“He says the business barely makes money, but we were taking two vacations a year.” “She suddenly has no savings.” “The numbers on his disclosure don’t match the life we lived.” We hear some version of this every week from people going through a divorce in Los Angeles.
The short answer is yes. A private investigator can often find assets a spouse is trying to keep out of the divorce. Here’s how it works in California, what an investigator can and can’t do, and how our work fits alongside your attorney’s.
California law is on your side, if you can prove it
Spouses in California owe each other a fiduciary duty when it comes to community property (Family Code §721). In a divorce, each side has to disclose all of their assets and debts under oath through the declarations of disclosure (Family Code §2100 and following). And when a spouse deliberately hides community property, the court can award the other spouse a large share of it, up to 100% of the hidden asset in cases of fraud (Family Code §1101).
The law is strong. The problem is that the court can only act on what you can show. That’s where an investigation comes in.
Common ways assets get hidden
- Business income that “disappears”: revenue paid in cash, personal expenses run through the company, or income pushed into a later year
- Money moved to friends or family, as fake loans or “gifts” that will quietly come back after the divorce
- Property held in another name: an LLC, a trust, a relative or a new partner
- Undisclosed accounts, including crypto and out-of-state or offshore accounts
- Vehicles, boats and collectibles that never make it onto the disclosure
- Delayed bonuses, commissions or deals that close conveniently after the case ends
What a private investigator can do
Our asset investigations focus on finding the trail and documenting it. That can include:
- Searching real property records in California and other states, including property held by LLCs and trusts tied to your spouse
- Identifying business entities, ownership interests, officers and filings connected to them
- Finding vehicles, vessels, aircraft and liens
- Reviewing court records for lawsuits, judgments and prior filings that reveal money or assets
- Researching lifestyle evidence (spending, travel, new purchases) that doesn’t match the income they’ve declared
- Where it helps the case, surveillance to document a business that’s busier than claimed, or a property that’s being used but was never disclosed
What a PI can’t do, and why that matters
Licensed investigators can’t legally pull someone’s bank records, hack accounts or pose as someone else to get financial information. That’s against federal and state law, and any evidence gathered that way can hurt your case instead of helping it. Be very careful with anyone who promises to “get bank statements” without a subpoena.
The legal way to get financial records is through discovery. That’s why the best results come from working alongside your attorney: we find the leads (the LLC, the second property, the account at a specific institution), and your attorney uses subpoenas and discovery to get the actual records in front of the court.
When to bring in an investigator
Ideally, early. Before or right after filing is when people tend to start moving money, and a trail is easier to follow while it’s fresh. It’s also worth it if the disclosures you receive don’t match what you know about your household’s real income and spending.
If you’re an attorney, we regularly support family law cases with asset searches, business research and post-judgment asset investigations. See our attorney services.
Get a confidential consultation
Every case is different, and you don’t have to know what you’re looking for to call. Tell us what doesn’t add up, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can likely find and what it will cost.
Call LA Undercover at (310) 310-4884 or send us a message.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Talk to a California family law attorney about your specific situation.
