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Audit & Compliance

Forensic & Environmental Audits in Chile

When fraud is suspected, or when permit obligations need verifying — carried out by certified auditors alongside legal counsel.

What this involves

Two specialized audits that share a method: verify what actually happened against what the records claim, and produce something that holds up if it is later used in a proceeding.

Forensic accounting applies when money is suspected to have gone somewhere it should not have — reconstructing the flow of funds and the documentary trail. Environmental auditing applies where an operation carries permit and regulatory obligations, and management needs to know its real position before an authority establishes it for them.

What we handle

Forensic accounting investigation

Reconstructing transactions, tracing funds and identifying the documentary gaps, with certified auditors working alongside legal counsel.

Evidence-grade documentation

Findings documented so they can support a criminal complaint, a dismissal or an insurance claim, rather than only informing management.

Internal environmental audit

Reviewing permits, conditions and reporting obligations against actual operations, with the gaps quantified.

Regulatory exposure assessment

What the findings mean in terms of sanction risk, and what to remediate first.

Remediation and follow-up

A plan with owners and deadlines, and verification that what was supposed to change actually changed.

How we run this for a client abroad

01

Assessment first

You send the documents you have. We tell you what applies, what it costs and how long it takes — before you commit to anything.

02

Power of attorney

Granted at a Chilean consulate or apostilled where you live. It lets us act for you in Chile without you travelling.

03

We file, you get updates

Our attorneys handle the filings and appearances in Chile. You get plain-English updates at every stage.

Forensic Accounting & Environmental Audits — common questions

What English-speaking clients ask us most about this specific service.

We suspect an employee is stealing. Where do we start?
Quietly and carefully. Confronting the person before the records are secured is the most common way evidence disappears. The first step is preserving access logs, documents and systems, then reconstructing the transactions. Decisions about dismissal or a criminal complaint come after you know the scope, not before.
Can the findings be used in court?
That is what we build for. Findings documented with the underlying records, a clear methodology and a traceable chain of custody can support a criminal complaint or a labor proceeding. An informal internal review that skipped those steps frequently cannot.
What triggers an environmental audit?
Usually one of three things: a permit condition requiring it, a change in operations that may exceed what was authorized, or a transaction where a buyer or lender will ask. Occasionally it is simply management wanting to know before an authority tells them.
Who carries out the work?
Certified auditors working alongside our lawyers. The combination matters: the audit establishes the facts, and the legal reading establishes what those facts mean in terms of exposure and what to do about them.

Talk to a Chilean lawyer about a forensic or environmental audit

Get an initial assessment in English — confidential, with no obligation.

Book your consultation now →
WhatsApp+56 9 5217 5304
Emailhola@oklegal.cl
HoursMon–Sat 09:00–20:00