Problem: Research and locate the business information of an energy company. The investigation team has assigned to you the task of identifying databases that are repository of public records, and that may be used for investigating the following:
- Comparing employee earnings with national averages
- Comparing company revenues and expenditures with those of its industry and other operating information
- Finding the number of employees working in the company
- Finding evidence of incorporation and licenses
- Company tax returns
- Ongoing litigations
- Banking records, including cash transfers entered on suspicious activity reports (SARs)
- Drilling leases
- Company compliance violations, including violations of environmental regulations
- Financial statements
For each of the records above:
Determine the database that houses the most useful evidence for each of the needs above. Document the source, the Internet reference, and the organization that manages the database.
Explain why the database is the most useful to your investigation.
Describe at least 4 challenges involved in gathering evidence from the database.
If the database is managed or updated by a local government, reference a source in the state or county in which the business is registered or incorporated.