Internal Ethics & White Collar Investigations

There may come a time in an organization’s existence when something goes wrong — sometimes really wrong. If an employee, executive, director, contractor, or other affiliate commits misconduct, the incident may expose the organization to financial or criminal liability. The event may become a breaking news story for every news outlet and social media feed.

Internal Investigations

Adverse events happen, no matter how careful, complete, or rigorous a company’s oversight, handbooks, and operating procedures. Commonplace examples include an employee using the company credit card for personal purchases, a supervisor harassing a subordinate, an employee hurt on a construction site, an executive committing insider trading, or someone violating OSHA, FDA, FDIC, FEC, FAR, FINRA, or any of the hundreds of other federal, state, and local agency regulations.

If something goes wrong, your company, brand, livelihood, and future are on the line. You need to know what happened and be on top of the events, so when the world knocks on your door, you have answers. Having the most complete and accurate answers mitigates criminal, civil, and tort liabilities, as well as social pain and embarrassment.

Quickly recognizing and investigating the allegations before outside organizations (and government agencies) get involved allows you to take immediate and appropriate action, get “ahead of the narrative”, and avoid surprises. In the rare case the misconduct was egregious or criminal, having an independent, complete, and thorough investigation to provide to law enforcement or an oversight agency gives that agency evidence to support recommendations against organizational penalties, fines, and litigation.

Our Experience

The attorneys at MNB Meridian Law have defended against and prosecuted hundreds of internal investigations into employee misconduct, financial crimes, sexual assault and harassment allegations, and organizational-wide matters that were the focus of public attention for months.

The crucial key to successful investigations is taking proactive measures to understand what happened as quickly as possible. Using that information, your organization can take appropriate, legally defensible, and unbiased action based on established laws, regulations, and company policies and procedures. Only then can you have comfort in knowing your assets are protected and liability minimized. MNB Meridian Law attorneys can help you get there.

Contact Us for Internal Investigation Assistance

For assistance with an internal investigation, please contact us by calling 215-268-3003 or using the online contact form. With offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Alexandria, Virginia, MNB Meridian Law serves clients throughout the United States and around the globe.

What We've Done

Titling and Retirement

A U.S. Army Reserve prior-enlisted first lieutenant was accused of fraud and taking more than $10,000 in recruiting incentives under G-RAP – the Army National Guard’s illegal recruiting program. The lieutenant was investigated by Army CID, who found “probable cause” to believe he committed fraud. Army CID “shopped” the case to the Army…

Navy Petty Officer Third Class Discharge Upgraded

A former Navy Petty Officer was propositioned by a young woman who, as was later discovered, was mentally incompetent. However, the subsequent investigation revealed that the young woman’s treating medical providers and parents were unable to determine the extent of her mental incapacity. The Navy prosecutors declined to prosecute and local Adult…

Former Army Private with Traumatic Brain Injury

An Army Specialist had a significant history of non-combat-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A non-commissioned officer on the floor smelled marijuana and then attempted to prevent the Soldier from driving away from the barracks. After a 30 m.p.h. “high speed chase” pursued by 11 military and 1 civilian police vehicles, the Soldier was pu…

Army Soldier Facing a AR 635-200 Chapter 14-12 Elimination

The Soldier, a former US Marine and current Army Specialist, was facing administrative elimination, for a pattern of misconduct that included falling asleep during a platoon sergeant’s meeting, punching a hole in the wall of his barrack’s room, wearing athletic socks with a logo, being absent (for 30 minutes) from his appointed place of duty, a…

Army Soldier Facing Article 15 for Posting Publicly Available Information

An Army Specialist posted a newspaper article on social media, without commenting, about a fellow Soldier arrested for soliciting sex with a minor. The Specialist’s First Sergeant threatened him with non-judicial punishment (Article 15), loss of liberty, extra duty and denied repeated requests for leave due to the Specialist “bullying” the ar…
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