COMMERCIAL INVESTIGATIONS LLC
| MR. DUE DILIGENCE |
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| DUE DILIGENCE: CLEANING OR JUST MAKING A METH? |
DATE: MAY 2006
This month Due Diligence begins his new job with Clean Sweep. Clean Sweep is the
cleaning company utilized by Quick Fix Hospital, Due’s former employer. Due took a
custodial position with Clean Sweep for significantly less compensation than he was
receiving at his former administrative position with Quick Fix Hospital.
Because Quick Fix Hospital is Clean Sweep’s client, Due now has after hours,
unsupervised access to the hospital. This is the same hospital that refused to re-
hire him after a background investigation revealed a conviction for possession of a
controlled substance.
The hospital requires its vendors who have access to their facilities to conduct
background checks. However, there is no specifications as to the depth of the
screening, and Due was hired as his “national criminal database” search did not
reveal the conviction that was found by CI through the complete background
investigation process utilized by the hospital.
Between jail time and employment, Due had spent a good deal of his time
“Smurfing.” In other words, Due would go from store to store buying the two pack
minimum of cough medications containing pseudophedrine. Many convenience
stores and grocery stores no longer carry the common cold medications used in
meth production. Some states only allow pharmacies to distribute these once
common cold medications, even requiring photo ID and keeping personal
information on file. Due is familiar enough with the hospital and on site pharmacy to
avoid such inconvenience.
Meth has become such an issue for law enforcement that some states have
considered implementing registries for convicted Meth cooks. Tennessee is one
state which has implemented such a registry, which operates much like a sex-
offender registry. Under the Meth-Free Tennessee Act of 2005, healthcare
professionals are required to report burns and other injuries resulting from meth lab
explosions.
State legislation in NY has defined new crimes and penalties associated with meth
production. A second offense for criminal possession of meth related substances
with the intent to manufacture is a felony. Due Diligence was convicted of
possession of a controlled substance in Albany County, his second drug related
conviction.
Clean Sweep’s background investigations policy included only an online instant
database check which provided inconclusive results. Quick Fix hospital should
have detailed specifically the depth of criminal screenings they expect from their
vendors. Aside from a criminal inquiry, an EMPLOYMENT CREDIT REPORT would
have also revealed some interesting facts about Due’s career path.
We noted that Due’s new position is for significantly less compensation than his
prior position. An EMPLOYMENT CREDIT REPORT would have revealed that Due’s
monthly obligations far exceed his income at Clean Sweep. This inquiry would have
raised questions about Due’s intentions working for Clean Sweep and how he is able
to meet his monthly financial obligations. While Due needs cold medication to cook
meth, he is also interested in anything he has access to with street value.
Because of Due’s drug addiction and potential for violent reactions, Clean Sweep
has put the hospital’s patients, visitors and employees at risk. By not having a more
comprehensive background investigations policy, Clean Sweep now also risks losing
their largest account.
When implementing a background investigations policy, it’s important to consider a
variety of inquiries and the depth of those inquiries. It is also important to require
vendors to conduct background investigations and specify the minimum
requirements for those investigations. Clean Sweep has put their largest account at
risk despite the fact that a more complete investigation would have cost less than
what they pay Due to work just one day.
TO BE CONTINUED . . .
cleaning company utilized by Quick Fix Hospital, Due’s former employer. Due took a
custodial position with Clean Sweep for significantly less compensation than he was
receiving at his former administrative position with Quick Fix Hospital.
Because Quick Fix Hospital is Clean Sweep’s client, Due now has after hours,
unsupervised access to the hospital. This is the same hospital that refused to re-
hire him after a background investigation revealed a conviction for possession of a
controlled substance.
The hospital requires its vendors who have access to their facilities to conduct
background checks. However, there is no specifications as to the depth of the
screening, and Due was hired as his “national criminal database” search did not
reveal the conviction that was found by CI through the complete background
investigation process utilized by the hospital.
Between jail time and employment, Due had spent a good deal of his time
“Smurfing.” In other words, Due would go from store to store buying the two pack
minimum of cough medications containing pseudophedrine. Many convenience
stores and grocery stores no longer carry the common cold medications used in
meth production. Some states only allow pharmacies to distribute these once
common cold medications, even requiring photo ID and keeping personal
information on file. Due is familiar enough with the hospital and on site pharmacy to
avoid such inconvenience.
Meth has become such an issue for law enforcement that some states have
considered implementing registries for convicted Meth cooks. Tennessee is one
state which has implemented such a registry, which operates much like a sex-
offender registry. Under the Meth-Free Tennessee Act of 2005, healthcare
professionals are required to report burns and other injuries resulting from meth lab
explosions.
State legislation in NY has defined new crimes and penalties associated with meth
production. A second offense for criminal possession of meth related substances
with the intent to manufacture is a felony. Due Diligence was convicted of
possession of a controlled substance in Albany County, his second drug related
conviction.
Clean Sweep’s background investigations policy included only an online instant
database check which provided inconclusive results. Quick Fix hospital should
have detailed specifically the depth of criminal screenings they expect from their
vendors. Aside from a criminal inquiry, an EMPLOYMENT CREDIT REPORT would
have also revealed some interesting facts about Due’s career path.
We noted that Due’s new position is for significantly less compensation than his
prior position. An EMPLOYMENT CREDIT REPORT would have revealed that Due’s
monthly obligations far exceed his income at Clean Sweep. This inquiry would have
raised questions about Due’s intentions working for Clean Sweep and how he is able
to meet his monthly financial obligations. While Due needs cold medication to cook
meth, he is also interested in anything he has access to with street value.
Because of Due’s drug addiction and potential for violent reactions, Clean Sweep
has put the hospital’s patients, visitors and employees at risk. By not having a more
comprehensive background investigations policy, Clean Sweep now also risks losing
their largest account.
When implementing a background investigations policy, it’s important to consider a
variety of inquiries and the depth of those inquiries. It is also important to require
vendors to conduct background investigations and specify the minimum
requirements for those investigations. Clean Sweep has put their largest account at
risk despite the fact that a more complete investigation would have cost less than
what they pay Due to work just one day.
TO BE CONTINUED . . .