Few Clues in Brown Graduate's Disappearance

PROVIDENCE-- Providence police and a private investigator are trying to determine what happened to a recent Brown University graduate from Russia who was reported missing.

Konstantin Salikhov is 31 years old and hasn't been seen since a trip to the West Coast last month.

Salikhov is 6 feet tall and recently completed a doctorate in math. He's an avid runner.

"Just a quiet reserved kid. Didn't need much. A minimalist. Never knew he was a Ph.D. in math," said Stephen Kariotis, Salikhov's landlord.

Salikhov has lived at 210 Waterman St. in Providence for the past five years. He left a note inside his small apartment saying he was on vacation until Aug. 24. He told his parents in Russia he was going out west on a camping trip in early August by himself.

He sent photos to his parents, whom he talked to regularly. He hiked in Sequoia National Park and visited geysers in Wyoming before returning a rented car to San Francisco on Aug. 20.

He called his parents the next day.

"I believe this because of the connection and whatever the time was, it (the phone call) was kind of broken up. He just stated, 'Mom and Dad, I'm home and I'm safe.' And that was pretty much the extent of the phone call and, 'I'll talk to you at a later time,'" said Mark Chauppetta, a private detective.

Salikhov's parents hired Chauppetta when they didn't hear from their son.

"They were pretty close-knit, kept in touch with each other. And then after not hearing back from him, that's when they became concerned and called the Russian consulate office," Chauppetta said.

Providence police said Salikhov's credit cards have not been used since Aug. 20 and that there has been no cell phone use in the past 2 weeks.

They said they believe Salikhov is still in California, but San Francisco police told NBC 10 that they know nothing about the case and that no one has contacted them.

"They probably felt that there was no crime committed, that he's a 31-year-old male. He likes to camp. He hasn't shown up. He graduated from college. So, I don't think they were that concerned," Chauppetta said. "But now, not being in touch with his parents, not being in touch with anyone, not being seen here."

The car Salikhov used in Providence is also missing. It's a silver Hyundai Elantra with Rhode Island license plate 712-678.

Officials at Logan International Airport and at T.F. Green Airport reported no sign of it.

The detective is trying to obtain records from Salikhov's checking account and to find any record if he flew back from California.

Providence police asked anyone with information about Salikhov to call them.

Brown University released a statment on Wednesday, saying Salikhov received his PhD in mathematics from Brown in May 2010.

In early September, Providence Police contacted Brown's Department of Public Safety (DPS) concerning a possible missing person investigation of Salikhov. Although Salikhov is no longer a student at Brown, DPS has been cooperating with Providence police on this matter.

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Famed Private Investigator Hired by Bishop Eddie Long

DULUTH, GA -- He's investigated some of the highest profile missing persons cases in the country. The disappearance of Natalee Holloway made private investigator T.J. Ward a superstar on cable news. Now he's been hired by Bishop Eddie Long.

11Alive News spoke to Ward in his Duluth home.

"I was called by attorney Dwight Thomas," Ward said. "They said they needed somebody that was experienced in doing investigations to look into these allegations that have been brought against Bishop Eddie Long and the church."

Dwight Thomas stood behind Long as he held a press conference inside New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia on Sunday. Ward has been been hired by the Bishop's team to investigate each of the allegations made against Long and to investigate the four young men making the claims.

"Each of these charges is frivolous and we plan to address them accordingly," Ward said.

This is a time when the tables will be turned.

The four accusers have made shockingly intimate sexual allegations against their church leader. Now it's Ward's turn to delve deep into their lives, their pasts, to defend his client.

Whatever he finds will be used to help Eddie Long.

Meantime, Long got some support from his peers. Approximately 30 area pastors met with Long for a prayer service Tuesday night at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

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Private Investigators Offering HD Surveillance Footage For Clients Online

Davis Investigators, Inc. are among the first in the country to offer High Definition (HD) surveillance footage that their clients can access online at any time. Davis Investigations has always been at the forefront of technology, using the latest equipment to obtain surveillance footage for their clients.

There’s both a science and an art to video surveillance. After 21 years of video surveillance in medical malpractice, personal injury and matrimonial cases, Davis Investigations has the practical experience and the equipment to obtain the best footage.

In maintaining Davis’ commitment to professionalism in both conduct and evidence produced, delivering our videos via our personalized “Client Home Page” presents a user experience that is straightforward, fast, and easy to navigate. Additionally, our highly praised photos extracted from the video are available next to the video on the surveillance case page.

Delivering High Definition (HD) video online increases our client’s day to day efficiency, allowing them access to their videos from any computer, anytime. By viewing the video on a computer screen the client will be able to enjoy the benefits of our HD videos - crystal clear and sharp; exposing the subject’s true abilities and / or intentions like never before.

“Delivering our surveillance videos to our clients online via our secure website revolutionizes the way we present our videos to our clients,” said Adam Frasca LPI/Vice President Davis Investigations, Inc. “Viewable from any computer, clients receive their videos faster and no longer need to secure a DVD player to view them.”

This means clients aren’t dependent on technology to view their footage, but can be strategizing or conferring about the content footage immediately.

About Davis Investigations, Inc.:
Davis Investigations, Inc. is a family owned and operated private investigations firm whose three principal owners have over 40 combined years experience in the specific discipline of video surveillance. Davis Investigations, Inc. are licensed Private Investigators in the states of New York and Connecticut.

Our private detectives are experts in executing the most sophisticated surveillance techniques and the use of the latest high technology equipment including: High Definition (HD) video cameras, hidden video cameras, GPS tracking devices and other surveillance equipment.

Davis’ investigators are not just highly skilled at understanding human behavior to maximize surveillance success, but they are highly reliable and credible expert witnesses when testifying about our videos and observations; a critical point often overlooked when hiring a Private Investigator.

Our surveillance videos project a professional image - whether exchanged with plaintiff’s counsel to initiate settlement negotiations or offered in to evidence to influence juries. If the case goes to trial, our surveillance videos ultimately win defense verdicts.

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Boynton Beach Commissioners Oust CRA Director After Investigation into Relationship with Vendor

BOYNTON BEACH -After months of back-and-forth allegations, the city commissioners, acting as the Community Redevelopment Board, voted 4-1 not to renew the contract of Lisa Bright, the CRA executive director.

Commissioner Woodrow Hay cast the dissenting vote.

The decision came just days after commissioners were hand-delivered the final report from a private investigator hired in August to look into the ties between Bright and one of the CRA's vendors. The investigation concluded Bright did not disclose the connections to the board.

Bright's contract would have automatically renewed for another year at the end of September. The board voted at last week's CRA meeting to put Bright on administrative leave with pay, but the commissioners were split 2-2 on not renewing Bright's contract, with Commissioner Bill Orlove undecided.

Commissioner Marlene Ross, who spoke in support of Bright last week, said that her decision was made based on the findings of the investigation.

"Based on all of these reports, I can see that according to this information, some procedures were not followed and some disclosures were not made," she said.

Orlove said that he found some information revealed in the report to be "troubling."

"In my opinion, Lisa Bright, as a government employee, should have disclosed her relationship regarding Joseph Ferrer to the CRA Board and let it determine the outcome of the contracts," he said.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, prior to the discussion about the investigation, Bright's attorney, Isidro Garcia, spoke on behalf on his client, calling the investigation a "witch hunt."

The report states that evidence shows that Bright has known the vendor, Joseph Ferrer, for at least 10 years, and that she lived at and leased a cottage on Ferrer's property prior to her employment with the Boynton CRA.

It also says that Bright was "untruthful or misleading" at a July 20 CRA Board meeting when she publicly said that she never lived at Ferrer's home and only used that address to get her daughter into a different school.

Hay, who voiced his support for Bright last week, said tonight that Bright should be given back her job.

"The problem is not the CRA," he said. "The problem is the CRA Board. I've lost confidence in many of us who are sitting up here with me tonight."

Bright, who sat calmly composed in the audience during the discussion, declined to comment after the vote was made. She will get a severance package of 150 days paid, according to her contract. The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office also is investigating Bright, according to Bright's attorney, but the reason is not known.

Due to time constraints, the commissioners voted to table the appointment of a seven-member independent CRA Board until the Oct. 5 commission meeting.



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Newspapers Used me as Fall Guy, Says Convicted Private Eye

A private investigator paid by journalists to illegally obtain information about celebrities and public figures has said he was a fall guy for the powerful newspaper groups he worked for. Steve Whittamore told Radio 4's PM programme that he had played "Oliver to the press's Fagin".

He said it seemed unfair that newspaper executives and journalists who commissioned him had not been convicted of any wrongdoing. "It would appear unfair," he told the programme. "It would appear they should have stood and be counted but quite frankly I wasn't expecting any support from them.

"[Journalists] actually asked me to do it on their behalf. I suppose you could view it as my Oliver Twist to the press's Fagin. Something along those lines. Requests were asked of me by people who I viewed as really being above reproach. They were huge corporations. I assumed they knew what they were asking for."

Whittamore was found guilty of obtaining and disclosing information under the Data Protection Act in 2005 after passing information obtained from the police national database to newspapers. He was given a two-year conditional discharge.

His office in Hampshire was raided by the Office of the Information Commissioner two years earlier as part of Operation Motorman, an investigation designed to crack down on the growing trade in information obtained illegally.

Newspapers who used Whittamore included the News of the World and many other titles. A report by the information commissioner said more than 50 Daily Mail journalists bought material from Whittamore on 952 occasions. Other customers included the Daily Mirror (681 transactions), News of the World (228), Sunday Times (4) and Observer (103). The Observer is owned by the Guardian's parent company Guardian Media Group.

Whittamore was speaking for the first time since the Guardian revealed last year that the News of the World's owner News Group Newspapers, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News International, had paid three people whose voicemails were hacked more than £1m out of court.

The revelation cast light on the extent of phone hacking at the paper and led to several investigations into how much Andy Coulson, the paper's former editor, knew about it. Coulson is now David Cameron's director of communications.


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Indictment of Private Investigators Hired by Oleg Deripaska's Aide to Spy on Michael Cherney

TEL AVIV, Israel, September 20, 2010 / -- On Sunday, Tel Aviv Magistrates Court charged two private investigators, Rafael Pridan and Maxim Gurevich, with the illegal wiretapping of Businessman Michael Cherney. The two had been hired by an aide to Russian aluminum tycoon Oleg Deripaska, Cherney's ex-partner.

According to the indictment, in April 2007 Alexei Drobashenko (Director of the "Eurasian Group", one of Deripaska's companies) turned to a previously convicted Israeli radical activist Avigdor Eskin, with an offer to conduct a smear campaign to discredit Michael Cherney. Eskin has introduced Drobashenko to PIs Aviv Mor and Rafael Pridan who had been earlier stripped of his Private investigator license. From May to October 2007 Eskin, Mor, and Pridan met several times in Moscow with Drobashenko, who wanted to dig for any compromising information on Mr Cherney. The detectives conducted surveillance of Mr Cherney and illegal wiretaps of his line for about 6 months.

After being arrested in November 2007 Rafi Pridan was charged yesterday with illegal actions in private investigation, illegal wiretapping, and illegal use of obtained materials. Avi Mor, another private investigator involved, cut a deal with the Prosecution last January. For the illegal surveillance of Mr Cherney, he was sentenced to six months of communal service and eight months of suspended jail time.

Michael Cherney claims that a smear campaign against him was launched by his ex-partner in aluminum trading Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. In early 2007 Mr Cherney filed a suit in UK against Deripaska for $3 billion for violating their contract; Mr Cherney believes that this caused Deripaska to launch a smear campaign, including illegal wiretapping.

In February 2008 Mr Cherney filed a suit in Tel Aviv's District Court against Deripaska and eight other people, demanding a compensation of 10 million shekels (about $3 million) for moral damages suffered in the smear campaign. Among the respondents are also Eurasian Group's


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Cops: Phony DEA agent tried to pull over a Suffolk Police detective

Detective William Zambito was driving home from work Monday afternoon in his private vehicle when he was stopped by an unmarked car with flashing lights and sirens, police said.

Victor Alfaro-Marquez, 35, approached the vehicle and identified himself as a Drug Enforcement Agency agent, police said.

Mr. Zambito, of 43 Ruland Rd., identified himself as a detective and Mr. Alfaro-Marquez quickly returned to his black 1999 Mercedes Benz SUV and left the scene, police said.

But the detective was suspicious of Mr. Alfaro-Marquez's behavior and conducted an investigation, which led to the arrest of Mr. Alfaro-Marquez at his home, police said.

Mr. Alfaro-Marquez's vehicle was impounded and police recovered two badges, handcuffs, a pellet pistol in a holster and a DEA baseball hat and shirt. Mr. Alfaro-Marquez was charged with criminal impersonation second-degree and released on bail, police said.



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Cops: Phony DEA Agent Tried to Pull Over a Suffolk Police Detective

A Selden man was arrested Monday and charged with impersonating a federal officer after he pulled over an off-duty Suffolk Police detective in Centereach, authorities said.

Detective William Zambito was driving home from work Monday afternoon in his private vehicle when he was stopped by an unmarked car with flashing lights and sirens, police said.

Victor Alfaro-Marquez, 35, approached the vehicle and identified himself as a Drug Enforcement Agency agent, police said.

Mr. Zambito, of 43 Ruland Rd., identified himself as a detective and Mr. Alfaro-Marquez quickly returned to his black 1999 Mercedes Benz SUV and left the scene, police said.

But the detective was suspicious of Mr. Alfaro-Marquez's behavior and conducted an investigation, which led to the arrest of Mr. Alfaro-Marquez at his home, police said.

Mr. Alfaro-Marquez's vehicle was impounded and police recovered two badges, handcuffs, a pellet pistol in a holster and a DEA baseball hat and shirt. Mr. Alfaro-Marquez was charged with criminal impersonation second-degree and released on bail, police said.



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Nevada settles Able Services suit over Private Investigators Licensing Board investigation for $580,000

Nevada has agreed to pay $580,000 to the owners of a former credit screening firm who said their business was ruined by comments from an investigator with the Private Investigators Licensing Board.

The Board of Examiners approved the settlement Thursday with Hugh, Bret and Janice Lantz of Able Services in Reno.

Able Services provided credit screenings for landlords and employers. The state attorney general's office said an investigation was launched in 2003 after a citizen complained the firm also was conducting background checks, which requires licensing.

A federal court jury in Reno awarded the owners $670,000 in March. A settlement was later reached on appeal for $580,000.


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Minister Hired Private Detectives to Spy on Aides

LONDON — A justice minister on Friday admitted hiring private investigators to spy on colleagues, after publication of their findings revealed they thought he was dishonest, lazy and a "disaster" who needed to be removed.

Conservative Jonathan Djanogly admitted he might have "overreacted" by using the investigators to unearth their private criticisms of him following allegations about his parliamentary expenses.

But he insisted they had not acted illegally and said he had not used public money to pay for the probe, which he said was sparked by a series of "very malicious, anonymous attacks on my family."

An aide to Cameron said he agreed Djanogly had gone over the top but said: "He will be judged as a minister on the work he does for the government."

Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon -- a constituency once held by former Conservative prime minister John Major -- spoke out after the results of the private probe were published in The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The paper revealed that investigators had been instructed by Djanogly to conduct "discreet inquiries under the pretext of writing a newspaper article."

They questioned Peter Brown, the minister's election agent who reportedly described Djanogly as "lazy", as well as another senior colleague who said the minister was "dishonest" over his expenses.

Yet another colleague told an investigator: "He has been a disaster and we need to de-select him (remove him as a lawmaker), but it will take time."

The junior minister at the Ministry of Justice ordered the probe by Morris Chase International, which reportedly cost more than 5,000 pounds (7,700 dollars, 6,000 euros), after the Telegraph alleged last July that he had claimed 13,000 pounds in expenses to pay a Polish student who was working for his family as an au pair.

In a statement Friday, Djanogly said: "Following a series of malicious allegations made against me in newspapers last year, I felt I had to act to find out who was spreading these untrue stories."

He said he was "very disappointed" that the investigators' report had been published, adding: "I am sorry if some people judge that I made a mistake.

"With hindsight I can see that I may have overreacted, but I was being subjected to very malicious, anonymous attacks on my family."



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Kerry Katona tells detective: Find me a decent man

Having clawed her way back from the brink of bankruptcy after her ex-husband Mark Croft wasted all her cash, Kerry Katona, 30, could be forgiven for being a little wary of the next guy who comes sniffing around.

Now can reveal that Kerry has hired a private investigator to complete background checks on all potential suitors.

‘Kerry was very hurt by Mark and he took her for everything she had,' a friend tells Now.

‘She was totally destroyed, emotionally and financially.'

Kerry, who now lives in Surrey, split with Mark, 38, seven months ago.

But instead of being able to make a clean break, she was left with nearly £500,000 of debt after discovering he'd spent all her money on fast cars and fruitless business ventures.

Kerry has since dated painter and decorator Adam Waldron, 33.

But that soon ended in tears after she dumped him, citing his drinking as a reason.

Adam's family have denied the accusation.

Now she's dating kick boxer Scott Gibson, who she met on the dating website Match.com.

And it seems her investigator - who's helped Kerry with various situations in the past - has put her mind at rest as she happily arranged to meet Scott for a drink two weeks ago at a bar in Brighton.

‘The private eye finds out where they live, what their financial situation is and if they have children, ex-wives, a criminal record or any other skeletons to hide,' says the friend.

‘Although Kerry loves a bad boy, Mark lost a lot of her money and she doesn't want to end up high and dry again.

‘Her management fully support her decision to safeguard her finances.'


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San Bernardino Argues Private Investigator's Claim Lacks Merit

San Bernardino contends that a private investigator has failed to provide clear-cut evidence to support claims in a lawsuit that the city owes him nearly $39,000 for investigating allegations of police misconduct.

Private investigator William Schneid filed the four-page lawsuit July 6, alleging the city breached its oral contract and still owes him $38,815.38 for his services.

The city argued in its three-page response to the lawsuit Aug. 5 that the city entered into a written contract with Schneid that called for a payment of $22,000.

"The parties agreed orally and confirmed in writing that any obligation of the city to plaintiff (Schneid) would be satisfied in full by the city's payment of approximately $22,000 to plaintiff," according to the city's response to Schneid's lawsuit.

Schneid, however, alleges that he investigated allegations of police misconduct for two years, including a police sergeant accused of illegally detaining suspects and stealing department funds. When he submitted billing statements to the city totaling more than $38,0000, the city refused to pay him.

City Attorney James F. Penman said he is unaware of any oral agreement between Schneid and the city that stipulated for more money.

"No one had authority to enter into that kind of agreement anyway. The Mayor and (City) Council would have to approve that, and they did not," Penman said.

The city believes that the allegations in Schneid's complaint are vague and fail to state specific facts and details.



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Retired Santa Clara DA's Investigator Wins Honor from International Organization

The International High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA), a consortium of law enforcement, private investigators and corporate security professionals, has awarded its annual Lifetime Achievement honor to retired Lieutenant John McMullen, formerly of the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation.

A founding member of HTCIA and a pioneer in the investigation of high technology crime cases, McMullen played a key role in the successful prosecution of several high-profile Silicon Valley criminal cases. He served as supervisor of the Silicon Valley Computer Forensic Lab, Project Director for Silicon Valley’s regional high tech crime task force (REACT), and as HTCIA’s representative on the California Governor’s High Technology Crime Advisory Committee.

Also a highly respected and sought-after instructor, McMullen helped develop the computer crime investigation and computer forensic training curriculum for the California Department of Justice Advanced Training Center.

“John McMullen has been one of the best HTCIA has to offer,” said Todd Shipley, HTCIA International President. “His dedication not only to investigating his cases, but also to bringing his knowledge and expertise to his colleagues and the next generation of investigators, is something we want every member to strive to emulate. His kind of example is the reason why we have an annual Lifetime Achievement Award.”

McMullen added: “I am deeply honored to be this year's recipient of the HTCIA Lifetime Achievement Award. There is no greater honor then to be singled out and recognized by your peers for your achievements. My membership in HTCIA over the last 25 years truly enhanced my career and the many opportunities that were presented to me.”

McMullen will formally accept his award at the HTCIA International Conference being held this year in Atlanta, GA. The conference, which runs from September 20-22, will also honor the association's Case of the Year and Chapter of the Year Awards.





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Prescott May Seek Judicial Review of Phone Hack Claims

Lord Prescott has said he is prepared to take legal action to find out whether News of The World journalists hacked into his phone messages.

The ex-deputy prime minister said he would seek a judicial review if the police did not say whether claims his phone had been tapped were true.

The paper's royal editor was jailed for conspiracy to access messages in 2007.

The paper said that was an isolated case, but suspended a reporter earlier this year pending an investigation.

It has also confirmed it was looking into the conduct of a unnamed journalist regarding alleged attempts to hack into the phone of a public figure. The paper said it would take "swift and decisive action" if there was proof of wrongdoing

Last year, the Metropolitan Police chose not to launch an investigation into claims, made by the Guardian newspaper, that a host of public figures - including Lord Prescott - had had their messages hacked by journalists.

'Clearly available'

At the time, it said the evidence did not warrant it and suggested Lord Prescott's phone had not been tapped.

But Lord Prescott told the BBC this had never been confirmed and he now wanted to "find the truth".

He said he expected to hear from the police next week and, if he did not, he would take further action.


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Weld County Man Jailed for Hiring PI to Track Estranged Wife

GREELEY, Colo. - A local private investigator is under arrest, for what some say is simply doing his job. And a Weld County father is in jail, simply for hiring the investigator.

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck is charging both with felony stalking.

Jeff Schudel says he hired the investigator because he was concerned about his 17-month-old son's safety. The investigator was hired to track Schudel's estranged wife's movements.

"We needed to create an accurate picture for the courts to determine custody," Schudel told us.

He says he never questioned the investigators methods.

According to police reports, the investigator did routine surveillance on the estranged wife and placed a GPS tracking device on her car. She found it and called La Salle Police, who arrested Schudel and the investigator for felony stalking.

Schudel maintains they did not do anything illegal.

"This was a legal endeavor. We hired professionals to conduct this investigation," he says.

Schudel says while he sits in jail, he remains concerned about his son's safety.

We talked with other private investigators who expressed concern that routine surveillance was being considered a felony. They say the GPS devices fall into a gray area. Some private investigators use them, but many do not.

Schudel is due back in court in late September.


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