Before entering into a relationship, it is important to understand who you are actually dealing with

A Background Check answers the question of who a person is: biography, roles, obligations. Due Diligence is broader and is always tied to a specific decision: in addition to the person, it examines documents, companies, beneficial owners, the origin of funds and the circumstances of the transaction, and the result is presented as a risk profile for that decision. In simple terms, a Background Check is one scope of work within Due Diligence.

Yes, this is one of the main areas of work. We check identity and documents, biography and activity, companies and roles, PEP and sanctions indicators, litigation circumstances, reputational context and the origin of funds. The depth depends on the decision: onboarding a client, an appointment, a partnership or an investment each require a different scope.

We verify the information contained in the document: internal consistency of the details, available indicators of inconsistency and correspondence with independent sources and the questionnaire. Official confirmation of a document's validity is given by an authorized source or a specialized provider - we will not present an analytical check as a government one.

An advanced level applied when the cost of error is high or a basic check has raised questions. It covers related companies, ownership structure and beneficial owners, multiple countries, PEP and sanctions, adverse media, source of funds analysis and mandatory verification of any discrepancies found. The result is a detailed report with a risk map, not a certificate.

Yes, the check is run against official sanctions and restrictive lists, as well as the public office-holding status of the subject and related persons. An important nuance: a name match by itself means nothing - until identity is confirmed, it remains a technical match, and we state this directly.

Source of Funds is the origin of the specific funds involved in a transaction or relationship: the sale of an asset, income from an activity, dividends. Source of Wealth is the overall property and professional basis of a person's wealth as a whole. The first answers the question of where this money came from, the second - where this capital came from in general. For major decisions, both are usually required.

Yes, and this is often where the result lies: a structure that looks simple in one jurisdiction may have related companies in others. Each country has its own registers, scope of disclosure and cost of access, and the number of jurisdictions directly affects timing and price.

Through the ownership chain: from the company to its participants, from participants to their owners, down to natural persons. Where beneficial ownership registers are closed, indirect indicators are used - representatives, addresses, counterparties, history of roles. Such conclusions are labeled as analytical, not as established fact, and this distinction is maintained in the report.

A discrepancy is not a verdict. We verify it against a second independent source, determine what document or explanation could resolve it, and set it out in a separate section of the report with an assessment of materiality. Some discrepancies are explained by circumstances: a change in name spelling, differences in legislation, outdated register data.

For an initial assessment - none: it is enough to describe the subject, the countries and the decision at hand. Beyond that, the set of documents depends on the task: identification documents, corporate papers, contracts or proof of source of funds. Documents are requested only after the scope and a secure transmission channel have been agreed.

Initial - usually 4-7 business days, Enhanced - 10-20 business days. The comprehensive international format depends on the number of subjects and jurisdictions, and the timeline is determined after assessment. The countdown begins after the scope is agreed and the initial data is received, not from the moment of first contact.

Only the client and persons named by the client: compliance, legal team, board of directors. Materials are not passed to third parties, the subject of the check is not notified of it, and transmission takes place over an agreed secure channel.