Business Partner and Investor Background Checks With the Ownership Unwound

Before you take an investor’s money, sign with a partner, or lend to a borrower, E3 Legacy Intel tells you who you are really dealing with. We investigate background, litigation, reputation, and beneficial ownership, unwinding the layers that hide who controls an entity. As licensed investigators (FL A-1400197), we help you avoid the counterparty risk that a standard search misses.

The money looks real, the pitch is polished, and the paperwork is ready. The one thing you do not have is the truth about who is on the other side. We get it for you before you sign. For acquisitions, senior hires and every other commitment, our due diligence investigation page sets out the full scope.

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Counterparty due diligence names who is on the other side

A standard background check confirms a name and a clean-looking record. It does not tell you who controls the entity, where the money came from, or what litigation and history the polished pitch is hiding. We investigate the counterparty as a whole, the people, the entities, and the money, so you commit with the full picture instead of a first impression.

Beneficial Ownership, Unwound

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Who controls it

We pierce holding companies, nominees, and trusts to identify who actually owns and controls the entity.

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Where the money is from

We assess the source-of-funds picture and flag sanctions, PEP, and high-risk connections.

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Litigation & history

Hidden lawsuits, judgments, bankruptcies, and regulatory actions attached to the principals.

The people actually behind the counterparty

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Background

Identity, history, and track record of the individuals behind the counterparty.

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Reputation

Adverse media, disputes, and the pattern behind them.

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Entities

Corporate structure, affiliates, and undisclosed related ventures.

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Financial signals

Distress indicators, liens, and financial red flags.

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Risk flags

Sanctions, regulatory, and integrity issues that should stop a deal.

Investor due diligence before you tie your name to theirs

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Companies raising or partnering

Vet investors, JV partners, and major vendors or clients before you tie your name to theirs.

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Lenders

Confirm who and what stands behind a borrower before the money goes out. Before any money moves, the callback and vetting rules in our BEC prevention and vetting guide apply to every payee. For pledged collateral and personal guarantors, see our collateral verification for lenders.

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Funds & family offices

Underwrite the people behind an allocation, not just the pitch deck.

Stay Protected

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Portfolio monitoring

Standing monitoring of your counterparties and borrowers for new litigation, distress, and ownership changes.

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Onboarding vetting

A repeatable vetting program that screens every new partner, borrower, or major vendor as they come in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is counterparty due diligence?

It is an investigation of the person or company on the other side of a deal, an investor, partner, borrower, vendor, or client, to confirm who they really are, whether they are financially and legally sound, and who ultimately controls them, before you commit.

Why vet an investor or partner before signing?

Because the wrong counterparty can cost you far more than the deal is worth: fraud, hidden litigation, regulatory exposure, or a partner who is not who they claim. A focused investigation up front is cheap insurance against a very expensive mistake.

What is beneficial ownership and why does it matter?

Beneficial ownership is who actually controls and profits from an entity, often hidden behind holding companies, nominees, and trusts. Knowing it tells you who you are truly dealing with and surfaces sanctions, conflicts, or bad actors a surface check would miss.

Who needs this?

Businesses taking investment, entering partnerships or joint ventures, lending money, or onboarding a major vendor or client, and investors and lenders assessing the people behind a deal.

Can you monitor a counterparty over time?

Yes. For lenders, funds, and companies with ongoing relationships, we offer standing monitoring that watches a portfolio of counterparties for new litigation, distress, and ownership changes.

Engage an Investigation Portfolio Monitoring

Your Examiner

Matt Aubin, CDFE, FBCI

Managing Partner, E3 Legacy Intel · FL Licensed Investigator A-1400197

Every matter on this page is worked under a named, licensed examiner. Matt Aubin brings seventeen years in cybercrime and open source intelligence. He is a Certified Digital Forensics Examiner (CDFE), a Florida Board Certified Investigator (FBCI), and a Certified AI Agent Developer, and he has investigated cases jointly with the FBI, the SEC, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals.

His work has been featured on ABC News, Spectrum News, and The Daily Beast, and in a television pilot for Netflix and MAC Pictures as a cybercrime expert. He keynotes nationally and serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI). About Matt Aubin

RELATED INVESTIGATIONS

Pre-Transaction & M&A Due Diligence · Executive Background Investigations · Asset Intelligence

LET’S TALK

Bring us the problem. We will tell you plainly whether investigation can help.

Fill out this form and set up a discovery call with us. From there we will analyze the issues you are having and determine your intelligence needs. Then we will develop a custom, no-obligation quote for our services, delivered in writing before you commit to anything.

Funds screening counterparties all year use us as their standing due diligence partner.

Tell us what happened

A licensed examiner reads every inquiry. You get a written, flat fee quote before any work starts. Or call (877) 732-6648.