PInow.com Investigation News » PIs in the News

PI Takes Out Restraining Order on Hollywood Couple

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:10:10 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA – PI Becky Altringer was hired by Randy and Evi Quaid, but since then the professional relationship has become unpleasant. Now, Altringer is seeking a restraining order against the couple, alleging that the couple has contacted her and have made abusive and threatening comments to her. Altringer wants to prevent the Quaids from contacting her in any form. The PI had previously sought a restraining order against Evi Quaid but was denied the request after a judge deemed that there was not enough evidence to create a restraining order.

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Under New Missouri Law All PIs Must be Licensed

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:51:28 +0000

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - As of February 1, 2010, the Missouri Division of Professional Registration will begin accepting applications for licensing. Chairman of the State Board of Private Investigator Examiners Dwight McNiel notes, “Until now, becoming a private investigator in Missouri required little more than a business license fee and a place to hang a shingle.” The new licensing requirements can be found through the Missouri Revised Statutes. Applications are also now available from the board’s website.

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PIs To Look Into School Procedures

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:23:44 +0000

WEST MIFFLIN, PA – The West Mifflin school board has hired PI company Gentile-Meinert and Associates Inc. For an estimated $5,000 budget the PI firm will be expected to investigate district procedures and operations, as well as issues with school personnel. The board has been tight-lipped about the duration of the investigation as well as the motives behind it, but some have speculated that there is some concern about wrongdoing within the board, although this has not been confirmed.

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PIs Gearing Up for Seasonal Rush

PInow.com Staff — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:58:21 +0000

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Many PIs across California and across the nation are getting ready for a seasonal spike in surveillance and cheating spouse cases. According to many PIs and experts, the time leading up to Valentine’s Day is a busy time for most PIs as suspicious spouses look for answers. This year, some experts claim the high-profile cheating scandal involving Tiger Woods may mean even more business for PIs. PI Tom Martin of Martin Investigative Services notes that he gets up to 15 new clients a week, but in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s day, he might get 25 calls a day. PIs like Martin may need to take on additional employees and surveillance equipment to accommodate increased demand at this time of year.

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Repo a Common Ally for Businesses

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:10:36 +0000

DECATUR, IL – Frank Small of Xtreme Towing & Recovery is a repossession agent and he says that in today’s economy business is booming. He notes that often businesses rely on him to do some form of investigative work as well as repossession, since he often has to find delinquent customers – and their assets – before repossessing. He has repossessed everything from kitchen cabinets to cars and tractors. Small works closely with PIs to find and recover property that has not been paid for.

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PI Dies Under Odd Circumstances

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:00:02 +0000

PORTLAND, OR – At PInow.com, we all know that the PI business can be a dangerous one, but we don’t expect a PI to pass away in his own backyard. That is what apparently happened to PI Michael Zerwas. Zerwas has been complaining of water in his backyard. When he was reported missing on Sunday, police found a watery hole in the backyard and shoes beside the hole. Zerwas’s body was found inside the hole. Oregon State Medical Examiner found that hypothermia and drowning were the causes of death. Zerwas was a member of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association its education committee. A PI for 20 years, he had operated his own PI firm since 2005.

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How Far Has Surveillance Gone?

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:43:06 +0000

LONDON, ENGLAND – British filmmaker David Bond is trying to determine how far surveillance has gone in our society. His latest project, Erasing David, is his attempt to outwit a group of PIs. Trying to determine whether privacy is even a reality any more, Bond challenged some top British PIs to track him using only public domain information. Considering that the average British citizen pops up on at least one of the four million public surveillance cameras in England daily and is registered on over 700 databases, living off the grid might be challenging.

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Model Bree Condon Hires PI to Track Down Impersonator

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:32:47 +0000

NEWPORT BEACH, CA - It’s not the typical PI assignment: Guess and Maxim model Bree Condon hired a PI to track down someone who was posing as “Bree Condon” – complete with photos of the real Bree Condon – on the dating website SeekingMillionaire.com. What PIs discovered was a man named Justin Brown, posing as Condon on the dating site to lure and scam men of money. Brown posted pictures of Condon and used his feminine voice to convince men that he was Condon during long romantic phone conversations. His scheme allowed him to scam wealthy men out of tens of thousands of dollars. All the men believed they were dating Condon, although Brown was careful to never permit a face-to-face meeting. Now, Brown in being investigated by authorities and has been indicted on a felony theft charge.

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PIs Worry That Alabama Industry Laws Too Lax

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:22:27 +0000

HUNTSVILLE, AL – PInow.com Advertiser Bill Posey, of Posey Investigations, wants state laws changed to protect PI customers from fraudulent and unscrupulous PIs in the industry. He notes that people often approach PIs about very sensitive matters and he feels that current laws do not do enough to protect these clients. Posey notes that the a current bill in state legislature would create a board to oversee licensing and regulation of the PI industry, something Posey thinks is sorely needed.

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New Year Brings New Laws for Illinois

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:52:31 +0000

SPRINGFIELD, IL – A number of new laws went into effect in Illinois on the stroke of midnight, 2010. Among these was new legislation concerning trial funding for death penalty cases. The previous system of funding allows a few dishonest PIs, trail experts and others to charge huge fees. There was no system in place to check or limit fees. The current legislation requires PIs and others to submit fee statements. The state treasurer’s office now has the power to review these statements. Any that are found to be suspect or unusually high can be sent for further review to court.

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