Beware the private eye

FORGET dingy offices and trench coats, the trademark of pulp fiction private detectives. Today's private eyes operate from swankier offices with their own personalised chocolates for clients and the New Sunday Times team was thrown for a loop when they visited one recently.

More conflicts of interest at Manatee Rural Health?

MANATEE — Manatee County Rural Health Services’ chief executive is promising reforms following a Bradenton Herald investigation into his salary and the agency’s hiring of firms owned by its officials — even as other questionable business dealings are uncovered.

Blackwater created shell firms to win contracts, says NYT

Washington, Sep 4 : Private security firm Blackwater Worldwide created over 30 shell companies in an attempt to secure millions of dollars in US government contracts, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Across the Mon Valley, contract winners have intricate ties to former superintendent

During a decade as superintendent of three school systems, Patrick Risha, 59, worked repeatedly with contractors whose relationships have included business and political aspects, spurring protests, court battles and a Post-Gazette examination.

Amtrak hired private lawyers for executives

Top Amtrak officials declined to participate in an internal investigation until they were provided private lawyers on the government-owned company's dime, an unusual request considering they were not even targets of the probe. Records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that Amtrak Treasurer Dale Stein, General Counsel Eleanor ...