For Portland Investigator, Patience and Perseverance are Keys to Making the Case

Private investigator Eli Rosenblatt, CFE, knows that some cases are more difficult than others. In some of the most confounding investigations, “you're so often digging for information that's just not there, and waiting for some nugget to be revealed,” he said.

September 2013 

ACFE Member Profile 

Private investigator Eli Rosenblatt, CFE, knows that some cases are more difficult than others. In some of the most confounding investigations, “you're so often digging for information that's just not there, and waiting for some nugget to be revealed,” he said. Yet staying the course and piecing together as much information as possible is only part of the challenge. Rosenblatt discusses the importance of authenticating his findings and shares some advice for investigators on the job.

How long have you been a private investigator, and how did you get into this line of work? 

In the early 90s, I was lucky enough to land an internship at the California Appellate Project in San Francisco, assisting attorneys in all phases of investigation and preparation for death penalty appeals. From some truly amazing lawyers and investigators, I learned more about criminal law and how to do difficult interviews in that year than in most of the years since.

Where did your career go next? What brought you to Portland? 

After the internship, I did other types of investigation and then went on to join the dot-com boom, starting my own successful boutique telecom business (I designed and installed phone systems and computer networks for small-and medium sized businesses and home offices). When my wife was looking at medical residencies in 2002, I said I'd follow her anywhere – but I was secretly rooting for Portland [Oregon], having fallen in love with it during college in the 80s. Starting my own practice as one of the only Mac & iOS certified forensic examiners outside of California has brought me full-circle, and I'm really enjoying that work.

Which types of cases do you find the most challenging? 

In terms of sheer frustration, the missing persons and skip-tracing type cases can be among the most frustrating. You're so often digging for information that's just not there, and waiting for some nugget to be revealed. My favorite challenges in the last few years have been workplace investigations, where I'm reviewing thousands of pages to follow the trail of money and communications, trying to be strategic about whom to interview when, and figuring out the right questions to ask. Mostly I've found that the best tools for that work are patience, perseverance, and consistent active listening.

Which types of cases are the most interesting to you, personally? Did a certain type of investigation really draw you in? 

Criminal defense work has been a staple for me since starting my practice. Working with attorneys to ensure a fair trial for anyone charged with a crime by peeling back the layers of evidence to uncover reasonable doubt has been truly compelling and rewarding for me. That said, the cases that really draw me in these days are the deep backgrounds I do in the civil and corporate world. There is so much information available and as a dyed-in-the-wool nerd, I really love the process of uncovering crucial bits of data, distilling and compiling information from diverse sources, and putting together an impressive package for my client.

There have been some high-profile stories in the news that have highlighted the complex nature of investigating through social media and other online channels. Are there any important lessons or takeaways for fraud examiners that you have found in recent cases? 

Cases like these have highlighted two crucial lessons in online investigations: One, searching Google doesn't cut it. There is so much more available online than what one finds by doing a simple search. In so many cases, the vast majority of valuable information comes from online sources just not indexed by search engines. Two, authentication is key! In more and more cases nationwide, we are finding that a simple screenshot is not sufficient to adequately establish in court the authenticity of a given social media posting or web artifact. Both of these underscore the real need for a professional with the right tools and expertise. As a Social Media Forensics Investigator and from my training as a Social Media Intelligence Analyst, I'm finding that I'm called upon increasingly by clients to do this type of deep web investigation.

Do you have any advice for newer investigators of important things to keep in mind when doing a fraud investigation? 

Two things really helped me in getting started with fraud investigations: First, the amazing resources available from the ACFE - from the career counseling to the self-study materials, our association has so much to offer and has helped me to immerse myself in what I needed to know to conduct successful fraud investigations. Along with the ACFE, I'd strongly recommend finding a coach or mentor from your local chapter to help guide and encourage you. That really made all the difference for me! Second, I can't overstate the importance of a coherent, useful system for documentation and management of case resources. Staying on top of task lists, evidence from varying sources, and competing demands from diverse clients (even on the same case!) can be so difficult. Research the best options, find a system that works for you, and keep at it!

Is there a particular case that stands out in your mind – either as very intriguing, or simply very successful from the standpoint of your investigation? 

I can't really talk about prior cases, but I'll just say that I've gotten some great results lately using amazing tools hand-crafted by the folks at X1 Discovery and BlackBag Technologies. Oh, that, and I'll just add that Elvis-impersonating karaoke jockeys should not be brought in to testify without a thorough background investigation.

What are your hobbies or interests outside of investigation? 

In my spare time… OK, I don't actually have any spare time. But when I'm not at work or being a full-time dad/house husband, I love rooting for my wife's roller derby team, doing Crossfit, and riding my bike as fast as I can as far as I can. I'm even considering organizing an all-CFE benefit Century Ride for the spring. Who's with me!?