Retired officer, investigators take look into private sector

By Gretchen Metz

West Goshen - Three retired law enforcement investigators are working close to home once again now that they have started their own private eye business in Chester County.

Cloud, Feehery & Richter Inc. opened shop last month at 770 E. Market St.

Thomas A. Cloud Sr., 53, of Concord, served 26 years with the Pennsylvania State Police, retiring as the criminal investigations supervisor for the department in Delaware County. James E. "Jef" Feehery Jr., 53, of East Bradford, served 25 years with the FBI. David E. Richter, 56, of East Goshen, served 33 years with the FBI. Both Feehery and Richter were assigned to the bureau's Newtown Square office of the Philadelphia Division.

The three investigators retired two to three years ago then went to work for the National Fraud Center in Horsham, Montgomery County.

After a few years of the Route 202-turnpike-Route 309 commute "where every road was under construction," the long-time friends decided to strike out on their own somewhere closer to home, Richter said.

"We had exposure for 20-plus years in Chester County," Richter said. "When we went to Horsham, we walked out on our client base. Now we'd like to return to it. We live in the community and we like to work in the community."

Cloud, Feehery & Richter specializes in civil litigation work including claims fraud, health-care provider fraud and employee application fraud.

The new private investigator firm handles a diverse caseload from corporate embezzlement to tracking down a company that supplied toxic artificial fingernails to beauty salons.

In private investigation, just like in law enforcement, the trio investigate, pull the facts together, analyze and present the information in an understandable report.

Plus, Richter said, the partners bring years of experience testifying in law enforcement cases to their new career in civil litigation support.

Feehery said these days the hot ticket area is health-care compliance.

With the federal government's push for Medicare compliance within the industry, health-care providers are seeking investigators who can perform needs assessments and make appropriate recommendations.

Health-care providers out of compliance, Feehery said, face fines and/or have their Medicare funding discontinued.

After a career of investigating other companies, the partners said they learned the right way to set up a business.

Feehery, who holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from LaSalle University and a master's in business administration from Widener University, called the career move "very comfortable."

"And we've stayed associated with our previous employer," Feehery said. "We left on extremely cordial terms, and we're doing work for them."

Don't forget, Richter added, "we all have pensions."

According to Richter, the only stress point was setting up the office.

"That's taken an awful lot of time," Richter noted. Starting a business is "scary to a degree but everything we do now is for ourselves."

The new firm markets itself through word of mouth, and through a network of other retired FBI agents and former prosecutors who are now in private practice.

The goal is to attract corporations, insurance companies and civil litigation lawyers as clients, Feehery said.