Investigations Solutions


Investigation Capabilities

ARMADA is a professional security solutions company that has developed its investigations division to meet the needs of individuals, families, small business owners, organizations and large corporate companies alike. ARMADA’s investigative objectives can be tailored to the needs of the client resulting in a professional, comprehensive and confidential investigative product based on facts. ARMADA is completely dedicated to our customers. We can provide assurance that you will not find a more professional staff with a genuine concern for exceeding your expectations. Our goal is to serve others with competence and courtesy, partner with our clients to achieve common goals, meet formidable challenges, and follow through on well thought-out plans.

ARMADA's Investigative Capabilities

  • Theft
  • Fraud (check, credit card, counterfeiting)
  • Embezzlement
  • Robbery
  • Assault
  • Workplace Violence / Critical Incident
  • Diversion of Controlled Substances
  • Due Diligence
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Trade Secrets
  • Intellectual Property
  • Insider Trading
  • Supply Chain Losses
  • Workers Compensation
  • Neglect & Abuse
  • Litigation Support
  • Threat Assessment Investigations
  • Cold Case Investigations

Investigative Leadership

ARMADA’s investigative team is comprised of professionals with extensive federal, state, and local law enforcement experience, as well as experts in the field of corporate security. Members of the ARMADA investigative team have over 150 years of combined experience in successfully completing investigations and have investigated hundreds of complex crimes. Our senior investigative staff includes:

Tim Creedon

Mr. Creedon recently retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His 24-year career as an FBI Special Agent allowed him to serve in three different states where he gained investigative experience in foreign counterintelligence, organized crime, white collar crime, and general criminal investigations. During his career with the FBI, Mr. Creedon performed many investigative tasks including organizing major cases, drafting arrest and search warrants, preparing for trials, and collecting and organizing evidence, and was a liaison with local, state, and other federal agencies.

Mr. Creedon graduated from Ohio Dominican University and holds a Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School.

John E. O’Nan

John E. O’Nan has over thirty years of cumulative experience and education in law enforcement, including his work as a deputy sheriff, sheriff’s lieutenant, drug task force commander, Deputy Superintendent for the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Chief of Investigations for the Ohio Auditor of State. Mr. O’Nan directed and managed many administrative and investigative facets of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, was Commander of the multi-jurisdictional drug task force and directed a statewide investigation unit for the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. In his most recent position as the Chief of Investigations for the Ohio Auditor’s Special Investigations Unit he conducted and managed many investigations of fraud and illegal acts affecting government resources. He is a past president of the Ohio Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates and received the Ohio Auditor of State 2005 Distinguished Service Award.

Mr. O’Nan graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor’s of Science in police administration, and completed training with the FBI National Academy, the DEA Drug Commanders Academy, and Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar.

Asset Misappropriation, Corruption & Fraudulent Schemes "Occupational Fraud"

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), 2006 Report to the Nation, the term “occupational fraud” may be defined as: “The use of one’s occupation for the personal enrichment through the deliberate misuse or misapplication of the employing organization’s resources or assets.” The typical organization loses 5% of its annual revenues to occupational fraud.

Periodically businesses and organizations have been faced with the daunting task of determining whether supposedly faithful employees, business partners or contractors have breached the trust bestowed upon them. Many times the red flags fly or the alarm goes off and companies do not know where to turn. Working in tandem with your organization's management, security department, legal counsel and/or law enforcement, ARMADA can help resolve and prevent these types of incidents in a timely manner.

As organizations become aware of incidents of possible impropriety or fraud, they may require an independent investigative authority to substantiate or disprove their suspicions. ARMADA can provide this independent, comprehensive and professional assessment to allow the entity to make a fact-based decision and take appropriate action.

ARMADA's staff has extensive knowledge and experience in conducting business investigations, providing fraud awareness training, and establishing and maintaining effective fraud hotline programs.

Threat Assessment Investigations

According to recent studies, workplace and school violence is the number one concern for most Directors of Security, Directors of Public Safety, and Security Professionals alike. However, just because a person makes a threat doesn’t mean they pose a threat. Is your team trained to investigate the circumstances and behaviors surrounding a potentially violent situation? Does your organization properly evaluate the facts surrounding the threat and make educated decisions? If not, we can help.

What is a Threat Assessment Investigation?

  • A set of investigative activities designed to identify, assess, and manage people who may pose a threat of violence
  • Assess the genuineness and overall viability of the intent to do harm
  • Focuses on actions, communications, and specific circumstances indicating an individual is planning or preparing for an attack or violent act
  • Analysis of a subject's behavior and patterns of conduct
  • Centered upon an analysis of the facts and evidence

Why hire ARMADA to complete your Threat Assessment Investigation?

  • To increase employee/student (victim’s) safety
  • Provide options for the potential victim(s)
  • Monitor the person who made the threat
  • Help the team assess the level of danger
  • Define the current and potential threat situation
  • Form a basis for your planning
  • Help you analyze vulnerabilities
  • Identify the specially trained personnel, manpower, logistics, equipment and administrative requirements

Due Diligence

Due diligence, by definition, is the verification of all information given to a company by any prospective business associate. The reputation, integrity and ultimate success of your business increasingly depends upon developing and maintaining the confidence and trust of your clients, investors and regulators. Conducting proper due diligence is essential to minimizing fraud, managing risk and maintaining compliance with regulations such as; the USA Patriot Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Sarbanes-Oxley and others.

Due Diligence Investigations typically include:

  • An in-depth credibility assessment of the company, key executives, investors, and board of directors (if applicable)
  • A check of civil, criminal, and bankruptcy records at the county and federal levels to uncover suits, liens, judgments, convictions, and bankruptcy filings
  • Database searches for any information printed publicly, (e.g., books, magazines, newspapers, congressional hearings, crime commission reports), about the company or officers
  • Interviews with previous employers, former business associates, friends, and family members
  • Site visits and general inventory inspections

Due Diligence Investigations are especially critical under the following circumstances:

  • Accepting a new client
  • Completing a merger or acquisition
  • Forming a partnership
  • Finalizing a franchise or a license agreement
  • Establishing overseas relationships
  • Handling or investing in an initial public offering

Litigation Support

Successful litigation depends on obtaining critical information from victims, witnesses and other individuals. ARMADA has the expertise to conduct comprehensive investigations in support of judicial proceedings. Experienced research analysts and investigators that have trial experience can assist your legal team with:

  • Case Preparation
  • Document review
  • Research
  • Background Checks
  • Interviews
  • Surveillance
  • Due Diligence
  • Security Surveys and Consultation

Law firms and in-house counsel retain our services to gather appropriate and necessary supporting evidence through investigation, surveillance, and interviews. Our investigators are seasoned in litigation support techniques and work together to provide a wide range of reliable, and confidential legal support services. Our analysis of evidence includes but is not limited to forensic accounting services and forensic computer services.

Whether you need to conduct administrative or investigative interviews, the ARMADA investigative support team has extensive experience in working under the most difficult conditions and circumstances involving criminal and civil cases.

Our investigators adhere to strict internal guidelines and are conscious not to violate local, state or federal laws.

Integrity / Compliance Verification Testing

Most organizations have policies, procedures and protocols in place that help prevent and/or mitigate security breaches or safety violations. However, most organizations do not have the internal resources and capabilities to validate that the outlined protocols are being complied with by employees, contractors and visitors.

ARMADA has the subject matter expertise to not only help organizations confirm that established policies, procedures and protocols are being adhered to, but also can assist organizations with updating policies and protocols to ensure they match organizational, operational and environmental changes.

Cold Case

Apparently the perfect crime has been committed...or has it? With law enforcement resources stretched to the limits many unsolved crimes may not get the attention the victim or the family feels they should. Leads dry up and priorities change for the police. New crimes continue to take place and old ones sometimes get lost in law enforcement’s demanding and oftentimes bureaucratic world. Unfortunately this reality does not comfort the victims who feel violated or even haunted by the unsolved crime.

ARMADA believes that no crime is unsolvable regardless of how much time has transpired since it occurred. ARMADA’s investigative staff comes from various law enforcement agencies and corporate environments and possesses the skills, knowledge, and ability to pursue these crimes and bring the perpetrator(s) to justice. Our experience will help identify new leads, develop new theories, secure the cooperation of previously unknown or uncooperative witnesses and maintain a positive relationship with the local authorities.

Unsolved criminal investigations oftentimes force the victim to carry an emotional burden. Imagine finally having resolution and justice after so many years of not knowing. ARMADA’s investigative team has over 150 years of combined experience in investigations and has investigated hundreds of complex crimes. We have a complete dedication to our customers. We can provide assurance that you will not find a more professional staff with a genuine concern for exceeding your expectations.