| You're not alone. In fact, it's doubtful if many | | | | counterspy. |
| have. If, upon hearing the term, "Corporate | | | | There are as many counterespionage measures |
| Spook", you picture a spy tiptoeing through a | | | | available to him as he can create. Once he |
| darkened office, armed with a tiny pen that | | | | identifies the mole, and sizes him up, his approach |
| shoots a deadly projectile into a counterspy | | | | is limited only by his imagination and, he adds, his |
| extracting trade secrets from a computer, read | | | | sense of humor. |
| on, because your image is not too different than | | | | Sometimes, the direct approach to the mole is |
| that of William Klausman's. | | | | best. For instance, one assignment led him to a |
| For nearly thirty years, Klausman has led double | | | | mole that had stolen a European client's |
| lives as a businessman and an undercover spy in | | | | copyrighted material, and published it on his own |
| the shadowy world of international corporate | | | | website. Using a suitable pretext, Klausman met |
| espionage. He began his investigative career in the | | | | and convinced the mole that such behavior was |
| late sixties with the Multnomah County Sheriff's | | | | not only unhealthy, but very consistent with that |
| Office in Portland, Oregon. He took a leave of | | | | of the mole's counterparts who were found |
| absence to look over the Washington, D.C. | | | | floating in the East River. |
| intelligence community but, disillusioned, he | | | | Other times, his direct involvement in the process |
| returned to Portland to continue his career in | | | | works better. This is when the fun begins. A client |
| finance, business ownership and, finally, as a | | | | guaranteed a bank loan for a new business |
| corporate spy. | | | | partner. Both signed a blank signature card and, |
| Most of his assignments are defensive. "When | | | | based on the bank manager's promise to |
| business clients are threatened by outside attack," | | | | complete the card later, especially the insertion of |
| he explains, "I am hired to determine who, what, | | | | the critical instructions, "two signatures required," |
| where, when and why and neutralize the attack. | | | | Klausman's client felt he had control over the bank |
| Subject matter includes theft of trade secrets, | | | | account, as was his agreement with the bank and |
| copyright infringement, embezzling, drug dealing, | | | | with the partner. For whatever reason, though, |
| product diverting, and other activities. The list is | | | | the new card was never completed. The next |
| long." | | | | day, when the crooked partner emptied the |
| On call around the clock, he could be entertaining | | | | account with a one-signature check and left town, |
| in a target's night club one evening and on a plane | | | | the bank came knocking on the door of |
| to Washington, Frankfurt or Pusan the next. "With | | | | Klausman's client. |
| appropriate identification, a bit of nerve and a | | | | Klausman's assignment was to make certain that |
| whole lot of luck," he says, "I've portrayed a | | | | his client's signature was on that card because, |
| computer programmer, accountant, chief financial | | | | with it, the bank erred in allowing the funds to be |
| officer, cartoonist, artist, writer, lecturer, master | | | | withdrawn without the two signatures. How? |
| of ceremonies, advertising executive, cook's | | | | Create another card? With fake ID saying he was |
| helper, warehouseman, entertainer, auditor, | | | | the bank's internal auditor, Klausman infiltrated the |
| television newscaster, technician, race car driver, | | | | bank's computer system and located the only |
| retailer, medical doctor, psychiatrist, attorney, bar | | | | card on file--the old one. Stealthily, he entered the |
| tender and countless other job categories." He is | | | | bank's files, pulled the card, and forged a |
| the true chameleon. | | | | much-rehearsed signature of his client, inserting |
| You won't find Klausman in the Yellow Pages, but | | | | the words "two sigs required." |
| he can be reached through the corporate | | | | In making his exit, though, he ran headlong into |
| grapevine. He also receives some assignments | | | | the bank manager and a FBI agent, both who |
| through advertisements in bar directories, through | | | | raised serious questions about his authenticity. He |
| an attorney and nationally renowned investigator | | | | must have dazzled them with his fancy footwork, |
| who all maintain his secret identity. | | | | because he walked away without being |
| Corporate Espionage is a term that describes the | | | | handcuffed. As for his client, the next he heard |
| arena within which he sneaks, mostly undetected, | | | | from them was a sincere apology and a |
| within and around the secret boardrooms and | | | | forgiveness of the note. |
| information systems of the world's major | | | | "First I learn where my target hangs," says |
| corporations, sometimes bumping against moles | | | | Klausman. "And when I'm satisfied that I know his |
| from different venues. And his work is, most | | | | hot and cold buttons, I lay out my plan of a |
| certainly, dangerous. Oh yes, the cloak-and-dagger | | | | layered counterattack." |
| syndrome is commonplace in the after-hours | | | | One target, a British citizen, had pulled a scam on |
| work environment, as is a clear and present | | | | a major Korean manufacturer. Klausman learned |
| danger of being caught, especially for Klausman, a | | | | where the Brit worked, infiltrated his company, |
| counterespionage operative. | | | | and learned all he needed. His research showed |
| Specializing in one on one--spy versus | | | | that the target keeps in shape by bicycling and, |
| counterspy--and on call round the clock, he | | | | further, that he rides with a British cycle club, a |
| entertains in a target's nightclub during the | | | | hundred-plus member organization sponsored by |
| evening, and hours later he catches the red-eye | | | | several local bike stores. Klausman's top layer |
| to Washington, Frankfurt or several Asian cities. | | | | being relatively easy, he makes friends with the |
| He infiltrates a clothing manufacturer's business | | | | owner of a sponsoring bike store who, over a |
| one day as an auditor to gain access to their | | | | period of weeks, introduces him to a friend of a |
| books, and the next day as a janitor to find | | | | friend of a friend of his target. By the time |
| discarded documented proof in the trash. One | | | | Klausman meets him for a day's ride, he is the |
| moment he is a psychiatrist infiltrating a | | | | target's buddy. After a few beers and a game of |
| psychiatric hospital's records to find proof of | | | | one-upmanship, the target spills his guts while |
| patient abuse and the next day, a narc operating | | | | Klausman walks away with the proof that his |
| a sting operation to trap a druggist as he | | | | client needs, including facts about the mole's |
| knowingly fills false prescriptions. From | | | | unique business. |
| transportation director to cook's helper to | | | | On still another caper involving big bucks, |
| television newscaster, he does them all and, as | | | | Klausman follows a target to a bar where he |
| far as he knows, has only been caught once. | | | | overhears him tell the owner that he has this idea |
| Say, for instance, a huge American manufacturer | | | | for a great restaurant, but is short on cash. A |
| of athletic apparel learns that their men's cross | | | | day later, Klausman goes into the same bar and |
| trainers are being sold in non-licensed retailers at a | | | | asks the owner if he might be willing to take on a |
| price less than their licensed retailers' costs. | | | | silent partner. As suspected, the owner refers |
| Klausman infiltrates the small retailer as a | | | | Klausman to the target. Within a few weeks, |
| Workers Comp auditor and, using their own | | | | Klausman and his target become inseparable, as |
| system, discovers their source of the illegal shoes. | | | | they view several restaurant sites and negotiate |
| With this data, he works his way to the | | | | several leases. During this time, the target spills |
| transporter and finally to the Asian manufacturer | | | | the beans into Klausman's hidden recorder, proof |
| who, as a licenses, manufacturers the shoes for | | | | their strong bind. |
| Klausman's client during the day. But, then he | | | | "To this day," Klausman says, "he has no idea that |
| learns that on the other side of the clock, the | | | | I put an end to his multi-million dollar scheme |
| so-called licensed manufacturer turns out the | | | | against my client." |
| identical product line for someone else. | | | | According to Klausman, sometimes cases are |
| Successfully, he infiltrates the "international | | | | resolved within a few weeks. Most often, though, |
| network" and puts a stop to it, saving the apparel | | | | they are not. His longest lasting one is still ongoing |
| manufacturer tons of money and tons of grief. | | | | and has been for nearly twenty years. Actually a |
| In most cases, the intruder is an infiltration | | | | series of cases, his client is an international |
| specialist, and enters the workplace in any one of | | | | conglomerate whose information systems are |
| any imaginable descriptions, for one reason, and | | | | under constant attack from outside sources |
| will allow nothing to stand in his way--well almost | | | | searching for trade secrets, copyrights and other |
| nothing. The fact that Klausman stops the | | | | specifics. He sets up and continues to operate |
| attacker in his tracks, using whatever | | | | several internet sting operations using actual |
| counterespionage measures necessary, is what | | | | businesses as fronts. He maintains nearly a |
| renders him so valuable to his clients. And since | | | | hundred different identities to monitor his targets' |
| Klausman's identification is unknown to his clients, | | | | activities. |
| his clients may, at any time, disavow any | | | | "Once this assignments ends," Klausman says, "it |
| knowledge that they have employed such a | | | | will make a doozy of a tale. |