search and asset tracing investigation in France.

Companies may become aware of suspicious behaviour involving a current or former employee.

Investigations may concern:

• Misappropriation
• Theft or diversion of company property
• Undisclosed competing activities
• Diversion of clients
• Breach of confidentiality
• Breach of non-compete obligations
• False declarations
• Unauthorized business activities

Depending on the circumstances and legal framework, investigations may involve documentary research, corporate intelligence, open-source research and field investigations.

The objective is to establish facts and obtain reliable information that can assist the company and its legal counsel in determining the appropriate response.

RCI Detectives assists US attorneys and international law firms investigating fraud involving France.

Cross-border fraud cases may involve French individuals, companies, assets, business relationships or transactions that are difficult to investigate effectively from abroad.

Operating directly in France allows us to conduct local investigations and provide factual information to foreign legal professionals.

Assignments may support:

• Civil litigation
• Commercial disputes
• Asset recovery
• Corporate disputes
• Enforcement proceedings
• Internal investigations
• Due diligence
• Cross-border fraud matters

Our findings can be provided in clear English-language investigation reports.

Understanding the background of the individuals or companies involved can be essential in a fraud investigation.

RCI Detectives can investigate professional histories, corporate involvement, business relationships and other legally accessible information to identify discrepancies or undisclosed connections.

A dedicated background check in France may therefore form part of a broader fraud investigation.

Fraud investigations sometimes involve individuals whose current whereabouts are unknown.

This may include former employees, company directors, business partners, debtors or other persons relevant to the investigation.

RCI Detectives can conduct investigations to locate individuals in France where there is a legitimate investigative purpose.

Documentary research alone is not always sufficient to establish fraudulent activity.

Where legally appropriate, RCI Detectives can conduct field investigations and surveillance to verify activities, establish relationships or document relevant facts.

Evidence gathering may be particularly useful in matters involving:

• Employee fraud
• Undisclosed commercial activities
• Unfair competition
• Diversion of clients
• Contractual violations
• Fraudulent business operations

Investigative methods are selected according to the circumstances of each case and the applicable French legal framework.

Fraud investigations can reveal that additional research into a company, director or business partner is necessary.

RCI Detectives provides corporate investigation services in France to examine companies, ownership structures, executives and relevant commercial relationships.

Such investigations can also be used proactively as part of a due diligence process before entering into significant business relationships.

Private investigation is a regulated profession in France.

RCI Detectives conducts investigations in accordance with French law and applicable privacy and data protection requirements.

Information and evidence are obtained through lawful investigative methods, which may include documentary research, corporate and professional records, open-source intelligence and field investigations where appropriate.

All assignments are handled with strict professional confidentiality.