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

Former Army Specialist with PTSD and “Limited Use”

In March 2003, an Army Specialist suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after participating in the first and only post-9/11 combat parachute jump, into Iraq. Shortly after his return he started to self-medicate with marijuana. He self-reported his PTSD and after pre-treatment urinalysis, the command improperly used the limited-use inf…

Federal White Collar Fraud

An Army Reserve officer was indicted on one count of 18 U.S.C. § 641 (stealing) for allegedly filing travel claims (of ~$8,500) for travel the government claimed he did not take in support of his reserve duty. The case was predicated on an Army CID investigation (falsely) establishing the officer lived in the same city as the officer’s duty loca…

Army (AGR) Lieutenant Colonel Completely Exonerated

In 2014, an Army Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) ran afoul of his immediate commander resulting in multiple allegations that he had been disrespectful to the commander and another military service senior officer and failed to manage his command appropriately. The allegations resulted in a Memorandum of Reprimand, relief from command, removal from a promot…

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…

Former Army Reserve Major Pending Medical Evaluation Board

In 1985, the Major was exposed to radiation from a leaking microwave transmitter. The Officer developed endocrinological disorders and gained more than 100 pounds. He was treated by Army and civilian medical providers over the course of his active and reserve duty statuses, but later discharged due to his weight gain and other factors while pending…
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