Francois McKinnon: Hi there and welcome to the Miami PI Chronicles podcast. I’m your host Francois McKinnon, the owner of McKinnon Investigative Group in Miami, Florida. I’ve been a private investigator for over 30 years in the South Florida area. McKinnon Investigative Group has taken me to many unique destinations, both domestic and abroad. I’ve conducted complex investigations as well as countless protective details throughout the world. The Miami PI Chronicles podcast will bring you inside the world of private investigations and the security industry. This podcast will showcase different guests who will bring you their professional expertise in their specialty field and some of their wildest and most memorable cases. Our guests will be from different backgrounds in investigations, security, and everything in between.
On our show today, I have the honor of having Mr. Oscar Santamaria, president of Optimum Investigations. Let’s welcome my dear friend and colleague, Oscar Santamaria.
Today I am happy and glad to have my dear friend Oscar Santamaria here in the studio in lovely Miami Beach to discuss a little bit about how to enter the world of private investigations. Oscar, welcome to the show.
Oscar Santamaria: Thank you for having me Francois. Nice to see you in person.
Francois McKinnon: In person. Yeah, it’s been a while. I was going to ask you, what would you say to people considering the investigative profession?
Oscar Santamaria: I would say do your research. There are various specialties and you have to focus in on one. I chose surveillance. Surveillance is not for everybody. It is a very tedious task. You have to go out, you have to sit in your car for hours at a time, and some people just are not wired to do that. There are other areas. You can take witness statements, look for surveillance cameras at accident scenes, handle background checks. You just have to find what you like and go after that.
Francois McKinnon: You are more of an expert in surveillance. You have a very long history with surveillance and I know I have done a lot of surveillance with you. It becomes quite hard and very tedious and hard on the body. Right?
Oscar Santamaria: No, that is absolutely true. You are sitting for hours at a time. There are a lot of health issues that can come along with surveillance. You can get blood clots. You have a terrible diet. You are always trying to catch fast food. You just have to make sure that you prepare snacks before you go out. This is something, do as I say not as I do, because I do not always do that. I usually just grab a quick burger from one case to the other if I have multiple cases in a day. It is really not good. You need to go out, you need to walk, and you need to make sure that even when you are in your car and cannot get out and stretch, you move your legs around, stay hydrated, bring some water with you. It is very important especially if you live in the hotter states.
And obviously you always want to have something you can use if you cannot leave the surveillance to go to the bathroom. That is about as far as I will go with that topic.
Francois McKinnon: I personally woke up an hour early on surveillance days just to take care of business so I knew that would not be an issue.
Oscar Santamaria: Fortunate for me I am very regular so I do not really have an issue with that aspect. What I typically do in the morning is get myself a coffee and that becomes part of my routine. But yeah, surveillance is not for everybody.
Francois McKinnon: What made you love surveillance so much? Because I know you are extremely good at it. You and I have worked together and you are an expert at setting yourself up in the right place to get the best video. Because sometimes you follow a claimant or a subject and they go to somewhere like Walmart. You have to get out of your car with a covert camera. And if they have a back issue, a neck issue, or any physical claim, you want to get positioned near their vehicle so you can film how they use their body.
Oscar Santamaria: Yes, exactly. Ideally you want to put yourself in a position where you are able to see the residence and the vehicles. You do not want to sit directly across the street. You want to sit a few houses down. You want to be able to document how they move around and what their activities are. Some people really exaggerate their injuries and you just want to make sure everything is above board, that they are showing obvious signs of some sort of disability, discomfort, or impairment. You go out there and you try to see what their daily activities and physical capabilities are. The best way to do that is being in view of their residence.
There are occasions where you are not going to be able to do that. It could be a very tight neighborhood where all the neighbors know each other. You cannot park on the grass, you have to park on the street. So you have to do your homework, see where they work if they do work, and identify the ways in and out of the neighborhood. There are usually multiple ways out so you have to try to find the primary way they depart. If they have a job, put it in your GPS and figure out which route they would take leaving their neighborhood. Do occasional drive-bys, not too often, then appear to leave.
Francois McKinnon: I remember doing surveillances that were grueling and exhausting. What is the longest surveillance you have ever done in one day? How many hours?
Oscar Santamaria: I had a very high profile surveillance that went on for years. It took place in two cities. The subject lived in New York and whenever they would come down to Florida, my team would take over. This was a long running investigation.
Francois McKinnon: So you had a lot of people working with you.
Oscar Santamaria: In Florida, initially when it first came, it was just my partner, my associate, and me. We went out there and got all the information. But it ended up becoming an everyday thing. I did not know about that aspect of it before the person came to Florida. During that surveillance we got all the intel, where they were going, who they were visiting. The subject would go to mostly the same places all the time.
The second time we worked it, everything was different. They flew in investigators from New York. This subject knew everything. It ended up becoming a fiasco. In 30 years of investigative experience I have never seen anything like it. We had multiple cars on it. Those investigators were not supposed to have any kind of interaction with the subject, but they were doing it so often they became friendly with the person. They were getting information directly from the subject.
Francois McKinnon: So they had inside information from the subject themselves.
Oscar Santamaria: Exactly. I was telling my people, I do not care what they are doing, stay back because this is not going to end well. It turns out that most of those investigators from New York ended up being sued because of what they were doing on this case. The last time I was brought in I had already told them I was not doing this anymore. The things that were going on were just not something you should do. It was not ethical and it was not right. And it turns out that a lot of people got sued as a result. So you have to try to be as honest as you can, fly straight, and just do the best job that you can. Do not interact with subjects. Stay away, especially if these cases are involved in litigation. All of the money those investigators made over those years had to go toward attorneys defending themselves. So essentially they made nothing.
My advice to anybody entering this profession is to just be honest and do the right thing.
Francois McKinnon: Do your best and follow the rules, because I have seen so many investigators take shortcuts, specifically interns. They are young, outgoing, and want to prove themselves. But you have to tell them, this is why you are an intern. This is why we are training you. This is the proper way. This is how we were trained and there are reasons for everything. You want to keep it professional and follow the rules of whatever state you live in. You are dealing with people’s emotions, especially on the bigger cases. If you become friendly with a subject it can turn things around quickly. I have seen reporters try to make money on the side by tipping off subjects that we were looking for them.
So if you want to get into this profession, I think it is wonderful. It is definitely exciting. We have never been bored. It has its moments. There is a lot of waiting in between but it definitely has its moments.
Oscar Santamaria: Oh yeah. It is waiting in a car for six hours and nothing happens. And then you are watching the door and suddenly they are out, they are in the car, and they take off. Your heart is racing. You get on the street, you follow their car, you get on the highway, there is traffic, and you have to position your vehicle in the right spot. I always thought it was exciting because it is kind of a game and the game is to win. I have always enjoyed this profession. I like to think all the time. When I am in my car waiting, I have an eye on the subject or the door or the vehicle, but I am constantly thinking, where are they going to go? How are they going to get there? How can I get the upper hand? That is what I find most challenging and most rewarding about it.
Francois McKinnon: You have to learn as much as you can about your subject. It is very easy to do these days. A lot of them are on social media. There is also something in litigation called interrogatories. These are questions that claimants have to answer under oath, such as where do they live, where do they work, what do they drive, do they work out. There is a lot of information in those interrogatories that you should always request from the attorney if you are conducting insurance defense surveillance. One thing I find is that attorneys really do not give you anything even though they have all that information in the file.
Oscar Santamaria: Some of my associates are afraid to ask lawyers too many questions. I am not. I always push to get the most information because otherwise you are just going in circles. You have to be assertive and get everything the lawyers have. These claimants could be treating at a physical therapy location certain times of the week. They may have a medical appointment scheduled. Those would be great opportunities to document activity. All of this is in the file but attorneys have so many cases going that sometimes they are just neglectful about getting you what you need. You have to remind them, if there are interrogatories on this case can you please send me a copy. If they have taken a deposition, please send it to me.
There is a wealth of information in a deposition. The claimant tells you their own routines, what they can and cannot do because of their injury, what treatments they are receiving and where. The doctor appointments are all in there.
Francois McKinnon: And those compulsory medical examinations, the CMEs or IMEs, the defense medical exams. Tell our audience about those.
Oscar Santamaria: Most of the people I work with have these medical exams scheduled because the defense has a right to have the claimant evaluated. They get one shot. The claimant has to attend because if they do not there is a very significant disruption fee. So nine out of ten times they will be at that appointment. If somebody lives in a high rise or a gated community, if they do not have a vehicle, if they are generally inactive, these appointments are a good opportunity to document them going in and coming out. Sometimes these claimants limp going in and then go home and mow the lawn without any issue. You just want to make sure these people are actually injured and not exaggerating.
I did a surveillance once in Hollywood where the claimant came in with crutches and a neck brace. After about an hour and a half they came out, we followed them home, and while the subject was driving he was removing his neck brace. We had two vehicles positioned with a good camera shot. The way he ripped that neck brace off was remarkable to see on camera. We then followed him and he ended up playing tennis, winning, and literally jumping over the net. When we gave the video to the insurance adjuster he said it was really good footage. He also noted that the woman the subject was with was not his wife. That added a whole additional layer to the case.
Francois McKinnon: And your agency Optimum has been able to stop countless people trying to work the system, right?
Oscar Santamaria: Of course. We have saved our clients millions of dollars over the years. I have another case I keep bringing up. The subject was injured, had multiple parties he was suing, and claimed he could no longer play tennis. I got video of him playing tennis, riding a bike, going on a kayak, all sorts of activities. This was right before mediation. At the mediation, one of the parties showed him the video and said, if you drop us from the lawsuit we are not going to share this with the other parties. He agreed. They were completely let off. I never found out what happened with the other parties or whether he ended up losing the rest of the case. It is unfortunate because we never get to know the end of the story. We do our job, we document the reality of what is going on in these people’s daily lives, and then we hand it over.
Francois McKinnon: Oscar, what was the most rewarding case you have ever done?
Oscar Santamaria: Francois, there are a handful that I recall over the years and some of these I did not make any money on. I heard the story, I felt compelled to help. There are going to be people who come to you from time to time who are desperate and need something. You can either tell them you cannot afford me or you help them.
The first time it happened I was very young in my career and databases were just coming up. My sister told me that her handyman had just found out his mother had died. On her deathbed she told him he had a brother and gave a little bit of information, the last name of the family she had given the child to. I was brand new at the time but I took the case. I do not know, maybe it was divine intervention, but I found these people relatively quickly. I called the man and explained the situation. He was very shocked to find out he had a brother. I gave him the contact information and said I was not going to divulge his information, but here is how to get in touch with him if you want to.
About a month later I received a handwritten letter. The man was thanking me profusely. He said he had gotten together with his brother, the whole family had met each other, and he was just so happy. I had that letter for years and wanted to keep it but lost track of it during a difficult time in my personal life. But I think about it all the time, because even though I did not get paid a dime it is the most rewarding case I can think of where I actually brought people together.
I have another one where two brothers, one of whom had just left the family without explanation. They asked me if I could help. I was able to reunite them. So much time had passed that the brother who had disappeared thought the family was angry at him and he was reluctant to reach out. But it turned out they reconciled everything. The whole family got together. And it turns out that one of those brothers passed away a few years later. I am just so glad they were able to reconnect before that happened. These are the things I think about.
I also had a situation where a mother called me desperate about her daughter who had been placed in a treatment facility due to severe addiction. The daughter had left the facility and the mother was trying to get a Marchman Act signed by a judge, which is a Florida law that allows mandatory court-ordered treatment when voluntary treatment is not working. The daughter had left the hospital and the mother asked me to follow her until the Marchman Act could be signed.
I followed her, she ended up at a liquor store, and I approached her and said she did not seem to be in good shape to drive. I suggested she let me get her something to eat instead. We went next door to a Publix, I got her a sandwich, we sat down and talked, and she ended up breaking down in tears and asking me to take her back to the rehab facility. She passed out in my car on the way there. The facility said they could not take her in that condition and called an ambulance. The Marchman Act was eventually signed and she went to treatment.
About a year later I looked her up on social media and she had made a remarkable recovery. I honestly did not think it was possible when I left her that day. I had a small part in that and that is what was so rewarding. I could get paid several thousand dollars for a case, but something I do for little or no money that has that kind of outcome is, as they say, chicken soup for the soul. If you as an investigator have somebody desperate come to you and you have the ability to help them, just do it. It is going to pay dividends in your life.
Francois McKinnon: One thing about this job is you have the power to change people’s lives. If you go beyond just charging your rate and show a little humanity, the rewards are immeasurable. I have found so many people just through database work. And there is also an organization called Adoption Angels, which is a group of dedicated volunteers, many of them retired nurses from maternity wards, who work for free to help reunite adopted children, now grown, with their biological families. They cannot share details but they give people enough direction to guide themselves. At that point you can hire a PI and get it wrapped up relatively quickly.
I had a client who had a health issue and wanted to reach his biological daughter to share that information with her. He could not afford much so I flew to Dallas, went near the hospital where she was born, and started networking with people in the area. At that hospital, about 30 years ago, there were roughly 14 children born in the relevant window. Half were boys and half were girls so I was working with about seven possibilities. I got partial names and was able to narrow it down. I found her through social media and when I looked at her photo and compared it to my client there was no question. I called him while he was driving to the Keys and sent him the link. He pulled over.
He had been 16 years old when his girlfriend became pregnant and they had to give the baby up for adoption. That child was adopted by one of the wealthiest families in Dallas. He ended up being invited to her wedding. Every time I think about that story I still feel the emotion of it. They have a relationship to this day and now she has children of her own.
I did it in the kindness of my heart, I recouped my expenses, and I will tell you I felt great. The Adoption Angels, by the way, are a remarkable organization. You should consider having them on the podcast.
Oscar Santamaria: Absolutely. They are very dedicated. Most of them are retired nurses and they are the nicest people. They cannot give details but they give families enough direction to find their way. Or at that point you hire a PI and get it wrapped up. I have done a lot of pro bono work for people in distress over the years in Fort Lauderdale. It makes your day go well even when you have had successes and failures in this business.
Doing the right thing and being kind always works out. I know you feel the same. We have been able to help a lot of people in our careers. I would suggest to other investigators, try to do the right thing. You need to make money and work hard, but take a little time and help people out. Show a little humanity. It is very rewarding.
Francois McKinnon: Oscar, thank you so much for being on the show again. To our audience, if you have questions for us you can contact us at [email protected]. Oscar and I will reply to your questions on a future episode. Please like us, follow us, and share.
To reach Oscar Santamaria at Optimum Investigations call 1-800-745-4021 or email [email protected].
Oscar, thank you so much and I look forward to our next show together.
This episode is sponsored by the Law Offices of Diana Santa Maria, personal injury law. For a free consultation call 888-494-2736.
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