McKinnon Investigative Group handles corporate fraud, domestic investigations and background screening across Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County for private clients, attorneys and businesses.
Memberships & Affiliations
Led by François McKinnon, a veteran investigator with over 30 years of South Florida field experience, our team provides the strategic insight required for high-stakes legal and corporate investigations.
Based in South Florida, McKinnon Investigative Group Inc has earned a reputation in Coral Gables for professionalism, clear communication, and reliable results.
With over three decades of field experience, our licensed Coral Gables investigators specialize in high-stakes surveillance, complex corporate due diligence, and sensitive domestic matters.
We navigate the unique cultural and legal landscape of Coral Gables, from the the historic Biltmore Hotel to the exclusive estates of Gables Estates to the surrounding professional districts, to provide our clients with a distinct local advantage and results they can rely on.
Conducting investigations in Coral Gables requires an intimate understanding of the city’s diverse terrain, from the Central Business District and Miracle Mile to the residential communities of Gables Estates and Cocoplum. At McKinnon Investigative Group Inc, we provide seamless, low-profile coverage across the entire Miami-Dade metro area, ensuring our field agents are always positioned for rapid response and optimal surveillance positioning.
– Miracle Mile – Village of Merrick Park – Giralda Avenue – Ponce de Leon Boulevard
– Cocoplum – Gables by the Sea – Old Cutler Bay – Gables Estates
– Shops at Merrick Park – Miracle Mile – Giralda Plaza – Downtown Coral Gables
Our private investigation firm in Coral Gables offers a full suite of services, including surveillance, background checks, and due diligence. Handled with professional reliability and absolute discretion, our work focuses on delivering courtroom-ready results. Our team’s deep familiarity with the St. Lucie County area ensures excellence for legal and private clients.
Serving high-profile clients and family cases throughout Miami and Miami Beach.
Detailed reporting on living conditions, parental conduct, and potential risks.
Trusted by Miami businesses from Brickell to Doral to uncover fraud, misconduct, and internal risks.
Analysis of digital activity and patterns to support legal or personal matters.
Screen potential employees, partners, or personal connections thoroughly.
Identify risks before mergers, investments, or major financial commitments.
Get clarity in sensitive family matters like abuse, dishonesty, or hidden finances.
Uncover the truth behind suspicious claims with thorough surveillance.
McKinnon Investigative Group Inc is here to provide discreet, professional support backed by over 30 years of trusted experience. We offer a no-obligation, confidential consultation to discuss the specifics of your case, outline a strategic investigative plan, and explain the legal pathways to securing the evidence you require.
Most clients reach out to McKinnon Investigative Group Inc. when their intuition suggests a discrepancy, but they lack the objective evidence required to take legal or personal action. In a high-speed hub like Coral Gables, these red flags often manifest in specific ways. If you are experiencing any of the following, a confidential consultation is the necessary next step to protect your interests.
Sudden shifts in business cash flow or personal spending in Coral Gables often signal hidden assets. We specialize in tracing these ‘digital footprints’ across Miami-Dade County’s financial networks.
Rapid changes in work hours or travel routines are often the first indicators of infidelity.
If your counsel cannot locate a witness or uncover assets in the 11th, we provide the field research that databases alone cannot offer.
When child safety is at stake in the 11th, we act as a ‘silent witness,’ documenting conduct to support your case in Miami-Dade family court.
Suspicion of payroll abuse, inventory shrinkage, or workers’ compensation fraud can cripple a business. We conduct internal audits and discreet employee surveillance to protect your bottom line and legal liability.
Before a high-profile marriage or business deal in Coral Gables, our due diligence deep-dives vet the reputation and history of your potential partners.
If your profession or lifestyle makes you a target, waiting for a threat to manifest is a mistake. We provide threat assessments and low-profile protection to mitigate risks before they become incidents.
In Coral Gables, selecting a PI requires scrutiny. While 2026 FDACS data shows numerous firms, most lack the 30-year veteran leadership essential for sensitive matters. Our Miami-Dade County protocols prioritize legal integrity, ensuring all evidence is court-admissible. Trust experienced professionals to navigate complex local regulations and deliver reliable, high-stakes results.
We begin with a deep-dive consultation to define your objectives, identify legal constraints, and establish a specialized investigative scope tailored to the Coral Gables landscape.
Develop a discreet investigative plan for Coral Gables clients, ensuring strict adherence to FL Stat. §493 standards. Our professional evidence gathering delivers precise results ready for Miami-Dade County legal review.
Utilizing high-resolution optics and advanced fieldcraft, our investigators execute the plan with maximum discretion.
You receive a professional, chronological report supported by time-stamped media and affidavits ready for legal review in the 11th Judicial Circuit or personal clarity.
When necessary, we work directly with your counsel to coordinate findings, providing the sworn testimony needed to move your case forward in Miami-Dade courts.
Coral Gables’s role as a major hub for Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and VIP activity creates unique security challenges.
Our executive protection services focus on discretion, meticulous preparation, and seamless movement through the Miami-Dade County landscape.
Feel confident that you are hiring highly experienced professionals for your investigation.
We will show up at the scheduled time and complete the investigation in a prompt and efficient manner.
Our highly experienced investigators will provide you with optimal results.
Years of combined experience in the professional investigative field
Successful investigations completed across a wide range of cases
Countries Where We Have Conducted Investigations
Work with a fully compliant agency operating under FL Statute §493.
Possessing deep insight into Coral Gables’ historic neighborhoods and navigating Miami-Dade’s intricate court logistics ensures efficient, expert handling of legal matters.
No two cases are the same. We adapt our approach to your objectives.
Our team brings an elite level of training and insight to complex investigations.
In the affluent residential community of Coral Gables, our firm provides discreet investigative services tailored to high-net-worth individuals. We specialize in complex family law matters and domestic asset protection, ensuring your private interests remain secure within Miami-Dade County’s premier enclave.
– Support legal cases in Miami-Dade County high-conflict family court with documented evidence regarding parental suitability and child safety – Discreetly investigate suspected infidelity within the Coral Gables luxury lifestyle to provide clarity and evidence for domestic matters – Protect Coral Gables businesses by conducting corporate fraud investigations and identifying internal theft or financial irregularities – Perform comprehensive background checks to verify the history and reputation of individuals for personal security or executive hiring – Provide professional security and surveillance in prestigious locations ranging from the historic Biltmore Hotel to the exclusive estates of Gables Estates
Coral Gables is a prestigious hub for multinational headquarters and affluent residents. Its high-stakes corporate landscape and complex financial environment drive significant demand for professional due diligence and surveillance to ensure transparency, security, and informed decision-making in all transactions.
Our investigative team maintains a deep operational presence across these primary Miami-Dade institutions. We leverage these facilities to conduct on-site records research, file legal documentation, and coordinate jurisdictional field operations.
The value of an investigation is defined by the integrity of the evidence. At McKinnon Investigative Group Inc., we follow a rigorous set of internal protocols designed to ensure that the facts we uncover are documented with the highest level of professional care.
Success in a private investigation isn’t just about what you see; it’s about how that information is documented and the local insight used to capture it. At McKinnon Investigative Group Inc, we bridge the gap between high-level street-smarts and rigorous legal standards.
Operating in Coral Gables presents unique challenges, from the historic Biltmore Hotel to the exclusive Gables Estates. Our investigators master Miami-Dade County traffic and cultural nuances, maintaining seamless visual contact. We deliver professional evidence meticulously prepared to meet the strict legal standards of the 11th Judicial Circuit.
Confidentiality is vital for Coral Gables investigations to ensure a quiet and strategic start. Tipping off a subject, whether a spouse or business partner, makes professional surveillance nearly impossible by alerting them to hide evidence. Maintaining secrecy allows investigators to gather authentic information before a target changes behavior or discovery.
Avoid Direct Confrontation: Confronting a subject in Coral Gables without proof usually causes them to hide evidence or change their behavior, making a future professional investigation in Miami-Dade County significantly more difficult.
Refrain from ‘DIY’ Surveillance: Attempted ‘tailing’ through Coral Gables traffic often leads to the investigator being ‘made,’ which can result in harassment charges or physical altercations.
Do Not Use Illegal Tracking: Using unlicensed GPS trackers violates Florida Statute §934.425. This renders evidence inadmissible in the 11th Judicial Circuit and potentially exposes you to a third-degree felony charge.
Maintain Absolute Confidentiality: Do not share your suspicions with anyone in your Coral Gables social or professional circles; the more people who know, the higher the risk of the subject being tipped off.
Do Not Attempt Unauthorized Access: Unauthorized access to private accounts violates federal laws and Florida’s Computer Abuse and Data Recovery Act (CADRA), making any discovered information useless in a Miami-Dade legal proceeding.
In the state of Florida, there is no legal distinction between the two terms; both refer to professionals licensed under Chapter 493 to conduct investigative services. While “private detective” is a more traditional term often used in popular culture, “private investigator” is the official designation used by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). At McKinnon Investigative Group Inc., we fulfill all state requirements to carry this professional title.
Yes, it is entirely legal to hire a private investigator in Coral Gables, provided the agency is licensed through the FDACS. Our firm operates under Florida Statute §493, ensuring all surveillance in Miami-Dade County is performed within state and federal law.
Absolutely. Evidence collected by a licensed investigator is highly valuable in Miami-Dadecourts, provided it meets the evidentiary standards of the 11th Judicial Circuit. We follow rigorous Chain of Custody protocols and provide time-stamped media, detailed chronological logs, and professional affidavits specifically designed for courtroom admissibility. Our investigators are also prepared to provide expert witness testimony to authenticate our findings during legal proceedings.
Private investigator costs in Coral Gables vary by logistics. Rates differ between surveillance at the historic Biltmore Hotel or the exclusive Gables Estates versus standard background checks. We provide transparent estimates for all Coral Gables residents to ensure complete clarity.
Discretion is our foundation. Our Coral Gables field agents use low-profile vehicles and long-range optics to maintain distance. We minimize risk even in high-density areas like the historic Biltmore Hotel to the exclusive estates of Gables Estates or local gated communities.
Frequently. We serve as a strategic partner to legal counsel throughout South Florida, providing the critical discovery and surveillance needed for family law, civil litigation, and criminal defense. Whether it is locating a missing witness or uncovering hidden assets for a divorce case in Miami-Dade Family Court, we align our investigative tactics with the attorney’s overall case strategy.
Our firm provides comprehensive coverage throughout the entire Coral Gables metro area and surrounding communities. We have deep operational experience in Gables Estates, Cocoplum, Old Cutler Bay, and Snapper Creek Lakes and the greater Miami-Dade County region. Our local knowledge of traffic patterns and neighborhood dynamics ensures more efficient surveillance.
Yes, we specialize in high-level skip tracing for individuals evading service of process in Coral Gables. We combine access to proprietary, non-public databases with tactical field research to track down witnesses or missing persons across Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida.
Under Florida law, we legally conduct surveillance from public vantage points where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. We strictly adhere to Florida Statute §810.145 to ensure all evidence gathered in Coral Gables is obtained lawfully and remains admissible in the 11th Judicial Circuit.
The timeline depends on the scope of the case. A straightforward background check in Coral Gables may be completed in 48 to 72 hours, while complex corporate fraud investigations involving multiple surveillance shifts in Miami-Dade County can take several weeks.
Yes. Every investigation concludes with a professional, chronological report that serves as a permanent record. These reports are supported by time-stamped media and can be converted into sworn affidavits for use in Miami-Dade County legal proceedings.
We utilize professional-grade tools including 4K high-resolution cameras, night-vision optics, and covert body-worn equipment for indoor environments in Coral Gables. We also use specialized software for lawful asset tracking to ensure the best possible evidence for your case.
Yes. While we are based in South Florida, our reach extends globally. Many of our Coral Gables cases involve connections in Latin America or the Caribbean. We coordinate investigations across international borders for our global clients from our regional operations hub.
The process begins with a 100% confidential consultation. During this call or meeting, we will discuss your objectives, assess the feasibility of the case, and develop a strategic investigative plan tailored to your specific needs and budget.
Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, we provide private investigation services across South Florida, the Treasure Coast, and the Florida Keys, including:
