At the outset of the due diligence project, Kroll discovered that multiple distributors all pointed to a shared owner. Effectively, a regional monopoly was discovered, as it appeared a single distributor was handling the products across various countries.
Leveraging Kroll's extensive network of human sources in five countries, a further investigation revealed that this common owner was a frontman for businesses owned by a criminal network sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for narcotrafficking. In coordination with outside counsel, Kroll determined that while their client’s inherited network was neither directly sanctioned nor publicly investigated by U.S. law enforcement, it was a shell company that was illegally facilitating the transportation of controlled substances and money laundering for the criminal network.
Kroll's investigation also uncovered a series of bribes paid to government officials, which allowed the criminal network to traffic narcotics and illicit goods across borders.
