Case Study: Extortion Response

A Senior Corporate Executive client approached Matrix with an issue that had been escalated to an extortion scenario involving possible information release to associates by a perpetrator. Within the first 12 hours of the task being presented the following activities were initiated immediately:
*Note – At all times during this case study the clients associates were unaware of all activities being conducted on behalf the client.

• Immediate reassurance to the client and positive actions taken to secure his state of mind;
• Specialist advice on physical security and profile;
• Introduction to specialist legal services;
• Physical security provided covertly to the client and the clients close family to ensure no physical contact was made by the perpetrator(s)
• Identification and surveillance services were initiated to identify the perpetrator’s location and intentions. Once the location was identified, technical means were used to control the perpetrator’s location;
• Legal services were instigated against the perpetrator(s)

Within 24 hrs of commencement of services, the perpetrator was contacted and presented with the facts that he was now involved in criminal activity against the client and a cease and desist letter was presented. This had the desired effect and the perpetrator ceased activity against the client. An assessment was conducted at the 72 hrs point to remove covert physical security from the client’s close family when technical means confirmed that the perpetrator had kept a large distance between himself and the client’s close family.

Follow up legal activity ensured the perpetrator was in no doubt of the consequences of their actions and the actions that would be taken if he contacted the client or any of the client’s close family or associates in the future. This task had a total duration of 10-15 working days.