Juan Castañeda

Corporate Fraud and Financial Misconduct Investigations

• Investigated fraud and embezzlement by former CEO of investment company.

• Completed an internal corporate investigation of suspected embezzlement by an employee of a medical device company. The investigation led to the opening of an official criminal investigation by law enforcement.

• Managed several complex investigations related to false and fraudulent claims made by medical providers in violation of California’s Insurance Fraud Prevention Act.

• Conducted an investigation of potentially improper use of lender funds by bank executives leading to a determination of various breaches of fiduciary duties.

• Conducted internal investigation for defense contractor related to $500,000 embezzlement leading to prosecution by San Diego D.A.

• On behalf of insurance carrier, interviewed key insurance personnel and investigated allegations of extortion brought against claims specialist by insured and judgment creditor.

Executive and Board-Level Investigations

• Represented board of directors of medical group in investigation of breaches of fiduciary duties and health self-dealing care violations by physician.

• Conducted investigation and provided guidance to CEO of company related to internal investigation of corruption and self-dealing.

• Performed investigation of legal department for large consumer company based on allegations of impropriety by former employee.

• Investigated fraud and embezzlement by former CEO of investment company.

• Investigated CEO of large nonprofit for financial misconduct.

• Conducted an investigation of potentially improper use of lender funds by bank executives leading to a determination of various breaches of fiduciary duties.

• Investigated claims of bullying in life science company brought by scientist against executives of company.

• Performed sensitive investigation of sexual harassment by senior level executive in New York against female employees for national media communications company.

• Engaged in sensitive investigation of harassment by senior level executive toward employees of therapy and childhood development company.

Workplace Investigations

• Conducted investigation for Tennessee based hotel company of harassment by supervisor against interns and employees related to disability, sexual orientation, racial and gender. 

• Engaged in bilingual investigation into allegations of drug use and sale at worksite of large California based produce company.

• Conducted investigation on behalf of AmLaw 200 law firm related to claims of employment discrimination, retaliation, and sexual misconduct by equity partner against income partner.

• Investigated allegations of demeaning and sexually exploitative conduct by manager of a fast casual restaurant chain.

• Investigated racial and gender discrimination and harassment for a consumer products company with interviews in Chicago, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

• Retained by general counsel of national construction company to conduct investigation related to claims by employee of ethnic, gender and disability discrimination. 

• Conducted investigation of racial harassment for a large restaurant chain in California.

• Conducted internal investigation of executive harassment by shareholders.

• Investigated gender, age, race and disability discrimination by supervisor of amusement park.

• On behalf of event and technology products company, conducted investigation of sexual harassment by contract employee toward employees.

• Conducted workplace investigation for company in movie industry related to claims of bullying and toxic work environment on account of gender and race by an executive.

• Engaged by family-run farm and flower grower to conduct Spanish language investigation related to claims of sexual harassment.

• Worked with chain of retail music schools in California on claims of harassment and discrimination brought against founder by employee.

• Conducted internal investigation related to employment allegations against defense contractor before the Department of Fair Employment & Housing.

Government and Regulatory Investigations

• Investigated claims of self-dealing by city manager in federal criminal probe.

• Performed sensitive investigation for California municipality related to leak of highly classified information including interviewing Mayor, City Council members and City Attorney.

• Conducted internal investigation for life science company related to whistleblower claims of violations of federal law by former employee.

• Guided health care company in investigation by federal government related to false claims.

• Guided investigation of potential federal securities violations for cryptocurrency company.

• Successfully guided clients in investigations conducted by various federal and California government agencies.

• Guided investigation of employee related to federal food safety violations by wholesale food service distributor.

• Represented construction company in investigation by Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

• Represented a waste collection and recycling company in a regulatory investigation by CAL-OSHA.

• Conducted investigation of fair housing violations alleged against real property management company.

• Conducted internal investigation into allegations of discrimination brought before the EEOC.

• Conducted investigation on behalf of construction company in relation to allegations of potential violations of the Clean Water Act by the federal government.

• Retained by municipality to participate in investigation related to allegations of misconduct brought by in-house counsel for municipality against city official.

• Engaged to conduct white collar internal investigation into whether ponzi scheme investment scheme was being perpetrated by CEO of company which was done in parallel with a federal investigation. 

• Conducted investigation for a municipality related to bullying and harassment in a Spanish speaking landscaping workforce.

International Investigations

• Conducted bilingual investigation with interviews in Central America and the United States for faith-based organization related to claims of sexual misconduct by staff member against volunteer.

• Conducted bilingual investigation for Mexican subsidiary of large utility company   related to employee complaints of harassment and discrimination by supervisor.

• Investigated allegations that seasonal Spanish speaking visa workers from Central America were potentially paying individuals, including company’s Human Resources Manager to take part in an employer sponsored visa program.

• Investigated allegations of gender discrimination at a global non-profit with interviews throughout the United States and in Africa and Australia.

• Investigated allegations raised by employee of contractor to Australian consumer products company that the CEO and a board member of the Company engaged in sexually harassment and discriminatory behavior.

• Guided investigation related to international sexual and criminal misconduct by executive level employee of international real estate company.

• Led investigation of potential FCPA bribery and U.S. Travel Act violations by company executive leading to termination of executive and risk management by company.

• Worked on international FCPA investigation for a hotel in Thailand.

• Conducted FCPA due diligence investigation.

• Led and handled bilingual internal investigations for companies dealing with the Foreign Corrupt Practice Act.

• Guided investigation related to international sexual and criminal misconduct by executive level employee of international real estate company.

• Led investigation of potential FCPA bribery and U.S. Travel Act violations by company executive leading to termination of executive and risk management by company.

• Worked on international FCPA investigation for a hotel in Thailand.

• Conducted FCPA due diligence investigation.

Nonprofit and Faith-Based Investigations

• Led and investigated sexual misconduct investigation related to a faith based international NGO with interviews throughout the United States and abroad.

• Conducted internal investigation of racial and gender harassment and investigation for a large humanitarian organization with interviews throughout the western United States.

• Conducted investigation on behalf of a university related to a complaint of racial discrimination and harassment made by a professor against the President of the University.

• Investigated claims of physical assault and misconduct by pastor of church.

• Investigated female youth group leader for allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct toward male youth in a midwestern Church.

• Conducted complex investigation into allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse brought by former female President of faith-based organization against CEO that included allegations going back decades and included dozens of witnesses and electronic evidence.

• Conducted investigation for a church in the Eastern United States, including forensic examination of cell phone and witness interviews, related to allegations of inappropriate conduct by senior level executive.

• Retained by Board of Elders of California based church to investigate allegations of inappropriate relationship between a pastor and female staff member.

• Investigated claims of physical assault and misconduct by pastor of church.

• Hired by Church in Texas to investigate misconduct by senior pastor and board members related to involvement with individual accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with young men.

• For a church board client, investigated allegations that a former youth pastor committed sexual misconduct with young females and that church leaders failed to act appropriately when told about the misconduct.

• Retained to investigate claims of racial discrimination and harassment by CEO of Christian missionary organization against African American staff and missionaries.

• Conducted in-depth forensic investigation for a church in the southern United States into allegations of executive level misconduct by a celebrity pastor and a female member.

School and University Investigations

• Conducted investigation of embezzlement by CFO of a private school on the East Coast.

• Conducted bilingual investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against supervising custodian toward female state for charter school.

• Conducted investigation on behalf of a university related to a complaint of racial discrimination and harassment made by a professor against the President of the University.

• Conducted investigation for female students at private school related to systematic sexual harassment by football team member and university’s deficient handling of matter.

• Conducted investigation against CEO of charter school brought by male teacher for bullying, age based and racial discrimination.

• Conducted Title IX investigation for University related to complaints by women’s basketball players against the head coach alleging discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

• Investigated allegations of sexual misconduct against board member and outside counsel for private school.