Russell Richardson is a forensic auditor based in Guidepost’s New York Office. Prior to joining Guidepost, Mr. Richardson was a senior financial investigator with DLA Piper (US) LLP where he provided litigation support, reviewed, and analyzed financial records, civil and criminal tax matters, performed asset tracing, and conducted OFAC and EU sanction investigations.
As a special agent with the Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division for 25 years, Mr. Richardson was the lead agent on complex white-collar financial investigations involving criminal tax, money laundering, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, check cashing fraud, kickbacks, union fraud, prevailing wage violations, organized crime, Bank Secrecy Act violations, as well as financial transactions designed to facilitate these activities.
He supervised and conducted all aspects of the investigations including document analysis, tracing financial transactions, interviewing witnesses and subjects, securing evidence of the fraudulent activity, surveillance, undercover operations, executing arrest and search warrants, coordinating multi-agency involvement, testifying in court, and executing criminal and civil forfeitures. Many of his investigations included analyzing voluminous and highly sophisticated financial documents of individuals and businesses to detect patterns, abnormalities, and schemes in uncovering fraudulent activity. He also has substantial experience deciphering and analyzing business accounting systems, books of original entry, financial statements, and tax returns.
Mr. Richardson was also a supervisory special agent of a multi-agency task force consisting of federal, state, and local agencies, created to investigate financial crimes in a multitude of industries. The investigations resulted in more than fifty prosecutions and forfeiture orders exceeding $60 million.
Prior to becoming a special agent, Mr. Richardson was employed with a public accounting firm where he planned, coordinated, and administered audit engagements, analyzed the books and records of diversified clients, reviewed and prepared financial statements, financial reports, and tax returns, and prepared reports on internal controls and operating procedures.
During his career with the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Richardson received multiple awards and commendations, including the United States Secretary of Treasury’s Award for Valor, the Investigator of the Year Award from the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation, and awards from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Did you know?
In 2016, one of Mr. Richardson’s investigations was featured on CNBC’s American Greed program. The episode was entitled “Phantom Fraudster of Broadway”.
