Our Team
Harry Garcia, CFE, CPP
Harry Garcia is the president and principal of H. Garcia & Associates (“HGA”), Inc., a California based private investigative Corporation Harry founded in 2005. In this capacity, Harry focuses on delivering a variety of corporate fraud investigation, financial fraud investigation, forensic accounting, risk-based assessment, and litigation support related services to U.S. and international companies.
Harry, is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), and a Licensed Private Investigator with more than 30 years of professional investigative, litigation support and consulting experience in the public and private sectors, including money laundering, public corruption (bribery and extortion), asset tracing and corresponding illicit asset forfeiture, financial instituion fraud, in-depth AML compliance investigation, and risk-based audit reviews for compliance and AML functions. He also has extensive experience in forensic investigations with respect to procurement fraud, including vendor kickbacks and FCPA issues.
Harry’s vast litigation support experience has included working alongside federal prosecutors and trial lawyers, including testifying as an expert in corruption/money laundering criminal cases in federal court and providing expert opinion on federal statutes of money laundering in a civil RICO case.
Harry’s extensive investigative experience has been focused on working with the government, and in the private sector in the pharmaceutical, Oil & Gas, manufacturing, automotive, gaming and mining industries, where he served a number of Global Fortune 500 Companies.
Professional Affiliations:
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
- American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International
- Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Guadalupe "Lupe" Gonzalez
Mr. Gonzalez is a highly accomplished and focused top-level executive who has built exemplary experience over a professional career of more than twenty-five years with the FBI and nine with Deloitte.
Mr. Gonzalez retired as the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI field office, having previously served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Division, Los Angelas FBI; and the Special Agent in Charge – Pheonix FBI. During his tenure, Mr. Gonzalez oversaw numerous investigations including those related to international terrorism, domestic terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, espionage, public corruption, white collar crime, organized crime, drugs, violent crime and civil rights.
Mr. Gonzalez joined Deloitte Forensic in 2006 as a Director. He led and participated in numerous corporate fraud and anti-corruption investigations both in the US and in Mexico. In addition, he has participated in a two-year global FCPA investigation and has extensive experience working in Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, and Puerto Rico. He served as the Deputy Forensic Leader for Deloitte AFA, where he was responsible for the development of Deloitte’s Forensic Practices in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Panama.
Professional and academic qualifications:
- B.A. UT at Austin major: Accounting
Lupe Gonzalez CV (PDF)
Ernie Cooper, CPA, CFF, CFE, JD
Ernie is a close collaborator and associate of H. Garcia & Associates, Inc. He is also the president and founder of Cooper Forensic & Investigative Group (CFIG) and has been called the ultimate “Fraud Cop” because of his unique background, vast experience and success in the areas of fraud, forensic accounting and investigations. He is the one who many “large firms” have turned to “to get the job done.”
Ernie is not afraid to “roll up his sleeves and get into the trenches.” He is one of a kind – a CPA, Attorney, Certified Fraud Examiner and, proudly, a former FBI Special Agent for over twenty years. He has the rare ability to work effectively with attorneys and all levels of management.
Prior to joining the FBI, Ernie had nine years of professional experience, encompassing “Big Four” and local CPA work. Following his retirement from the FBI, Ernie held an executive position with KPMG, as Director of the Los Angeles forensic investigative practice. Ernie’s thirty-plus years of experience also includes audit work and the management of complex financial fraud matters. His areas of
expertise include investigations of white collar crime, money laundering, public corruption, government contract fraud, organized crime, financial institution fraud, and investigation of domestic and international narcotic organizations.
Joe Reyes
Mr. Reyes has over 35 years of law enforcement and corporate investigation experience, including: 5 years with Internal Revenue Service, 22 years with FBI, 8 years with Diageo, plc as Head of Corporate Security for Latin America and Caribbean region and 7 years as President of JREYES GROUP INC., an investigative and consulting company. He has extensive knowledge, expertize and skills in handling assignments and managing investigations in domestic and international environments as well as in challenging and high risk situations.
Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Reyes worked for the IRS where his experience included examining the records of businesses and corporations to ensure the tax liability was met. While in the FBI, he investigated and supervised myriad of federal cases in the U.S. and abroad.
Upon his retirement from the FBI, in 2000, Mr. Reyes joined British multinational corporation, Diageo plc, as the Head of Security for Latin America and Caribbean. His primary responsibilities were managing the security and brand integrity programs throughout the region. And support North America (included Canada) on needed basis. During his tenure as Head of Security, Mr. Reyes conducted a wide array of investigations and initiatives including: fraud, thefts, counterfeit, and compliance related issues. In addition, he developed, executed and managed a number corporate security and anti-counterfeit initiatives that led to a significant improvement in the effectiveness of the security and counterfeit programs.
After leaving Diageo Plc in 2008, Mr. Reyes formed and became President of JREYES GROUP INC (JRG), an investigative and consulting company. We have conducted investigations for clients including: litigation support, white collar crimes, corporate fraud, kickbacks, bribery, conflict of interests, due diligence on individuals and corporations, sexual harassment and other employees’ misconduct.
Sergio Chavantes
Sergio Chavantes has more than 30 years’ experience with a New York based global bank, working in Brazil and the United States, with exposure in Canada and Latin America. He has in-depth knowledge and skills in risk advisory matters including Audit, Compliance, Anti Money Laundering (AML), OFAC, Anti Bribery Corruption and Operational Risk Management. As an expert and leader in AML Subject matters, Sergio has engaged in conducting due diligence for business acquisitions, managing integrated audits and assurance delivery and assessing the effectiveness of Compliance AML program. In addition, Sergio has extensive experience in operational risk management, control gap identification and process improvement.
Sergio Chavantes CV (PDF)
George Franco
Mr. Franco served Bank of America for ten years as Assistant Vice president responsible for the BankCard Risk Management Division. In this capacity, Mr. Franco was responsible for the Due Diligence investigation of all prospective VISA/Mastercard merchants and for the investigation of all credit card fraud cases involving VISA/Mastercard merchants. Mr Franco was a member of both the VISA and Mastercard International Steering Committees, which governed all rules/bylaws for credit card transactions. Mr. Franco is an expert in credit card fraud.
Prior to joining Investigative Services Corporation, Mr. Franco served for two years as west coast director of an international investigation firm specializing in intellectual property and copyright infringement investigations. In this capacity, Mr. Franco successfully investigated cases for Rolex, Walt Disney, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Warner Bros. resulting in significant savings for each client as well as eliminating substantial fraud in the west coast region.
After serving as the West Coast Director, Mr. Franco became the chief investigator for ISC in 1991. Since joining ISC, Mr. Franco continues to successfully represent numerous high profile and celebrity clients and has been requested as a consultant/producer for various investigative television shows. Mr. Franco spearheaded the investigation for the largest criminal case involving GHB and Ecstasy. Prior to the current phenomenon of paparazzi, Mr. Franco was retained as the lead investigator for the original tabloid/gossip news shows such as: Hard Copy, Inside Edition and American Journal. Mr. Franco is a multi-lingual expert in covert investigations and has testified in court as an expert on numerous occasions. Mr. Franco is also highly regarded as being proficient and exceptionally skilled in both surveillance and undercover operations by his peers. In addition to the many areas of expertise, Mr. Franco also personally maintains a Nevada Private Investigator License (ASPS), a California Process Server License and a Los Angeles County Bar Associate member license. Currently, Mr. Franco is the President and CEO of the firm.
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