Bennett E. Kaplan

Bennett has conducted investigations for more than twenty-five years as a consultant, a federal prosecutor, and a private lawyer. Bennett combines the expertise and perspectives of an attorney, a Certified Public Accountant, and a Certified Fraud Examiner in providing clients with comprehensive solutions.

Since founding Axium in 2006, Bennett has conducted many and varied complex internal investigations for publicly-traded and privately-held companies responding to allegations of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, code of conduct violations, regulatory improprieties, and employee malfeasance. Bennett has led comprehensive due diligence investigations across the United States, as well as in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Canada. Bennett has assisted many investment firms and other organizations in assessing risks and opportunities. He has been a trusted resource to companies and their counsel in investigating claims and developing positions in litigation and regulatory matters.

Bennett served for more than seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Department of Justice in Chicago. In that position, Bennett worked closely with federal law enforcement agents in many significant and sophisticated investigations. Bennett successfully investigated and prosecuted cases involving public corruption, investment fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, government program fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, health care fraud, and Internet transmission offenses.  Bennett was the lead prosecutor of the high-profile corruption prosecution of the Cook County Treasurer and two state legislators.

Following his public service, Bennett practiced law at the international law firm of Mayer Brown. Bennett’s private legal practice concentrated on white-collar grand jury matters, internal investigations, fraud-based litigation, regulatory compliance, financial statement misrepresentation, health care fraud, and securities trading disputes. Bennett also served as an Assistant States Attorney with the Cook County States’ Attorney’s Office and a Staff Attorney with United States Court of Appeals in New York.

Bennett has lectured at law and graduate business schools on topics of investigative due diligence, fraud prevention, and background investigations in litigation.

Having been appointed by Illinois Governor Pritzker, Bennett currently serves as a commissioner on the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission. Bennett previously served as the Chairperson of the Cook County Hate Crime Prosecution Council.  Bennett also served as a Commissioner on the Illinois Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.

Bennett is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the American Bar Association, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.