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5 Stones intelligence Strengthens Leadership With Addition of High-profile Federal and International Recruits
5 Stones intelligence Strengthens Leadership With Addition of High-profile Federal and International Recruits

Business Wire

time05-08-2025

  • Business
  • Business Wire

5 Stones intelligence Strengthens Leadership With Addition of High-profile Federal and International Recruits

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--5 Stones intelligence (5Si)®, a leading professional intelligence and investigations firm headquartered in Miami, FL, with additional offices in Washington, D.C. and across the globe, has announced a significant expansion of its leadership team. The company has welcomed seven seasoned law enforcement, intelligence, and military professionals from the U.S., U.K., and Israel, while also promoting two exemplary internal leaders, further strengthening its position as the operator of the world's largest private HUMINT intelligence network serving government, corporate, and private-sector Clients worldwide. "The caliber of talent joining and advancing within 5Si is extraordinary. Their collective skills reinforce our mission to deliver world-class intelligence and investigative solutions for every Client we serve." –5Si Founder David Tinsley Share The new hires include Helene Miller KPM, former London Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector; Bailea Tinsley, former FBI Special Agent; Daniel Forst, former Israel Defense Force Unit 8200; Mack Strong, former HSI Miami Supervisory Special Agent; Matthew Germanowski, former DEA Special Operations Senior Executive; John Gazzarra, former DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge; and Louis Sastre, former Miami Police Task Force Agent. In addition to these appointments, Grayson Blake has been promoted to Director of Science & Technology Services, and Matthew Tinsley has been promoted to Chief of Staff. "Our Clients rely on us for their most sensitive investigations and intelligence challenges," said Brian Talay, CEO of 5Si. "With more than 100 years of combined global law enforcement and intelligence experience, the addition of these exceptional individuals further enhances our global services and enables us to continue delivering extraordinary outcomes for our Clients." Helene Miller, KPM, 5Si's Director of Global Investigations and Risk Management for the United Kingdom and Europe, provides strategic investigative leadership to 5Si's government and commercial Clients across Europe from the firm's London office. A decorated former Detective Chief Inspector with London's Metropolitan Police Service, Miller brings more than 30 years of leadership in complex investigations, risk management, and international crime operations. She also served with the U.K.'s National Crime Agency (NCA). She was awarded the prestigious King's Police Medal for distinguished service. Recognized as "Crime Fighter of the Year" for her work combating modern slavery and human trafficking, Miller led a 120-person detective unit specializing in mass fatalities, family liaison, and high-risk cases. Bailea Tinsley, 5Si's Director of Global Investigations and Intelligence Services, operates from the Washington, D.C. office. A former FBI Special Agent, Tinsley brings extensive experience investigating transnational criminal enterprises and complex financial crimes, including major cases on Native American reservations. Her assignments spanned the Baltimore, Nashville, and Oklahoma City field offices. Before joining the FBI, she practiced law in Finance and Corporate Restructuring and holds a J.D. from Emory University School of Law. Tinsley is also trained in multiple law enforcement and intelligence disciplines and is proficient in French with additional Arabic skills. At 5Si, she leads high-level global investigations and litigation strategies for government and commercial Clients across diverse international sectors. Daniel Forst, 5Si's Director of Global Technology Solutions and Services, is based in the firm's Jerusalem office. A veteran of Israel's elite IDF Unit 8200, Forst brings over 20 years of experience advancing deep-tech solutions across defense, homeland security, and intelligence sectors. He has led high-impact initiatives on Iran and global terrorism, operating in politically unstable regions and conflict zones. A recognized subject matter expert in Technical Covert Operations, Forst provides 5Si Clients with access to cutting-edge technologies and strategic guidance on complex geopolitical threats. He holds a degree in East Asian Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and speaks multiple languages. Forst also supports veteran-focused resilience programs and serves on the board of a nonprofit educational theater. Mack Strong, 5Si's Director of Global Security and Sensitive Investigations and Intelligence, oversees complex international investigations from the firm's Miami office. A distinguished former HSI Supervisory Special Agent, Strong led groundbreaking international operations for the Department of Homeland Security focused on complex financial crimes, illicit networks, and national security threats. He is a recognized subject matter expert in anti-money laundering, kleptocracy, OFAC sanctions enforcement, FCPA violations, and due diligence under the Patriot Act and Bank Secrecy Act. With extensive expertise in asset tracing, financial fraud, and global compliance strategies, Strong delivers high-level investigative insight to 5Si's government, corporate, and private-sector Clients, helping navigate risk in today's interconnected threat landscape. Matthew Germanowski, a Director at 5Si, oversees investigative efforts for U.S. congressional committees and serves as a key leader on 5 Stones' federal contracts, including the IRS Criminal Investigation SAISS contract and the Department of State's international training programs. As a former DEA Special Agent, Germanowski held high-level classified roles within the DEA's Special Operations Division and Office of Professional Responsibility. He led global narco-terrorism and money laundering investigations, briefed the Attorney General, and directed internal affairs oversight as Deputy Chairman of the Board of Professional Conduct. A seasoned instructor, he has delivered advanced training in over a dozen countries on undercover operations and transnational organized crime. Germanowski is also a committed Christian and mentor to aspiring government professionals. John Gazzarra, a Director of 5Si, brings decades of high-level experience in both federal law enforcement and corporate security. A former DEA Special Agent, Gazzarra led complex international investigations in high-threat environments before transitioning to a senior security leadership role at Coca-Cola. He is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Subject Matter Expert in global security, risk mitigation, crisis management, and high-stakes investigative strategy. Known for his ability to navigate multinational investigations with precision, Gazzarra currently oversees the expansion of 5Si's Commercial and Private Client operations worldwide. Louis Sastre, 5Si Director of Surveillance Operations, is a seasoned surveillance specialist with over 20 years of field experience, including service as a DEA Miami Task Force Agent. He has led sophisticated physical surveillance operations across the U.S., South America, Asia, and the Middle East. Sastre is a Subject Matter Expert in deploying and managing a wide range of surveillance technologies—including sensors, video systems, and real-time coverage solutions—to support global intelligence and investigative missions. He now directs surveillance operations for 5Si's government and private-sector Clients. Grayson Blake, 5Si Director of Science & Technology Services, leads 5Si's innovation in Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and digital investigative technologies. Blake specializes in OSINT research, online data collection, and complex digital footprint analysis. He designs and implements advanced intelligence workflows that transform raw data into actionable insights. Recognized as a thought leader in AI and tech-enabled investigations, Blake guides teams in expanding 5Si's digital capabilities to support global intelligence and investigative objectives with precision and speed. Matthew Tinsley, 5Si Chief of Staff, coordinates all agency operations to ensure exceptional service delivery across the firm's global Client base. A certified Personal Protection Specialist (PPS), Tinsley previously led 5Si's Global Surveillance and Protection Operations, with field experience spanning the U.S., Israel, and the West Bank. He holds degrees from Lee University (Global Business) and Tennessee Wesleyan (MBA). He has completed executive programs at Oxford Saïd, Yale, and MIT—where he earned certifications in Blockchain, AI, and Digital Currency tracing. Tinsley is also Chainalysis Reactor Certified (CRC). He has trained with the Israeli Shin Bet, the Executive Protection Institute, and Gunsite Academy, among others, with specialized expertise in advanced firearms, tactical systems, and threat mitigation. "The caliber of talent joining and advancing within 5Si is extraordinary," added 5Si Founder David Tinsley. "These individuals bring decades of specialized expertise, proven leadership, and unmatched dedication to service. Their collective skills reinforce our mission to deliver world-class intelligence and investigative solutions for every Client we serve, no matter the complexity or scale of the challenge. We're proud to welcome these exceptional professionals to the 5Si team." 5 Stones intelligence (5Si)® is a leading U.S.-based intelligence and investigations firm founded in 2007, with offices in Miami, Washington D.C., and global operations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, delivering full-spectrum solutions in human intelligence (HUMINT), forensic investigations, financial and technical intelligence, risk mitigation, AML compliance, and protective services, for government, corporate, legal, and nonprofit Clients. Staffed by elite professionals from the FBI, DEA, CIA, and global military and law enforcement, 5Si operates the world's largest private HUMINT network, providing mission-critical intelligence with integrity, discretion, and international reach. Learn more at

Probe of town police in Karen Read case finds no sign of 'conspiracy to frame' slain officer's girlfriend
Probe of town police in Karen Read case finds no sign of 'conspiracy to frame' slain officer's girlfriend

Fox News

time04-04-2025

  • Fox News

Probe of town police in Karen Read case finds no sign of 'conspiracy to frame' slain officer's girlfriend

An independent agency found no evidence of a cover-up by the police department in Canton, Massachusetts, in the death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe as part of an audit into the department ordered last year. Town residents demanded an outside review in November 2024 to probe the police department's response to O'Keefe's death. Officials chose a firm called 5 Stones intelligence (5Si) to conduct it between Nov. 18, 2024, and March 30 this year. The 206-page report was unveiled Tuesday, the same day as the start of jury selection for the second trial of Karen Read, O'Keefe's girlfriend who is accused of killing him in a drunken hit-and-run after an argument. Read's first trial ended in a mistrial after her defense alleged bias against her from the lead investigator, missteps at the crime scene and a potential cover-up. The auditors addressed allegations of a cover-up specific to Canton police – but members of several different law enforcement agencies were involved in the investigation or as witnesses who were with O'Keefe that evening. "Our team has not discovered any information that would indicate that any actions by Canton PD officers or detectives were a part of a conspiracy to frame any individual for the murder of Mr. O'Keefe," 5Si found. The 5Si report found a number of faults within the department, including: They recommended that Canton detectives undergo "advanced training" on crime scene investigations and that all patrol vehicles should be equipped with crime scene kits and evidence collection bags. They called for an increase in the police department's budget. They also found that department-issued radios don't have full coverage of the community and that officers are not given work cellphones. They recommended giving all officers work phones and rewriting department policy to have them use their work phones to take crime scene photographs, never their personal phones. Auditors also referenced the Sandra Birchmore case, recommending that supervisors review all death cases for accuracy. "A Canton PD detective wrote that Sandra Birchmore died of a suicide in the initial report," auditors wrote. "It was later determined that she had been killed by strangulation." A suspect in that case was indicted in August, and he was a police officer in the nearby town of Stoughton, another Boston suburb. Matthew Farwell, 38, is accused of strangling her after she told him she had become pregnant with his child and then staging the scene to make it look like she had killed herself. He has pleaded not guilty. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER Read's retrial began with jury selection this week after the first fell apart, arguably due to the defense's ability to attack investigators and the way they handled the investigation, experts say. "Sloppy investigation [or] a rush to judgment argument is defense lawyer 101," said Neama Rahmani, a Los Angeles-based trial attorney and former federal prosecutor who is following the case. "They use it in almost every murder case where they don't argue accident or self-defense." In Read's case, the lead investigator had a tough time on the witness stand as jurors were seen shaking their heads during a reading of his text messages in which he joked about searching her phone for nudes and called her a "c---." State police fired him last month after a months-long review of his conduct. "The investigation was botched beyond belief; evidence, witnesses and the entire crime scene was mishandled," Rahmani told Fox News Digital. "Throw in Michael Proctor, the worst law enforcement witness I've seen since Mark Fuhrman in O.J., the defense is having a field day with this case." Read the full report: As of Thursday afternoon, eight jurors had been empaneled, according to WCVB-TV, a local station. There will be 12 sitting jurors and four alternates selected before opening statements kick off.

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