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BACKGROUND CHECK / PERSON VERIFICATIONBLACKFILE verifies who a person is based on confirmable data: where they studied and worked, what management and corporate roles they held, what companies and obligations are connected to them, and what litigation and reputational episodes remain in their history
We compare the stated biography against independent sources and show discrepancies that are usually discovered only after the transaction, appointment or investment has already been made
At the initial stage, a name, country and purpose of the check are sufficient. Passport data and documents are not required at this step
A person presents the version of themselves that suits the deal: positions sound more senior, roles broader, and difficult episodes stay outside the conversation. Formally nothing is violated - part of the story is simply left untold
The check returns the missing part: it confirms what actually took place, separates real roles from stated ones, and shows obligations, conflicts and connections that will affect your decision
We do not verify the impression a person makes, but the facts on which a decision should be based
It is necessary to understand the business history of a prospective partner: what projects they managed, how they exited them, and what conflicts remained afterward
The candidate gains access to money, data and decisions. Their biography needs to be confirmed and their obligations to third parties identified
What is assessed is not only the business model, but also the person who will control the funds: their experience, reputation and previous projects
Before signing, it is necessary to establish the party's actual standing, the existence of disputes, enforcement actions and signs of asset stripping
The legal team needs verified information on the other party: roles, assets, connections and a chronology of significant events
Behaviour, associates or specific facts do not match what is known. The check shows whether there is a systemic problem behind this
A biography is distributed across jurisdictions, and a standard check in a single country does not provide a complete picture.
Depth depends on the matter and the jurisdictions involved. Verification always begins with identification: until it is confirmed that all findings relate to a single person, any fact remains a hypothesis.
Each claimed fact is verified separately and receives its own level of confirmation
A single finding means little on its own. Value appears when confirmed episodes form a consistent chronology and the gaps between the stated and the actual become visible
It is established that all information found relates to one person, not to namesakes
РЕЗУЛЬТАТ ЭТАПАThe subject of the check is unambiguously identified
The report separates confirmed facts, analytical conclusions and unverified statements. This makes it possible to use the materials in negotiations and to hand them to the legal team
Biography, roles, companies and obligations, with the source and date of confirmation indicated for each material point
A sequence of education, appointments, corporate events and legal episodes without unexplained gaps
The people and structures around the subject of the check, including overlaps that create a conflict of interest
A list of points where the stated version does not match the confirmed one, with an assessment of the significance of each discrepancy
Circumstances capable of affecting a transaction, an appointment or a further relationship with the person
What could not be verified, which sources were unavailable, and which conclusions require further confirmation
BLACKFILE does not pass judgment on a person's character and does not give recommendations on hiring or rejection. We provide verified facts, and the decision remains with the client and its advisers
Before appointing an executive, admitting a partner or granting a person access to financial and management decisions
When a project rests on a specific founder or manager and their history matters more than their presentation
To prepare a position: confirmed roles, assets, connections and chronology of the other party's actions
When checking managers, advisers and persons gaining access to family assets
Before a major personal transaction, a partnership, or when trust in a person has begun to raise doubts
For additional verification of beneficial owners and decision-makers on the client's side
Задача. Confirm the claimed management experience and identify obligations the candidate did not disclose during negotiations.
Результат. The stated roles were confirmed in part: some positions proved to be advisory, and current involvement in a competing project was identified.
Задача. Establish the future partner's business history and the manner in which his past projects were concluded.
Результат. Recurring disputes with former co-founders were identified, along with a structure through which the partner retained control after exit.
Задача. Compare the stated biography against independent sources and assess the significance of any discrepancies.
Результат. Education and part of the career history were confirmed, while two periods of employment were not confirmed by any independent source.
Задача. Verify the founder of a project under consideration for investment, including the jurisdictions of his past activity.
Результат. Outstanding obligations in another country were identified, along with a connection to a company that had previously ceased operations amid a dispute.
The scenarios above are composite examples based on typical tasks. They are not descriptions of specific completed projects: BLACKFILE's actual case studies are published separately and in anonymized form.
The client indicates who is to be checked and for what decision. No documents are transferred at this stage.
We assess the legality of the objective, potential conflicts of interest, and the availability of permissible sources in the relevant countries.
We define the engagement format, jurisdictions, historical depth, timeline and completion criteria.
We confirm that the check concerns the correct person and distinguish individuals with the same name.
We gather information from permissible sources, independently confirming each material fact.
We deliver a structured report and review discrepancies, risks and possible next steps.
Select the depth of verification depending on the value of the decision at stake, the number of jurisdictions, and how detailed the person's history needs to be. Timelines run from the point the scope is agreed and initial data is received, and the final cost depends on the number of countries, the depth of history and the availability of sources. Prices are quoted exclusive of taxes and third-party expenses, which are agreed separately.
from €2,500
Typically from 48-72 hours after the scope is agreed and initial data is received
The final cost depends on the number of countries, the depth of verification, the availability of sources and the agreed timeline. Third-party expenses are agreed before work begins.
Verification of key facts about a person: confirmation of biography, principal corporate roles and basic legal background.
4 000-12 000 €
Typically from 5 to 10 days
The final cost depends on the number of countries, the depth of verification, the availability of sources and the agreed timeline. Third-party expenses are agreed before work begins.
A full reconstruction of biography and business history with verification across multiple jurisdictions and analysis of the person's environment.
On request
Determined after briefing
The cost is determined after a closed briefing and depends on the number of countries, the depth of the check and the availability of sources. Third-party expenses are agreed before work begins.
A full profile of a person for positions and decisions where an error costs the company or family significantly more than the cost of the check.
BLACKFILE does not access closed personal data, banking secrecy, correspondence or device contents. We do not surveil a person's private life and do not take on matters whose purpose is pressure, harassment or discreditation.
The check is built on open and lawfully accessible sources, official registers, court databases, publications and documents provided by the client. The result depends on what is disclosed at all in the relevant jurisdictions.
A check based on open and lawfully accessible sources is permissible if it has a lawful purpose: risk assessment before a transaction, appointment, investment, or as part of preparation for a dispute. We do not take on matters aimed at harassment, pressure or interference in private life, and we do not request data access to which is restricted by law.
This is enough to start. The first stage of any check is identification: we confirm that the information found relates to one person, not to namesakes. The more initial identifiers there are, the faster this step goes, but a full set of data at the start is not required.
Identity is confirmed by several independent identifiers: a combination of dates and places of events, corporate roles, public mentions, connections with specific companies and people. Until the identifiers converge on one person, the information found is not included in the report as a confirmed connection.
We work with court and corporate databases in jurisdictions where such information is disclosed publicly or is lawfully accessible. The extent of disclosure varies significantly by country, so before work begins we set out what can realistically be checked in your case.
Yes, and this is often what produces results: a biography spread across jurisdictions is rarely verified in full within a single country. Each jurisdiction has its own sources, limitations and legal environment, and timing depends on how many are involved.
The basic format is completed in 48-72 hours, the extended format usually takes five to ten days. The timing of the Executive format depends on the number of countries, the depth of the history and the extent of the surrounding environment, and is determined after the briefing.
The report will show which stated facts were confirmed, from which sources and as of what date, as well as where the data is insufficient. The absence of negative findings is also a result, but we always state the limits of the check so that it does not read as a guarantee of good standing.
The work is conducted through sources and does not involve contact with the subject, their employer or their circle without separate agreement with the client. If a task requires such actions, we discuss this in advance and assess the risks.
The report is intended for decision-making and case preparation. Procedural admissibility of materials is assessed by the client's legal team, which is why we structure our conclusions to be convenient for lawyers to work with.
Information about the client, the purpose of the check and the composition of the team is not disclosed. Access to materials is limited to specialists directly involved in the matter.
At the first stage, general information is sufficient. Do not attach copies of documents, passport or banking data. Once we have reviewed the task, we will propose a secure format for further work.
