Founder & MD

Mark (“Emu”) went undercover in the New Zealand Police at age 19. He quickly infiltrated an organized crime operation and became a running mate with one of New Zealand's most notorious criminals. Mark would go on to earn honors in his law degree before starting Warden Consulting in 1995. Working across all aspects of the business, he has traced, frozen and distributed stolen assets back to our clients in Asia, Europe and The Americas.

General Manager

General manager, Ben Van Leeuwarden (“Snake”), is a licensed private investigator with over 8 years experience in international fraud, surveillance and undercover operations. Ben brings true international experience to the company having operated the business in Amsterdam, New York, London. He is currently based in Mexico City. Ben holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) from Victoria University in Wellington.

Consultant

Dennis is an expert forensic accountant, certified fraud examiner (USA), and licensed insolveny practitioner (NZ) who has undertaken hundreds of forensic accounting investigations of companies and individuals in both civil and criminal cases. He provides expert advice and consultation services to a number of government agencies in relation to civil and criminal investigations and related regulatory matters.

Legal Counsel

Pablo holds a masters degree in Law (LL.M.) from La Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). A specialist in corporate law, he has worked for Google, Baker Hughes, McDonalds and Jaguar. He assists on financial crime cases and provides specialised legal investigation advice from our Mexico City office.

Andrea holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies from the University of Westminster. He is fluent in Italian, French, Swedish, English, and Spanish. He has lived in Mexico for the last 25 years. Andrea's diverse skill set and international perspective are now key assets for our fraud investigation and undercover operations.

James Cunningham MA (Hons), PG. Dip. Clin Psych, MNZCCP, MASSBI, MINS brings over two decades of expertise in clinical psychology. James specializes in agent oversight and the assessment of psychological wellness, functionality and maximizing potential.

Operations

Ainsley ("Ladybird"), started her career in the Police. She was a member of the Diplomatic Protection Squad, protecting high profile dignitaries and politicians including Princess Diana. Ainsley oversees all major fraud cases, conducting research and organizing backend logistics. She has HR responsibility including the protection and care of Warden undercover agents.

Office Manager

Denise ("Diesel") is our Office Manager and has been with Warden since 2006. She manages each and every detail of our day-to-day business. Diesel came to us following a long and varied career in the legal sectors, commencing work at the Magistrates Court in Auckland and subsequently working for Barristers, Queen’s Counsel and law firms in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Operators

Our operators can have history with Police, Military or Intelligence Agency undercover programmes. Our primary operators are former Warden agents with up to 20 years experience. They are experts in strategic direction, tactics, client interface, evidence collation and agent security.

University educated and of Asian ethnicity, Agent 1 can blend into any scenario across finance, banking and high-level business. He has been with the company for over 10 years. Agent 1 appears non-threatening and trustworthy but is very persuasive, quickly disarming employees to gain vital insights. Agent 1 has a talent for writing and his daily reporting provides immense detail on targets, environments and business dynamics.

Comes from a rural region and has the appearance of a farmer. Agent 2 has licenses to use heavy machinery and vehicles. He is immediately likeable with a friendly demeanour and broad smile. Agent 2 has been deployed in over 15 operations, specializing in blue collar roles in warehouses, factories and sorting facilities. Although Agent 2 comes off as a laid back person, he is adept at gaining trust and navigating workplace relationships to reveal misconduct. On one deployment this agent assisted in the recovery of millions of dollars of stolen property.

Agent 3 has true international experience having lived in Germany, The United Kingdom and Hong Kong. He has over 35 years of experience in the banking and finance industry, gaining global connections with prominent C-level executives. His knowledge of global banking practices means that he can provide strategic counsel to the client as the operation unfolds. Agent 3 is only available for long-term operations and requires 6 months notice.

Agent 4 has been working in the tech industry for more than 12 years. She has extensive experience in blockchain technology, streaming services and sales software. She is ahead of the curve in relation to AI, design and emerging technology. Agent 4 is in her 30s and of a calm disposition, she is only available for long term deployments. On one deployment agent 4 identified systemic accounting fraud within a major organization.

Agent 5 comes from a military background and is an expert in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Agent 5 commands respect, he is muscular and intimidating. Agent 5 has been deployed on over 15 major operations over the last 20 years. He has worked in violent environments, infiltrating organized crime rings. Agent 5 has an expert understanding of the criminal landscape and can quickly adapt to the most challenging environments.

Agent 6 is a keen rugby player and of Polynesian origin, he has been with the company for over 9 years. The way he carries himself and communicates allows him to easily blend into warehouses, factories and postal facilities. Agent 6 has worked with one of our operators for over 8 years, this strong relationship allows them to quickly identify, record and navigate challenging situations.

Agent 7 is a twenty year veteran of the Warden undercover programme. He conducted the first ever methamphetamine buy in New Zealand in conjunction with the Auckland police drug squad. With a military background he possesses senior management and project experience. He has given evidence in the District and High courts.

Agent 8 is a former model who began working with us in her early 20s. She has worked in a wide range of roles and industries, delivering results that exceed client expectations.

Agent 9 is a former military Special Forces Operator with an African background. He has been deployed in various jurisdictions globally and has been retained by Warden over the past fifteen years.

Of Maori descent Agent 10 has been deployed over the past five years. He has extensive courier, logistics and stores experience. Is very personable and can easily gain penetrate scenes in a non-threatening manner. He fully conversant with equipment and skilled in process analysis. Agent 10 is an expert in occupational drug use.

Agent 11 is a former Mexican Police Officer with particular experience in drug offending. He has conducted four private sector undercover operations. A Baja California native with excellent English, he is fully conversant with the crime and corruption issues facing Mexican and United States businesses.

Agent 12 is an Australian citizen with links into Europe. He is an engineer with extensive experience in manufacturing and mining both in Australia and internationally. He is so skilled with machinery and can adapt to any environment quickly, allowing him to expeditiously analyse systems and procedural issues.