Identifying financial fraud and tracing a rogue business partner – a case study

A successful chain of small businesses in regional New South Wales discovered a significant amount of money missing from their company bank account. The rogue business partner responsible for the missing funds fled the country, leaving behind his company laptop. Notion Digital Forensics was engaged to forensically examine the laptop for any useful information to assist in an inquiry.

Objectives

The main objective of this case study was to gather any evidence from the laptop that could provide insights into the circumstances surrounding the missing funds, as well as any other information that could be helpful in locating the rogue business partner and potentially recover the stolen money.

Approach

Notion Digital Forensics performed a comprehensive forensic analysis of the company laptop left behind by the rogue business partner. This included examining files and folders, email communications, internet browsing history, and any deleted or hidden files that could provide clues about the fraudulent activities and the partner’s whereabouts.

Results

The forensic examination revealed that the rogue business partner had left behind vital clues he believed to be deleted, including an air ticket for a return flight to Sydney within three months of the incident. This information was crucial in assisting the client with their enquiries and aiding in the eventual location of the rogue partner.

Conclusion

The thorough forensic investigation conducted by Notion Digital Forensics led to the discovery of valuable information that helped the client trace the rogue business partner and gather evidence regarding the financial fraud.