PInow.com Weekly News Round-up

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From PIs accused of pretexting to a story about PIs at holiday office parties, these were the stories that the PInow.com staff couldn’t get enough of this week:

PIs Accused of Pretexting

BELFAIR, WA - Federal investigators have arrested Emilio and Brandy Torrella and Steven Berwick, all of Belfair private investigation firm BNT Investigations, in connection with a pretexting scheme. The trio gathered personal information by calling the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration, claiming to be someone else. The three are charged with conspiracy, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. This is only the second time that pretexting has led to charges.

PIs Issue Warning About Holiday Office Parties

DETROIT, MI - PI firm Advanced Surveillance Group released a statement warning customers that holiday office parties often set the stage for marital infidelity. ASG points to several studies, including a 2005 survey by Men's Health magazine which shows that 44 percent of men responding to the survey met and started a relationship with someone at a holiday office party. Drinking and the camaraderie that comes with knowing a coworker can lead to indiscretions that can break up marriages, strain office relationships, and even lead to sexual harassment suits.

Controversial Doctor Accused of Spying

TORONTO, CANADA - Dr. Behnaz Yazdanfar of Toronto, allegedly hired a PI to spy on a competitor. Yazdanfar is a family physician with no surgical specialty or hospital privileges, yet she performed a liposuction surgery that led to the death of Krista Stryland. Yazdanfar filed a $300,000 slander suit against Dr. Sean Rice, a plastic surgeon who was one of the staff who tried to revive Stryland after her liposuction. Yazdanfar's lawsuit is based on recorded conversations between Rice and a PI who posed as a patient. Yazdanfar is claiming that statements made by Rice decreased her profitability.

Notorious PI and Die Hard Director Face Allegations

Die Hard director John McTiernan is out on bail after being booked for lying to a federal investigator about notorious Hollywood PI Anthony Pellicano's illegal wiretapping. Pellicano is facing 110 counts, including racketeering, wire-fraud charges and more. Pellicano also is accused of illegally recording private telephone conversations of Garry Shandling, Sylvester Stallone and Keith Carradine, as well as others to provide his clients with ammunition in court.

PIs on Trail of Missing College Student

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA - Gwinnett County college student Justin Gaines has been missing for about six weeks, and a number of leads in the case have gone cold. A PI on the case has uncovered a surveillance tape that may be a key clue. The tape shows Gaines leaving the Wild Bills nightclub. The PI found out that the club is the last place Gaines was seen on November 1. The Gaines family has been holding vigils to keep interest in the case alive.

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