About the rubric: In series of publications we tell you more about diferent cases we worked on in our practice. The aim is to show the nature of our work, how we solved complicated issues and how we manage crises protecting the interests of our clients. We respect the privacy of those who trust us which is why we will not mention brands and names in tese publications.
The director of a leading international group of companies in the cyber security field acquired a new company for the group. Two years later, he received anonymous tips from two unrelated individuals stating that the VP of Marketing at the newly-acquired company had received bribes from some of the recently-acquired company’s suppliers in order to renew the contract between the company and the supplier.
The client hired TERRA-SS to look into the allegations and uncover whether or not these were truthful accusations and if so, provide a solution to efficiently handle the situation. Due to the sensitivity of the situation, the case was handled with extreme caution.
If the tips were true, concrete proof had to be obtained in order to confront the VP and carry out any action quietly and with minimal damage to the company. On the other hand, if the tips were baseless, it was crucial that no one understands that comprehensive research took place.
Following the client’s request, our team listed all possible suppliers the subject came in contact within the last two years, including those which the company no longer works with. Following extensive research by our analysts using several intelligence collection methods, our undercover agents reached out to four of the listed suppliers which our analysts determined as most valuable.
We were told by two of the companies that the subject asked them for a bribe in order to renew the contract. When they refused to cooperate, their contracts were not renewed and were given to a different supplier.
In addition, a representative from one of these suppliers revealed to our agent that the subject received $50K in cash from the company in order to renew a $1.5M contract.
As a result of these findings, and after our client played the recordings from the conversation to the subject, he agreed to leave the company quietly and without any severance pay, thus saving the company financially and from any external PR crisis which could have left their trustworthiness in question.