Individuals
Private Investigator Specializing in Estates and Inheritance in France
When an estate raises questions
An estate can be a source of conflict or deadlock: an heir whose address is unknown, a potentially unknown heir, suspicions of hidden assets or suspicious financial transactions prior to death, or disputes among beneficiaries. To assert your rights and resolve the situation, you need concrete evidence—not assumptions.
A private investigation makes it possible to gather, in accordance with the law, information useful for settling an estate: identifying and locating heirs, conducting asset searches, and uncovering evidence of undeclared assets. This information can facilitate an amicable resolution, inform the settlement of an estate, or support legal action in the event of a dispute.
Conducting this research on your own is complex and time-consuming. A licensed private investigator brings a systematic approach and actionable results, complementing—where appropriate—the work of the professionals assisting you with the estate settlement.
What Our Survey Covers
- Identification and location of known or unknown heirs;
- Heritage research on the assets included in the estate;
- Identification of evidence suggesting the presence of hidden property;
- Compilation of information on suspicious transactions between related parties;
- A dated and documented report that can be used in court.
Each item is documented to ensure its value. When the primary goal is to locate a beneficiary, the investigation becomes part of our search for a person.
How is the investigation proceeding?
After a confidential, free, and no-obligation consultation, we define your objective and provide a clear quote. Our investigators then conduct research and verifications throughout France, with the utmost discretion. You’ll receive a documented report, presented—if necessary—in a format admissible in court. The scope of the investigation will be adjusted in consultation with you based on the initial findings.
Why Choose the Aquila Group
The Aquila Group is a private detective agency accredited by the CNAPS. Your investigations are conducted by our own investigators, and we operate throughout France—with particularly high demand in the Paris region—thanks to our network of twenty offices across five regions.
Rigor, discretion, and compliance with the law guide our work; we work closely with your attorney or legal counsel when appropriate. To discuss your situation with us, please contact our team : the initial consultation is free and non-binding.
Heirs and Inheritance: What We're Looking For
An estate settlement often gets stalled for two reasons: an heir who cannot be located, or an estate whose value is in dispute. We address both of these issues. On the one hand, we identify and locate heirs—whether known or unknown—through lawful research and cross-checking. On the other hand, we conduct asset investigations to clarify the actual composition of the estate.
When assets appear to have been concealed, or when suspicious transactions occurred prior to the death, we gather the evidence supporting such a presumption. Each finding is carefully documented so that it can support either an out-of-court settlement or legal action, without ever resorting to unfounded assertions.
Unlocking an Estate with Confidence
Our work naturally complements that of the professionals who assist you in settling the estate. We provide them with actionable factual information, which often saves valuable time and helps resolve situations that have been stalled for months, or sometimes even years.
We approach these cases with the understanding that they involve both family heritage and family history. Discretion, impartiality, and legal rigor guide every step of our work, and you will have a single point of contact from our initial discussion through the delivery of our findings.
It is this combination of approach and respect that allows you to assert your rights without further straining relationships that are already fragile.
Litigation or Out-of-Court Settlement
Our services are tailored to the nature of each case. In out-of-court settlements, our efforts to locate heirs and verify assets streamline the work of legal professionals and expedite the resolution process. In litigation, these efforts provide the factual evidence needed to assert your rights in court.
In both cases, the quality of the documentation is crucial: a dated and well-documented finding carries far greater weight than a mere allegation. We ensure this robustness, while keeping in mind the human dimension of these cases, which affect families as much as they do assets.
In an estate, time is of the essence: the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to establish the facts, and the more likely it is that any hidden assets will slip away. Initiating the search promptly significantly increases the chances of success, whether the goal is to locate an heir or to clarify the true extent of the estate. We conduct these investigations methodically and discreetly, in close collaboration with the professionals assisting you, and we provide you with documented evidence that can be used in both amicable and litigious proceedings. Recognizing that these cases involve family history as much as financial interests, we approach them with the seriousness and discretion they deserve, from our initial consultation through the delivery of our findings. The initial consultation is free and non-binding, and gives us the opportunity to assess together the feasibility of the research based on the information you have available.
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Estates and Inheritance: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A firm accredited by the CNAPS can identify and locate known or unknown heirs through lawful research and cross-checking.
We can gather evidence suggesting the existence of undeclared assets—which may be useful for settlement or legal action—through lawful and well-documented means.
Yes, provided they are collected legally. The report can be presented in a documented and usable format in the event of a probate dispute.
The estimate is free and non-binding. The cost depends on the scope of the research and will be clearly communicated to you before any work begins.
Yes, throughout France thanks to our network of offices, and internationally if the search for heirs requires it.
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