Benedict Hamilton is a Managing Director

Benedict Hamilton is a managing director in the Forensic Investigations and Intelligence practice of Kroll, based in the Los Angeles office. He developed Kroll’s General Investigations team for the EMEA region, specializing in digital investigations, including open source, and the tools and methodologies that enable clients to combat cybercrime, leaks of confidential information, counterfeiting/illicit trade, and cryptocurrencies.

Disrupting and Deterring Illicit Trade of HFCs The challenge

Benedict is currently the global lead for technology and innovation, continuing to develop proprietary tools and techniques for Kroll investigations, particularly around social media analytics and blockchains.

Prior to joining Kroll in 2005, Benedict spent 12 years producing investigative television programs for BBC and Channel 4. He was also nominated twice for Channel 4’s Royal Television Society (RTS) Best Journalism Awards for programs on Northern Irish terrorism and Combat 18.

Professional Experience

Recent Noteworthy Engagements

  • Project leader of a multi-year pan European effort to disrupt illicit trade in refrigerant gases for the European Chemical Council, using a combination of technology, controlled buyer interactions and site visits for maximum impact
  • Several cases identifying where stolen crypto funds are now held and launching litigation to recover them
  • Project leader in a case that thwarted a multimillion-dollar extortion attempt by a hacker, who held company data by recovering the data before it could be released
  • Identifying a malicious tweeter through clues in the tweet contents, deep web and Whois data
  • Led a team that identified and located those responsible for a $25 million Bitcoin theft, from social media and intellectual property access clues, for law enforcement to prosecute
  • Led a successful investigation for a FTSE 30 business into the unauthorized access of a CEO’s corporate mailbox and the resulting circulation of emails, and finding and stopping the perpetrator
  • Masterminded an investigation that successfully identified anonymous bloggers who had conspired with short sellers to manipulate the market for a corporation’s shares; currently being reviewed for prosecution
  • Investigated fake online reviews and market manipulation by a “pass off” competitor, leading to the Competition and Markets Authority opening their own investigation
  • Mapped all European points of sale of high-quality counterfeit garments, identified four clusters, and executed an enforcement strategy resulting in the confiscation of more than $50 million of stock. The group is now being investigated for money laundering by national authorities
  • Leading a pioneering, litigation-funded effort to recover proceeds of crime from abroad for a UK coalition of victims

Cybercrime, Data Breach and Leak of Information

  • Determined who leaked information at the board level for several major British companies
  • Investigated who was responsible for one of the largest international hacking incidents at a major Middle Eastern power company
  • Successfully investigated multiple data breach incidents
  • Identified numerous abusive anonymous authors (electronic and non-electronic)
  • Assisted multiple clients with business email compromise and fake CEO frauds

Intellectual Property (IP) and Anti Counterfeit

  • Identified the theft of a trading algorithm from a fund, coordinating criminal prosecutions and civil litigation in six countries, which mitigated the damage to the client
  • Discovered patent infringement by a global chip manufacturing company in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK that led to a multibillion-dollar out-of-court settlement for the client
  • Successfully identified IP theft at several major global companies and law firms
  • Organized covert evidential purchases of stolen and counterfeit goods

Fraud and Corruption

  • Recovered over $20 million defrauded from a Middle Eastern and African telecoms company
  • Led an investigation into black market sales for a major UK retailer, including infiltration of the ring responsible
  • Investigated a bribery allegation involving the Czech deputy prime minister on behalf of the Czech government
  • Identified corrupt payments in Korea, and those responsible, for a FTSE 100 company

Other

  • Conducted an investigation into an alleged attempted murder of a former foreign premier
  • Directed the location of an international fugitive and facilitated his arrest
  • Investigated a cult to enable a father to retain custody of his children

 

Education and Certifications
  • B.A. (Honors) in philosophy, politics, and economics from Balliol College, Oxford
  • First Scholar, Westminster School, London

Forensic Investigations and Intelligence

The Kroll Investigations, Diligence and Compliance team are experts in forensic investigations and intelligence, delivering actionable data and insights that help clients worldwide make critical decisions and mitigate risk.

Financial Investigations

Global, efficient investigations into allegations of fraud, bribery, corruption and money laundering.

Intellectual Property Expert Services

Valuation, strategic consulting, investigations, expert witness testimony and transfer pricing services related to intellectual property rights and transactions and information risk.