Service
Forensic and investigative review
When something does not add up, we follow the trail. We examine transactions, balances, supporting records and financial patterns to establish what happened and where the numbers lead, and we report findings in a form that management, boards and advisers can act on.
Who this is for
- Owners who suspect leakage, fraud or misappropriation but cannot yet evidence it
- Boards or partners facing a dispute over accounts, profit shares or valuations
- Businesses where cash, stock or receivables do not reconcile and nobody can explain why
- Companies preparing for litigation, arbitration or an insurance claim that turns on the numbers
What it includes
- 01
Transaction tracing
Following payments, receipts and journal entries from source document to ledger to bank, to find where money actually went.
- 02
Reconstruction of records
Rebuilding accounts where records are incomplete, altered or missing, from bank statements, invoices and third-party evidence.
- 03
Pattern and anomaly analysis
Data analysis across ledgers to find duplicate payments, round-sum entries, unusual vendors, timing gaps and override patterns.
- 04
Loss quantification
An evidence-based estimate of the financial loss or misstatement, with the assumptions stated.
- 05
Findings report
A clear, documented report of what was found, how, and what the evidence does and does not support.
How it works
- 01
Confidential scoping
We agree the question to answer, who knows about the review, and what records we can access.
- 02
Evidence collection
Records are secured and copied before analysis, so the evidence trail stays intact.
- 03
Analysis and tracing
We test the transactions, reconstruct where needed and follow each lead to a conclusion.
- 04
Report and next steps
Findings are reported privately to the client, with options for recovery, controls or legal action.
How we price this work
There is no standard price list, because the fee follows the scope and the depth of the work. We agree both in writing before anything starts.
- ScopeWhat is included, and what is not, set out in plain terms.
- Volume and condition of recordsClean, current books cost less to work from than a backlog.
- Depth and complexityA review is different from a full defence, filing or build.
- DeadlineWork against a fixed date, such as a reply to the IRD, is planned around it.
One-off work is quoted as a fixed fee for a defined scope. Ongoing work is a monthly retainer. The first 30-minute call is free, and you leave it with an indication of the cost and the time involved, even if you decide not to hire us. Book a free call.
Questions people ask
Is this the same as an audit?
No. A forensic review answers a specific question, such as whether funds were misappropriated or why balances do not reconcile. It is not a statutory audit and does not provide an audit opinion.
Will staff know we are being reviewed?
Only if you choose. We agree confidentiality at scoping, and early stages can usually be done without alerting anyone.
Can the findings be used in a legal case?
The report is prepared so it can support legal advisers, but legal strategy and court representation remain with your lawyers.