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By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger On November 9th we covered Ronan Farrow's New Yorker story revealing Harvey Weinstein's connection to the Israeli private investigative agency, Black Cube. A Black Cube board member had just apologized and promised to donate money earned from working on the Weinstein case to women's organizations. So we asked private investigators what they thought of Black Cube's apology, expecting to gather a range of reactions. Here's what we got: Not only did all PIs we heard from doubt the sincerity of Black Cube's mea culpa apology --- some were even dubious of their promise to donate the profits from the Weinstein case to women's organizations. Other raised doubts regarding the firm's ethics and legalities. As the PI community was weighing in, the Wall Street Journal published an article about Stella Penn Pechanac an Israeli actress and one of the Black Cube operatives involved in the attempted cover up. According to Mark Maremont, Jacquie McNish and Rob Copeland, the three person team of Wall Street Journal reporters, Pechanac met with Ben Wallace, a writer who had been researching the Weinstein allegations. Claiming to be a spurned ex mistress named, "Anna." Pechanac -aka- Anna delivered a tearful expose of the consensual affair she had with Harvey Weinstein and the hunger for revenge it was now fueling. Could this have succeed in steering some of the nations top investigative reporters off the trail? Of Black Cube's litany of attempts to misdirect reporters and reinforce Weinstein's claim “it is a fiction to suggest that any individuals were targeted or suppressed at any time,” this was one of the flimsier ones. As Wallace recalled, Anna was welling up with emotion at one of their meetings, her story, "''didn't ring true." "It makes sense she went into private investigating, not acting" he concluded "because I found her acting skills not stellar'."
By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger It is not surprising that Harvey Weinstein hired a team of spies and private investigators to gather information about and intimidate his victims given the severity of the crimes, the money and power at his disposal and the fact his entire career was at stake. Black Cube, the international former Israeli intelligence officer run agency he hired, was even instructed to dig stuff up on the journalists trying to expose stories of Weinstein's sexual misconduct. Enter, the apology. According to ABC, "Prof. Asher Tishler, a Black Cube advisory board member, said in an interview with Israel's Channel 2 TV network that the company was unaware of Weinstein's intentions, and had they known, 'we would never – God forbid – have taken this job.' Tishler also apologized to anybody who was impacted by the investigation." "People were wronged because someone was helped who maybe planned to hurt these women in one way or another," he said. "In this context, something went wrong. And I'm sorry this job was taken. At the time we took the job, we didn't know this was happening.” A CBS update posted from Jerusalem stated that proceeds from the Weinstein assignment will be donated to women's groups. "Of course we apologize to those hurt by this. Of course women were hurt. Now, in retrospect, it's a shame this we took this job," Tishler even acknowledged. Ethics experts weigh in on NBC detailing how Black Cube employed former Israeli spies for its information-gathering operations and how information was not only gathered on the accusers but attempts were made to dig up embarrassing stories on the journalists, presumably to blackmail them into silence. Ronan Farrow's New Yorker story revealed how how David Boies, a high-profile trial attorney and partner at the law firm of Boies, Schiller and Flexner, signed off on a contract with the international investigative agency, Black Cube. The agency is run by former Israeli intelligence officers. A follow-up NPR story to Farrow's NPR story delved into thehigh-level, corporate espionage tactics Farrow discussed in the article and includes an interview with an Israeli journalist that provides great supplementary material on Black Cube's strengths as well as its limitations. Are you buying black cubes apology? We would like to hear from private investigators and intelligence experts. Please tweet us your thoughts or post responses in the comment below for possible inclusion in a follow up post.
By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger Did the Colorado licensing fee just drop from $263 to $63? Colorado Private Investigator annual licensing fees dropped $200 just like that? Seriously? What’s going on? According to Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) Private Investigator Program Director, Mark Browne, the one-year renewal fee for private investigator licenses dropped in response to “recent and significant license population increases and updated adjustments to fund balance projections.” In other words, so many Coloradans are now obtaining private investigator licenses that DORA doesn’t have to charge as much as they used to have to charge so the price dropped. If you anted your $263 anytime after April 1, 2017 you’ve got a $200 refund check to look forward to in the next 30 days. Kind of a tax return and private investigator appreciation day rolled into one!
In inaugural year of the mandatory licensing program brought in 394 licensees and as of April 2017 that figure is expected to double with a project minimum of 817 renewals anticipated for next year.
“This growth in license population and adjustments made to the fund balance projections now allow for immediate fee reductions,” Brown said. Additional DORA related questions or concerns can be brought to the Department of Regulatory Agencies Downtown Denver office at 1560 Broadway, Suite 110, Denver, CO 80202  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. is one-third theme park, one-third History Channel documentary and one third behemoth shrine to every imaginable type of gadgetry that you may or may not have imagined. On the outside It's a corner building near to the Shakespeare Theater and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery where you enter through the gift shop. Did I mention a lot of gadgetry? Interactive elements make the museum exceptionally kid-friendly. And they seem to have all kinds of educational outreach initiatives going on. But back to the gadgetry, which isn't only hard to take in but difficult to focus on due to the shifting polyphonic soundtracks as you walk through the exhibits. And the video screens and the blinking lights. Wait...where was I? Okay, the blurbs on the plaques are robust with meticulously researched anecdotes. As the experience itself makes it difficult to focus for a long period of time it is also recommended that you plan to spend half a day there and take breaks when you need them because the collection is as extensive and comprehensive as the history of the profession, itself. It will also take you back farther than you expected it to go.  The Cold War era segment --a sizable part of the museum-- provides artifacts from Cold War history and gives detailed insights into how government operatives conceal devices to enable them to pick almost every kind of lock imaginable. Granted, KGB lock picking devices have no relevance to a private investigator who is restricted by the same laws that would restrict any other citizen from picking a lock that doesn't belong to them. But, hey, in the world of international espionage, sky's the limit. More or less...  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger The series finale of PBS Nature's Spy in the Wild series: meet the spies just concluded on Rocky Mountain PBS and it wasn't really a spy show. For any Colorado private investigator interested in the present and future of the surveillance, however, this will be a fascinating watch. If you're an under cover operative, even better. There is, in fact, so much to be gained from observing the dynamics of the animal world you would probably have a difficult time persuading yourself not to binge watch now that the series itself has aired and is available online in its entirety. See also: Spies in Nature After spending the last few weeks watching and making observations we compiled a list of the top spy skills the show taught us for the Denver private investigator community . We assume no responsibility for you using or misusing the skills and/or strategies you are about to read.
Did we miss anything? Keep in mind you may not have the opportunity to put these things to use if you're a Denver private investigator. Even a Colorado private investigator may question how to put it all to use.
You may have trouble finding a local wolf pack, however, there are myriad prairie dogs to be found along the I25 in Aurora, Centennial, Parker, Castle Pines Castle Rock and Monument as you shuttle between the Denver zoo in Denver and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs to see more of the animals featured in this series. Speaking of which, a giraffe at the Denver zoo just gave birth!! See the Spy in the Wild series in its entirety, now archived, for yourself onPBS Nature.  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger For the last day of Black History month we're playing tribute to double agent, James Armistead. Born into slavery James Armistead was owned by William Armistead, who granted him permission to join the American Continental Army where the Marquis de Lafayette urged him to pose as a runaway slave so he could join the British army and gather enemy intelligence. After securing the trust of British officer's Benedict Arnold and British General Charles Cornwallis, Armistead guided British troops through the Virginia thoroughfares he'd grown up navigating, while listening in on officer discussions regarding upcoming raids and battle plans. Most of the time he actually listened in plain view of British officers --who didn't regard him as a threat-- and then delivered intelligence reports to Lafayette before returning to British headquarters to gather more intelligence. One of Armistead's detailed reports, dated July 31, 1781, provided the intelligence that Washington and Lafayette used to secure the American/French blockade and force a British surrender at Yorktown. The big reveal happened when Cornwallis showed up at Lafayette's headquarters to surrender and was greeted by the person he, up until that point, had regarded as a personal slave. The Missed in History: Double Agent: James Armistead and the American Revolution podcast looks at possible reasons he fought for the country that enslaved him as well as the reasons he may have returned to slavery after fighting in the Revolutionary War. According to the podcast there was actually strong early support for the Revolutionary war among African Americans and the early continental army, who counted a lot of black soldiers among its ranks. Perhaps they felt the army would provide a better life? The Emancipation Act of 1783 freed slave-soldiers, however the law didn't apply to slave-spies. One year later, in 1784, when Lafayette learned that Armistead was still enslaved, he wrote a testimonial on his behalf. The testimonial resulted in the Virginia General Assembly paying off his owner two years later so he could be freed. Armistead bought his own land, began farming in Virginia and eventually even started receiving a military pension. He died a free man. Additional sources: Army.mil Biography.com  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger Looking to head to DC late March to try to check out the cherry blossoms? There's a The National Council of Investigation and Security Services (NCISS) annual meeting at the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn to justify the trip. Workshop opportunities range from cybersecurity to small businesses and how to run forensic audits using financial software and don't wait too long. Registration deadline is March 1st. Can't make that one? April kicks off with the World Association of Detectives (WAD) mid-term conference happens April 2nd through April 4th in Miami Beach, Florida. Click here to register. If you feel inclined to stay down south, the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators annual conference in Cocoa Beach runs May 4th through the 6th and even includes a pre conference event at no additional cost. If you can clone yourself an mosey up to South Carolina you can also attend the South Carolina Association of Licensed Investigators annual conference, that just so happens to be taking place simultaneously from May 4th to May 6th. Conflict check next time? Finally, while there are no drone training programs for PIs that we know of, the Poynter Institute's drone journalism may be a way to access your missing primer this spring. An interesting thing that the news media and private investigator worlds now share is the fact that both require commercial drone licenses. Sky is still the limit on the ways they can be utilized, once licensed, though.  Private Investigators can bring their stories to the Buntport Theater stage in Denver this month2/2/2017
By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger I've been wanting to figure out to help private investigators bring their stories to the stage for a long time but never had the resources to curate an actual event for the Mile Hi PI community. Just recently, however, my buddy Ron Doyle who runs The Narrators, a monthly storytelling event at Buntport Theater, approached me with an idea. Why not send a private investigator his way this month to tell a story at The Narrators "Red-Handed show"? If you are a Colorado private investigator and would like to be considered for the one remaining slot at The Narrators "Red Handed" show on Wednesday, February 15th at 8:00 p.m. at Buntport Theater, email thenarrators3000@gmail.com to find out more.  “It’s a black box theater that seats about 125-150 so it’s a sizable crowd. The audience is very welcoming. Folks are there to listen and we’ve built up this community to help built empathy and hear experiences from a wide range of voices," Doyle says. "It’s almost all 1st person narrative, memoir style.” There will be a lot of eyes on you which could feel unsettling for a private eye accustomed to hiding in the shadows, however Doyle likens the experience of telling a story on The Buntport stage to the experience of telling a story around a campfire or sharing a story at a dinner party with "not a lot of pretense" involved. "The spotlight and microphone may be intimidating but the audience will be very encouraging." Are you a woman or a minority? If so, you may be given preference. This is because, according to Ron, they get a lot of white males who approach them and would love to come tell stories. "We want a variety of voices and are looking for a variety of folks not visible in the public eye." To find out more about The Narrators you can check out the FAQ section of their website, an article bout them in Confluence Denver or their Facebook page. The show is always free for audience members and participants as the creators consider it a community service. "Facebook is wonderful for what it is. Human interaction is wonderful for what it is," Ron explains. "I think it's important people meet one another face to face as a tool for getting life experience you wouldn't get in your social circle."
By Susanna Speier,
Denver Private Investigator Blogger If you tune into Rocky Mountain PBS on February 1st (tonight) at 7:00 p.m. and Nature's state of the art, animatronic spy cameras will give you access to something that, up until now, only baby crocodiles have had access to.
Nature's five part miniseries, "Spy in the Wild," employs 30 animatronic spy cameras disguised as animals to secretly record the animal's behaviors, revealing strong, complex and very humanlike interactions and emotions. 
Want to know the cam behind the curtain? The final episode, "Meet the Spies," which airs Wednesday, March 1, 2017, explains how the concept of robotic animal spies evolved from the original Bouldercam to the Penguincam and finally to the “spycams” John Downer Productions used to make the series. While the painstaking work that goes into building the lifelike models may be discouraging, it may also inspire professional private investigators to develop the next generation of surveillance techniques.  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger Apparently even the CIA wont carry the 2017 Secret Ops of the CIA calendar that is available through The Spy Museum gift shop. According to The Washington Post this is because the "inaugural “Secret Ops of the CIA” calendar was produced by the nephew of an agency contractor killed in the line of duty and features reproductions of the actual paintings that have hung for years in the hallways of CIA headquarters in Northern Virginia." however, "Toni Hiley, the longtime CIA museum director, said the gift shop can’t sell the calendar because “it’s not an official work of the U.S. government.” The Spy Museum gift shop is, of course, over the moon about the exclusivity as well as the fact it has the actual CIA logo on. So if you plan to order one for your office, we recommend doing it before these calendars sell out!  The 2017 Sherlock calendar is put out by the BBC and comes with photos and quotes from a whole slew of characters, not just the stern faced, deerstalker hat clad Cumberbatch. Although we don't mind the fact they chose to include a couple of those, as well. If you're a fan of BBC's Sherlock this is a calander to be adored and/or coveted.  What would a private investigator's office be, if it didn't include an homage to film noir. The Film Noir 2017 calendar we found on Etsy. It's wire bound, glossy and ships directly from New Zealand. It also provides a colorful and comprehensive sampling a a wide range of noir movies, not just the classics and if you visit the site you can choose from three different noir calendars as well as a Casablanca calendar. Casablanca, btw, will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2017!  The Things We've Learned From Nancy Drew calander is the brainchild of the brainy Nancy Drew fan club president, Jennifer Fischer and its Dastardly Villians calendar was also enthusiastically endorsed in our holiday gift article in PursuitMag. Take your pick of illustrations and crimes. |
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Highly experienced team of Denver private investigators serving attorneys, businesses, and individuals. Our investigation services include, but are not limited to: process of service, responsible party identification, witness locates and interviews, workplace investigations, competitive intelligence, background investigations, surveillance investigations, fidelity investigations (infidelity), cheating spouses, aerial video, & more. Ross Investigators PC, Inc. proudly offers their PI services to: Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Broomfield, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Englewood, Fort Collins, Glendale, Golden, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland, Morrison, Northglenn, Parker, Pueblo, Superior, Thornton, Washington Park, and all of Colorado.
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