Elections, Veterans and the Power of Diligence!

Happy Tuesday! Yesterday was Veteran’s Day in the United States, and I honored all my family and friends that served in the United States military. I come from a huge Navy family. My grandfather, various great uncles, nearly half a dozen uncles, and my two youngest brothers served. My grandfather was a gunnery officer in the pacific during World War II. My father served on nuclear submarines. My two youngest brothers were a S.E.A.L. and an aviator. My cousin joined the Army and flies helicopters. We love him too!

Service is about sacrifice. I always regretted not joining the Navy like my forefathers, and that was a big part of me decision to go undercover in the FBI. However we choose to serve, we all have a duty to make the world a better place…at least better than how we found it. What have you done? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

We also had a little thing called the Election rocket past us last week! Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States, after having previously served as the 45th. Fun fact: he is only the Second President in history to serve a second, non-consecutive term in the White House. The last president was Grover Cleveland (22nd and 24th president), and that was back in the 1880s! Here’s hoping Trump ‘47 works to united the country, get our border in shape, end foreign wars and so many other things we demand and require of our top elected leaders.

Now on to DILIGENCE! Today’s newsletter is about finding facts that, as our founding father John Adams once said, “are stubborn things”. Finding those facts are the bread and butter of any investigator’s work, and I’ve spent a lifetime in pursuit of them. The story below is one of the strangest diligence investigations I’ve ever run, and for once, this story did not take place during my time in the FBI.

Weekly Story: Uncovering a 'Cleveland Brown' Who Never Hit the Field

After nearly two decades as an attorney and risk consultant, I’ve learned that even the most successful and educated people lie a little on their resumes. I can’t tell you how many CV’s we’ve dug into at The Georgetown Group and found a little lie here, an extra degree there, or even…stranger things. I’ve also learned that evening calls from clients usually mean a fire drill. In my line of work—managing risk, uncovering fraud, and protecting against cyberattacks—these calls come with the territory.

The call I received late on a Thursday night was no exception

On the line was a senior partner and top litigator at a law firm. “Remember how you always told me to call if I had a gut feeling that something might be wrong?” he asked.

“The cop instinct,” I replied. I’ve long talked about that sixth sense law enforcement officers develop to spot deception or sense trouble. I honed mine during my undercover years with the FBI, and I always encourage clients to trust their radar. Experience sharpens instincts, and this partner’s intuition was one I trusted.

“We’re about to sign a deal with someone who, on paper and through references, is exactly what we want for our new regulatory practice,” he explained, pausing. “But something feels off.” 

I glanced at my watch. 7:00 PM wasn’t the ideal time to launch an investigation, but sound decisions require diligence. As John Adams said, “facts are stubborn things.”

The partner forwarded me the resume and bio of the subject. One detail at the bottom caught my eye: he claimed to have played linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.

“When do you need our report?” I asked, knowing that a thorough investigation would normally take at least two weeks.

“We’re signing the deal tomorrow morning.”

Facts may be stubborn, but a good investigator knows how to coax them out of hiding. My Georgetown Group team pushed our cyber-sleuthing skills to the limit, calling in favors, waking up local assets to pull documents, verifying his education, and tracing every line of his career. We even called the Cleveland Browns.

By morning, fueled by coffee and an unfolding story, I caught my client in the car on his way to the office. In an hour, they were set to sign with the subject of our investigation—let’s call him “Cleveland.” I shared a story that would make them cap their pens and close their briefcases

On paper, Cleveland’s education and work history checked out. He seemed like an ideal addition to their regulatory practice. Beneath the surface, though, he was a disaster.

He was financially over-leveraged, bouncing from client to client, demanding high fees for his “access” to contacts. The deeper we dug, the more his value evaporated. We found tax liens for unpaid property taxes, a repossessed boat, and a history of narrowly avoiding bankruptcy. He’d been sued for fraud by a former client and settled, a detail we uncovered with help from a friendly investigator in Atlanta. Cleveland was deep in debt and desperate for the law firm to sign on the dotted line.

And then there was his criminal record in Florida. When he got an alert that two people had entered a small warehouse he owned, most would have called the police. Not Cleveland. He jumped into his truck, roared to the warehouse, grabbed a Glock from his glove compartment, and stormed inside. He confronted a man and a woman, who were shocked to see this red-faced, angry man. He marched them outside at gunpoint and made them kneel on the pavement until the police arrived. For reasons beyond me, he fired a shot over their heads. In Florida, that’s considered an act of terrorism.

When the police arrived, they arrested him. The “intruders” were a realtor and a prospective buyer—there by Cleveland’s own arrangement.

As for the Cleveland Browns? They’d never heard of him. Just one of many lies he told.

I advised the partner to use a pretext to inform Cleveland they wouldn’t be signing the deal. “You don’t want him coming back from the parking garage with his gun,” I explained. 

In the world of business, people present the best version of themselves. Resumes are curated, references carefully chosen, and achievements highlighted. But behind that polished surface may lie a different story. Without thorough diligence, companies are left in the dark, susceptible to financial instability, lawsuits, misrepresented achievements, or even a hidden criminal record.

This incident serves as a stark reminder that in matters of security and risk, due diligence isn't just a formality; it's a necessity. Trusting your instincts is important, but verifying the facts is indispensable. In an environment rife with spies, lies, and cybercrime, only thorough investigation can protect you from hidden threats lurking beneath polished exteriors.

Now on to the news!

News Roundup

China’s Weak Attempts at Election Interference

China’s influence campaign, known as “Spamouflage,” posed as American voters to stir up social division and toss out content on everything from Ukraine to homelessness. But don’t worry too much; most of their fake accounts barely made a ripple, except for one viral TikTok video mocking Biden. As Graphika's chief intelligence officer put it, this strategy is more like throwing spaghetti at the wall—sometimes something sticks, but it’s hardly a winning recipe for long-term influence.

China Espionage Hits a Home Run Against U.S. Telecom

The might not have moved the needed on election interference, but Chinese spies quietly infiltrated U.S. telecommunications networks for months, targeting cellphone lines used by senior national security and policy officials. This breach enabled them to capture sensitive call logs, unencrypted messages, and even audio from high-level conversations. The scope of this intrusion has raised serious alarm within the intelligence community, underscoring the critical national security threat posed by these precision cyber strikes.

Emergency Scam Alert: Cyber Attackers Posing as Law to Grab Your Data in a Flash

Cyber attackers are hijacking legal loopholes to steal user data, posing as law enforcement and exploiting "emergency data requests" to bypass court orders. The FBI warns that cybercriminals, including the notorious LAPSUS$ group, have manipulated companies into revealing sensitive information like addresses and IPs by faking these urgent requests. Now, the FBI urges companies to be vigilant, scrutinizing details like doctored logos and unusual legal codes to prevent falling victim to these clever deceptions.

Nvidia Takes the Crown: Outpaces Apple as the World's Most Valuable Company (Again!)

Nvidia just dethroned Apple to become the world’s most valuable company, hitting a market cap of $3.43 trillion as its stock soars on AI-driven growth. Apple, though still a tech titan, is banking on “edge AI” to regain the lead. With Nvidia joining Apple in the Dow and leaving Intel behind, the AI chip powerhouse is solidifying its spot at the top of the tech world.

Weird Fact That May Surprise You!

Jupiter has no surface! There is nothing to walk on, and no place to land a spaceship. Jupiter may be our solar system’s great guardian, shielding Earth from deadly cosmic impacts, but don’t pack your bags for a visit anytime soon. With crushing pressures, scorching temperatures, and no solid surface to land on, this gas giant is as inhospitable as it gets—unless you’re just passing through to check out its moon, Europa, where NASA’s hoping to find signs of life by 2030.

Weird Spies: Baguettes and Bitcoin: The Hellcat Ransomware Crew’s Tasty Twist on Cyber Extortion

ust when you thought ransomware couldn't get any weirder, Hellcat ransomware demands $125,000 in Monero and—wait for it—a stack of French baguettes. This oddball request is more than a quirky joke; Hellcat is deadly serious about collecting its ransom from Schneider Electric. Experts say this bread-based stunt might be Hellcat’s way of getting attention and “building trust” in the shadowy world of Ransomware-as-a-Service.

The Iranian Plot to Kill President Trump

The Justice Department just unsealed a complaint that outlines an alleged plot by Iran to assassinate former President Donald Trump. This topic is straight out of a thriller novel. You’re not going to believe this story. Checkout my YouTube story from my personal channel.

Check out my latest podcast appearance

I recently sat down with Dave Sobel for the Business of Tech Podcast.

In this episode, Dave Sobel and I discuss the shift from traditional spycraft to cyber espionage, emphasizing how attackers now often create “virtual trust insiders” by stealing credentials to infiltrate organizations. I highlight the need for strong cybersecurity practices—like multi-factor authentication and employee training—over solely relying on insider threat defenses. As AI becomes a new tool in the fight against cyber threats, I stress a proactive approach, blending counterintelligence tactics with evolving tech solutions.

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Best,
Eric

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