Fraud Among Business Partners

Almost daily, two or more entrepreneurs form a GmbH or a GbR, or two friends decide to start a company together. In around 50 percent of cases, this works out very well, but unfortunately, many friendships also break down in the process. Even a small lapse in attention in a joint venture can create mistrust and cause business partners to monitor each other. Naturally, the greater the initial trust, the greater the potential disputes.

The detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Duisburg have handled some of the worst cases — for example, situations in which one partner, motivated purely by personal gain, looted a successful company and left the other partner(s) with nothing but a mess. If you are unsure whether your business partner is truly loyal, our commercial investigators in Duisburg can provide clarity: +49 203 3196 0052.

What He Doesn’t Know, Won’t Hurt Him…

Consider this case from 2013 (all names changed): Peter, a building materials supplier, and Karl, a craftsman, had maintained a successful business relationship for several years. They decided to form a GbR to work together more closely and efficiently. Simple arrangement: Peter supplied the materials, Karl handled the processing. Income and expenses were split fifty-fifty — until Karl decided he was working much harder than Peter for his share. Karl began issuing invoices to customers twice: one for the customer (e.g., €500) and another, lower amount (e.g., €300) to the shared accounting with Peter. He pocketed the difference. It took some time before Peter noticed that revenue was declining, while expenses remained unchanged.

If you suspect that your business partner is deceiving you, our commercial detectives in Duisburg can investigate thoroughly, conduct observations if needed, and ultimately provide court-admissible evidence of criminal activity. Contact us by email at kontakt@kurtz-detektei-duisburg.de or by phone at +49 203 3196 0052 for a free, non-binding consultation with our professional investigators.