Finding Hidden & Overseas Assets

The asset search

A debtor who won't pay will often claim to have nothing. Finding the truth is a discipline: post-judgment discovery lets us subpoena banks, review filings, and depose the debtor under oath about where the money went. Transfers to relatives, shell companies, and out-of-state or offshore accounts leave a trail — and that trail is what makes enforcement possible.

When the money left the country

New York's role in global business means debtors frequently move assets overseas, assuming they're out of reach. They're often not. 28 U.S.C. § 1782 is a powerful federal tool that lets U.S. courts compel discovery of evidence held in the United States for use in proceedings abroad — including tracing a debtor's foreign assets and the institutions connected to them.

How we build the picture

• Banking discovery — subpoenas to financial institutions to trace accounts and transfers.
• Corporate & property records — uncovering entities and real estate held indirectly.
• Debtor depositions — sworn testimony that pins down assets and exposes fraudulent transfers.
• §1782 discovery — reaching evidence in the U.S. that maps a debtor's overseas holdings.

From found to collected

Locating assets is the setup; enforcement is the finish — restraining the account, liening the property, or compelling turnover once we know where it is.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really reach assets held overseas? Often, yes — through §1782 discovery to trace them and enforcement mechanisms to reach assets or leverage that brings the debtor to the table.

What is a fraudulent transfer? When a debtor moves assets to avoid paying, the law can let a creditor unwind that transfer and reach the property.

Do I need a judgment first? Post-judgment discovery requires a judgment, but asset investigation can begin earlier as part of building the case.