Due Diligence Download

Sylwia Wolos & Amritha Edachery
  • 5.0 (3)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about the untold stories and secrets of corporate investigations, risk, and compliance. Hosted by experienced women in the field. Tune in for real stories, case studies, expert tips, and industry insights. If you are a professional in compliance, risk, due diligence, investigations, and strategic intelligence - this is your new favourite weekly podcast!

  1. The One Where We Tie It All Together to Write a Good Report

    12/09/2025

    The One Where We Tie It All Together to Write a Good Report

    In this season-finale episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha tackle one of the most underrated skills in investigations and compliance: how to write a clear, defensible, and genuinely useful due diligence and investigations report. Drawing on decades of reviewing (and rewriting!) thousands of EDD and intelligence reports, they break down what makes reporting actually effective — from understanding your audience and filtering irrelevant noise, to structuring findings in a way that enables fast, confident decision-making. They also compare analytical writing with narrative-driven HUMINT reporting, unpack why proportionality matters more than page count, and discuss practical techniques like BLUF, the Pyramid principle, and the classic 5W+H framework. The episode also explores how AI can support (and sometimes undermine) good reporting, and why QA/QC remains the backbone of reliable investigations. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What does a good EDD report really look like?” — this one’s for you. Resources & Links https://medium.com/lessons-from-mckinsey/the-pyramid-principle-f0885dd3c5c7 https://www.cmu.edu/student-success/other-resources/handouts/comm-supp-pdfs/bluf-topic-sentence.pdf https://airfocus.com/glossary/what-is-the-5ws-1h-framework/ https://asq.org/quality-resources/quality-assurance-vs-control https://oecd.ai/en/ai-principles Sponsors We’re proudly independent - but we partner with companies who share our passion for smarter due diligence and investigations. Ethixbase360: Confident decisions, powered by people and platform . Market-leading third-party risk management platform combining smart automation, expert-led due diligence, and responsive support to deliver a clear, connected view of global third-party risk. Deploy a third-party risk management program that grows with your organization – from a single function to enterprise-wide coverage. Empower faster, smarter decisions with the data and insights trusted by global leaders. Gain a unified, real-time view of your third-party risk landscape — with built-in insight, and audit readiness. Maximize efficiency and performance with dedicated, expert support designed to save time, reduce costs, and strengthen your program. Learn more at ethixbase360.com Control Risks has combined the best of human and tech-enabled intelligence to help clients make confident, risk-based decisions and pursue opportunities anywhere in the world. Discover VANTAGE, their award-winning suite of third-party compliance solutions, designed to streamline your compliance processes and protect your business. Visit https://www.controlrisks.com/our-products/vantage?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=26_vantage_group&utm_content=due_diligence_download_podcast to find out how VANTAGE can make a difference for you. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your colleagues, friends, and fellow investigators who care about good reporting, better decisions, and making sense of complex risk.

    36 min
  2. The One Where Svetlana Explains Sanctions Investigations

    12/02/2025

    The One Where Svetlana Explains Sanctions Investigations

    In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha go beyond basic sanctions lists and dive into the real investigative work behind detecting sanctions evasion and avoidance. Our guest, Svetlana Djurdjevic -a leading sanctions expert-joins us to break down the fast-moving world of sanctions investigations. We explore where red flags truly come from, how investigators piece together onboarding data, internal records, media checks, and transaction patterns, and why speed and context matter more than ever. Svetlana also shares practical advice for compliance professionals, discusses the global shortage of sanctions expertise, and explains where technology can help (and where only human judgment will do). Resources & Links https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/18/germany-share-tui-russia-alexei-mordashov https://sanctionsmap.eu https://ofac.treasury.gov https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-sanctions-regime-specific-consolidated-lists-and-releases https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/information https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/a-top-university-in-russia-is-offering-a-masters-degree-in-sanctions-busting/ Books mentioned in this episode: ‘Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future’ by Dan Wang ‘Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology’ by Chris Miller Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your friends, family and colleagues who live and breathe ethics & compliance or just love a good investigative story.

    32 min
  3. Bonus Episode: The One Where We Break Down the ABCs of Sanctions

    12/01/2025 · BONUS

    Bonus Episode: The One Where We Break Down the ABCs of Sanctions

    A quick, clear primer on what sanctions are, how they work, and why they matter for financial crime and due diligence professionals. On this bonus episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha break down the main types of sanctions, who issues them, and the difference between targeted and narrative sanctions. We also touch on recent real-world examples and explain why investigators — not just screening tools — are essential for spotting hidden risks and evasion. Perfect if you’re new to sanctions or need a fast refresher. Resources & Links https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list https://ofac.treasury.gov https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/information https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-sanctions-against-russia-stop-war-ukraine_en https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/23/us-sanctions-sudan-after-ruling-chemical-weapons-used-during-civil-war Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your friends, family and colleagues who live and breathe ethics & compliance or just love a good investigative story.

    20 min
  4. The One About Human Rights Due Diligence

    11/25/2025

    The One About Human Rights Due Diligence

    Human rights abuses aren’t confined to distant places. They are intricately woven into the global supply chains we depend on every day. In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha break down what Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) truly entails, how it differs from traditional KYC or ABC checks, and why companies must shift their focus from stakeholders to rightsholders. They discuss how human rights abuses frequently occur alongside financial crime, why companies can’t simply “find a problem and walk away,” and how global regulations such as CSRD, CSDDD, US import bans, and legislation in France and Germany are raising the bar for corporate responsibility. From Qatar’s World Cup worksites to fast fashion and labor exploitation across Europe, they examine real investigations that reveal where HRDD succeeds in practice and where it falls short. They also explore how technology, from satellite imagery to worker-voice apps, can support this work. At the same time, they emphasize a simple truth: nothing replaces direct conversations with people and a genuine understanding of local context. This episode offers a clear and unfiltered look at the systems that enable exploitation, and outlines what investigators and companies must do to protect the people at the center of global supply chains. Resources & Links https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/23/revealed-migrant-worker-deaths-qatar-fifa-world-cup-2022 https://www.hrw.org/topic/childrens-rights/child-labor https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-67927678 https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/30/business/hyundai-child-labor-lawsuit.html https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/saudi-arabia-migrants-workers-who-toiled-in-amazon-warehouses-were-deceived-and-exploited/ https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/sustainability-due-diligence-responsible-business/corporate-sustainability-due-diligence_en https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/04/how-tiktoks-algorithm-exploits-the-vulnerability-of-children Sponsors We’re proudly independent - but we partner with companies who share our passion for smarter due diligence and investigations. Ethixbase360: Confident decisions, powered by people and platform Market-leading third-party risk management platform combining smart automation, expert-led due diligence, and responsive support to deliver a clear, connected view of global third-party risk. Deploy a third-party risk management program that grows with your organization – from a single function to enterprise-wide coverage. Empower faster, smarter decisions with the data and insights trusted by global leaders. Gain a unified, real-time view of your third-party risk landscape — with built-in insight, and audit readiness. Maximize efficiency and performance with dedicated, expert support designed to save time, reduce costs, and strengthen your program. Learn more at ethixbase360.com A Data Pro turns global data into actionable intelligence. For over 26 years, we have helped decision-makers in risk, compliance, and communications with tailored solutions. Our three core divisions deliver measurable impact: Risk Intelligence strengthens compliance and KYC/AML programmes through due diligence, sanctions lists, UBO tracing, and PEP/SEP screening; Media Intelligence equips PR, marketing, and executives with insights on reputation, crises, competitors, influencers, and trends; and Data Solutions provide clean, structured data for automation and AI. With 500+ multilingual specialists across 80+ jurisdictions, we catch risks before they catch up to you—helping your business act confidently and proactively. Find out more here - https://adata.pro/

    36 min
  5. The One With AI in Due Diligence

    11/18/2025

    The One With AI in Due Diligence

    AI is everywhere in compliance platforms, in vendor pitches, in risk tools, and (apparently) in Boris Johnson’s heart. But what does it actually do for due diligence and investigations? In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Amritha and Sylwia break down the reality behind the hype, joined by special guest Maya. Together, they explore how AI is changing corporate investigations, where it genuinely adds value, and the critical areas where humans are still irreplaceable. From evolving regulations (DOJ, EU AI Act, Colorado CAIA) to AI sycophancy, scam farms, dark-web intelligence, and the rise of agentic AI that can act autonomously, this conversation cuts through the noise to focus on what matters for risk and compliance professionals. They also shine a light on one of the industry’s biggest emerging problems: AI washing, when tools claim to be “AI-powered” but rely heavily on humans, or when generative AI quietly makes its way into official reports with… disastrous results. Resources & Links https://www.silenteight.com/blog/ai-washing-in-aml-and-compliance-a-growing-challenge-for-financial-institutions https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03390-0 https://theaugmentedinvestigator.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips https://www.clydeco.com/en/insights/2025/05/the-fine-print-of-ai-hype-the-legal-risks-of-ai-wa https://www.businessinsider.com/amazons-just-walk-out-actually-1-000-people-in-india-2024-4 https://fortune.com/2025/10/07/deloitte-ai-australia-government-report-hallucinations-technology-290000-refund/ https://www.bloomberglaw.com/external/document/XA09NCM0000000/commercial-comparison-table-eu-ai-act-vs-colorado-s-ai-accountab https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JAVMEs5CG1Y https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc https://app.sesame.com/ Sponsors: We’re proudly independent - but we partner with companies who share our passion for smarter due diligence and investigations. Control Risks has combined the best of human and tech-enabled intelligence to help clients make confident, risk-based decisions and pursue opportunities anywhere in the world. Discover VANTAGE, their award-winning suite of third-party compliance solutions, designed to streamline your compliance processes and protect your business. Visit www.controlrisks.com/vantage to find out how VANTAGE can make a difference for you. Link: https://www.controlrisks.com/our-products/vantage?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=26_vantage_group&utm_content=due_diligence_download_podcast A Data Pro turns global data into actionable intelligence. For over 26 years, we have helped decision-makers in risk, compliance, and communications with tailored solutions. Our three core divisions deliver measurable impact: Risk Intelligence strengthens compliance and KYC/AML programmes through due diligence, sanctions lists, UBO tracing, and PEP/SEP screening; Media Intelligence equips PR, marketing, and executives with insights on reputation, crises, competitors, influencers, and trends; and Data Solutions provide clean, structured data for automation and AI. With 500+ multilingual specialists across 80+ jurisdictions, we catch risks before they catch up to you—helping your business act confidently and proactively. Find out more here - https://adata.pro/ Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your friends, family and colleagues who live and breathe ethics & compliance or just love a good investigative story.

    42 min
  6. The One Where Alicja Explains OSINT.

    11/11/2025

    The One Where Alicja Explains OSINT.

    What can you uncover with nothing more than a laptop, an internet connection, and a healthy dose of curiosity? In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha dive into the fascinating world of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) with investigator and educator Alicja Pawłowska. From tracking fake baby food gangs and Russian doxxing sites to busting myths about what OSINT really is (hint: it’s not “just Googling”), Alicja shares incredible stories from the field and a few that sound straight out of a spy novel. We unpack the differences between OSINT and HUMINT, explore where the two overlap, and talk about the ethical red lines every investigator should know. Plus: how social media, satellite imagery, and AI are transforming modern investigations, and what skills will define the next generation of digital sleuths. Resources & Links Alicja’s newsletter: https://www.alicjapawlowska.com/ Alicja's investigations: https://vsquare.org/crossing-nato-lines-tracing-the-arson-sabotage-russia-gru-explosive-parcel-bombs/ https://vsquare.org/doxing-private-data-russian-weapon-ukraine-central-europe-poland-slovakia-attacks/ Financial Crime Book Club: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12636333/ https://www.bellingcat.com/ https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/categories/geolocation https://thecwa.co.uk/read-of-the-month/the-thief-the-wife-and-the-canoe-by-david-leigh/ https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/24_0117_ope_resources-for-individuals-on-the-threat-of-doxing-508.pdf https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/13/us-teachers-targeted-by-far-right-in-doxxing-after-charlie-kirks-death https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/28/skripals-poisoned-from-front-door-of-salisbury-home-police-say https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd62v890l5qo https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2020/12/14/navalny-fsb-methodology/

    34 min
  7. The One Where We Explore High-Risk Jurisdictions

    11/04/2025

    The One Where We Explore High-Risk Jurisdictions

    Every risk professional dreams of clean data and open registries until they try to access them in a high-risk jurisdiction. In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha go behind the curtain of high-risk jurisdictions where the paper trail might look perfect, but the truth is buried under bureaucracy, politics, and silence. From so-called “digital” registries that aren’t accessible online and may or may not exist on paper to conflicting filings and “missing” records, they unpack what high-risk really means from a due diligence & investigations’ perspective (hint: it’s not always what the FATF list says). Along the way, they explore why business still thrives in opaque markets, how to work ethically and safely when information is scarce, and why context and human intelligence (HUMINT) often reveal more than any database ever could. Tune in to hear how risk, ethics, and compliance teams make sense of the gaps, the silences, and the stories hidden behind “public” information. Resources & Links https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/17/ey-ordered-pay-whistleblower-11m-dubai-gold-audit-case https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/rolls-royce-plc-agrees-pay-170-million-criminal-penalty-resolve-foreign-corrupt-practices-act https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jan/31/airbus-to-pay-record-3bn-in-fines-for-endemic-corruption https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/business-management/slapps-and-reputational-risks https://dialogue.earth/en/justice/in-thailand-slapp-laws-are-silencing-environmental-journalists-and-activists/ https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/countries/black-and-grey-lists.html Sponsors: We’re proudly independent - but we partner with companies who share our passion for smarter due diligence and investigations. Control Risks has combined the best of human and tech-enabled intelligence to help clients make confident, risk-based decisions and pursue opportunities anywhere in the world. Discover VANTAGE, their award-winning suite of third-party compliance solutions, designed to streamline your compliance processes and protect your business. Visit the link below to find out how VANTAGE can make a difference for you. Link: https://www.controlrisks.com/our-products/vantage?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=26_vantage_group&utm_content=due_diligence_download_podcast A Data Pro turns global data into actionable intelligence. For over 26 years, we have helped decision-makers in risk, compliance, and communications with tailored solutions. Our three core divisions deliver measurable impact: Risk Intelligence strengthens compliance and KYC/AML programmes through due diligence, sanctions lists, UBO tracing, and PEP/SEP screening; Media Intelligence equips PR, marketing, and executives with insights on reputation, crises, competitors, influencers, and trends; and Data Solutions provide clean, structured data for automation and AI. With 500+ multilingual specialists across 80+ jurisdictions, we catch risks before they catch up to you—helping your business act confidently and proactively. Find out more here - https://adata.pro/ Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your friends, family and colleagues who live and breathe ethics & compliance or just love a good investigative story.

    45 min
  8. The One About Beneficial Owners

    10/28/2025

    The One About Beneficial Owners

    Every investigation, from corruption cases to sanctions busting, eventually leads to one critical question: Who’s really behind it all? In this episode of Due Diligence Download, Sylwia and Amritha explore the world of Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) - the people who truly control companies, assets, and money flows, no matter how many shell layers or offshore addresses are in between. It begins with an unbelievable FBI case that exposed how little we sometimes know about who really owns what. From there, the hosts unpack the tangled web of hidden ownership and the global push for transparency. You’ll learn: What a UBO really is and why the “25 percent ownership rule” doesn’t always work. Why UBOs matter for compliance, risk management, and even national security. How criminals hide behind nominees, trusts, and offshore layers, and how investigators follow the money anyway. The biggest red flags that signal something’s off, including secrecy jurisdictions, complex shareholding, and evasive owners. How investigators and regulators are fighting back, from FATF standards to new transparency laws. Practical steps for identifying true ownership and keeping due diligence meaningful, not mechanical. Resources&Links https://news.mongabay.com/2011/08/fbi-questioned-over-ties-with-corrupt-official/ https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/dam/fatf-gafi/guidance/Best-Practices-Beneficial-Ownership-Legal-Persons.pdf https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/uk-may-ditch-plans-to-stop-fraudsters-using-fake-names-to-run-businesses/ https://www.transparency.org/en/campaigns/global-standards-fatf-beneficial-ownership-transparency https://www.occrp.org/interactives/dubai-unlocked/en/ https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/ https://www.icij.org/investigations/paradise-papers/ Sponsors We’re proudly independent - but we partner with companies who share our passion for smarter due diligence and investigations. Ethixbase360: Confident decisions, powered by people and platform Market-leading third-party risk management platform combining smart automation, expert-led due diligence, and responsive support to deliver a clear, connected view of global third-party risk. Deploy a third-party risk management program that grows with your organization – from a single function to enterprise-wide coverage. Empower faster, smarter decisions with the data and insights trusted by global leaders. Gain a unified, real-time view of your third-party risk landscape — with built-in insight, and audit readiness. Maximize efficiency and performance with dedicated, expert support designed to save time, reduce costs, and strengthen your program. Learn more at ethixbase360.com. A Data Pro turns global data into actionable intelligence. For over 26 years, we have helped decision-makers in risk, compliance, and communications with tailored solutions. Our three core divisions deliver measurable impact: Risk Intelligence strengthens compliance and KYC/AML programmes through due diligence, sanctions lists, UBO tracing, and PEP/SEP screening; Media Intelligence equips PR, marketing, and executives with insights on reputation, crises, competitors, influencers, and trends; and Data Solutions provide clean, structured data for automation and AI. With 500+ multilingual specialists across 80+ jurisdictions, we catch risks before they catch up to you—helping your business act confidently and proactively. Find out more here - https://adata.pro/

    33 min
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3 Ratings

About

A podcast about the untold stories and secrets of corporate investigations, risk, and compliance. Hosted by experienced women in the field. Tune in for real stories, case studies, expert tips, and industry insights. If you are a professional in compliance, risk, due diligence, investigations, and strategic intelligence - this is your new favourite weekly podcast!

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