Our Team

Combined, our team has over 50 years of experience in income tax defense, financial investigations and litigation support.  Our experience, attention to detail and advanced technology allows us to provide you the support you need.  Please note: “THIS IS NOT A CPA FIRM” although Sage is associated with licensed CPAs.  Sage does not perform financial audits nor attestation of financial statements.

EDMOND J. MARTIN
PRINCIPAL, CHIEF INVESTIGATOR
CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER (CFE), TEXAS BOARD CERTIFIED INVESTIGATOR (TBCI)

EdMartin@SageInvestigations.com

Ed Martin grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1968 he earned his degree in accounting from Southeastern Louisiana College (now the University of Southeastern Louisiana). Following graduation, Ed spent a year with a New Orleans CPA firm and then applied for a position with the Intelligence Division of the IRS. He accepted the job and from August 1969 to February 1970 he trained in federal law enforcement in Washington, DC. After returning to New Orleans he became part of the DOJ Strike Force team that investigated District Attorney Jim Garrison and the New Orleans Police Department for public bribery by the local pinball industry.

In 1975, Martin and his family moved to Austin, Texas where his career continued. After reaching senior agent status he became a lead agent in the investigation and prosecution of income tax evasion cases and of multiple fraud investigations.

Martin resigned from the US Treasury Department in 1984 and worked as a Supervising Examiner for the Texas State Securities Board in Austin. This experience allowed Martin to become adept in broader definitions of fraud: Ponzi schemes (John Colgin–1985), oil and gas fraud, and securities fraud.

In 1991, Martin returned to the IRS Criminal Investigation Division as a Special Agent to investigate fraud and money laundering cases. Some of the cases Martin handled during this period included: the employee leasing company Ralph Kirkley, Inc. (1996), the advanced fee scheme of William Fourie (1996-1998), the Ponzi schemes of Russell Erxleben (1998-1999), and Brian Stearns (1999-2000). Martin was also the lead agent and instrumental in solving the 5-year-old mystery of what happened to Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her two adult children (1997-2000). After the trial of one of the criminals convicted in the O’Hair case, the Austin Chronicle stated: “If not for the methodical investigation of Special Agent Ed Martin and the FBI they (Gary Karr and David Waters) would have gotten away with murder.”

After nearly twenty-six years Martin retired. He was presented with an award for his “Dedication to the Cause of Law Enforcement” by the US Attorney’s Office in Austin and he was nominated for the FBI’s Director’s Award. In 2002, Martin received the Law Enforcement Circle of Excellence Award from the Central Texas 100 Club and in June 2002 received the “Service Above Self Award” for the Austin Rotary Clubs.

Martin has been interviewed on American Justice, American Chronicles, TruTV, A&E, and Discovery for his investigation of the disappearance and murder of Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her children.

Since retiring in October 2001, Martin launched Sage Investigations, LLC a Private Investigation firm where he investigates various cases including forensic accounting, income tax defense, litigation support, corporate investigations, and anything related to following money, including fraud and embezzlement and Ponzi schemes. In 2002, Martin joined the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI), and later in 2006 TALI awarded Martin a Meritorious Service Award for Investigative Excellence. In 2007 Martin tested and received the Texas Board Certified Investigator (TBCI) designation from TALI.

In 2006, Martin founded Cynic, Inc. and launched DIO, proprietary software for the investigation of complex fraud investigations, which takes advantage of data mining technology, document scanning, OCR capabilities, organizational services, and reporting for the legal community.

Sage’s team of former IRS Criminal Investigators, Certified Public Accountants, and former FBI investigators, are solely committed to providing results that reflect the truth. Sage prepares a plan of action and proceeds to access the records that allow them to efficiently and effectively analyze financial matters in a variety of diverse cases. Their cases have ranged from $500,000 to millions of dollars in revenue. Their expertise has developed over 50+ years in the area of fraudulent schemes (Ponzi schemes, vendor fraud, and sophisticated theft schemes), that once the money is traced, the extent of the scheme comes into focus. Sage Investigations provides fraud investigative services to six distinct markets: Tax Attorneys, Business and Corporate Attorneys, Estate and Probate Attorneys, CPAs, and individuals. Within those markets, Sage represents their clients in civil and criminal matters involving fraud, embezzlement, Ponzi schemes, and business disputes that involve following money trails and developing evidence to prove the client’s case on the plaintiff or defense mode.

Wealth & Finance International is fiercely passionate about recognizing outstanding achievement, game-changing innovation, and stellar performance. All of their awards are carefully tailored to provide a detailed and in-depth analysis of the very best each market, industry, sector, and the region has to offer. Wealth & Finance International takes choosing their winners very seriously with every single one selected purely on merit, meaning that, no matter how big an organization, and regardless of budget, there is no way someone can buy their way to success. Wealth & Finance International is dedicated to working around the clock to provide a platform to the brightest, best performing, and most deserving companies and individuals from across the funds and investment landscape.  Download PDF.

In August 2015 the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators awarded Edmond Martin, Founder of Sage Investigations, LLC the most distinguished, honorable, and noble award that can be presented to a member of the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) by their peers. This award was established in remembrance of two outstanding deceased TALI members — Virginia Hudgins and David Sallee. The Hudgins-Sallee Award was established in their memory to exemplify the high moral and ethical standards by which a professional licensed private investigator adheres to in his/her services to the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators.

Edmond Martin has been a member of the Texas Association of Private Investigators (TALI) since April 2002 and was Treasurer for 5 years and on the Board of Directors. He was elected as TALI President in August 2018 and will serve till August 2021.

Edmond Martin has been seen in television programs such as City Confidential, Vanished, American Justice, A&E, BBC, the documentary Good Riddance, and Murder by the Book all concerning his investigation of the disappearance of Atheist Leader Madalyn Murray O’Hair and her family. He is also prominent in the books “UnGodly The Woman Who Ended School Prayer in America” by Ted Dracos and “America’s Most Hated Woman” by Ann Seaman concerning Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

Download Curriculum Vitae

JASON SLICK
FINANCIAL INVESTIGATOR, COMPUTER SCIENTIST AND DATA ANALYST
CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER (CFE)

jason.slick@sageinvestigations.com

Jason Slick grew up in Alvin, TX. He earned his degree in mathematics and computer science from Texas State University in 1998. His early career experiences as a software engineer gave him the skills to become a world-class forensic financial investigator at Sage Investigations. At Sage, Jason’s diligence, productivity, and years of experience in mathematics and computer science make him the natural choice for the most complicated cases and large value asset tracing. He also is tasked with investigating databases, big data sets, cryptocurrency, custom point-of-sale systems, and all forms of digital data. His reports clearly communicate the essential evidence and are instrumental in proving financial narrative.

Not only does he excel in his work on cases, but Jason also developed the algorithms and essence of Sage’s case management software (DIO). This software allows the company’s reports to be far more accurate than those of any competing investigator. His software is based on the principle of following the money and does not rely on any simple accounting tricks. Furthermore, Jason, his software and team are both more precise, analytical and efficient, meaning lower costs for Sage’s clients.

DANIEL FANNIN, MBA, CPA, CFE, CAMS  
FINANCIAL INVESTIGATOR
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT (CPA), CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINER (CFE), CERTIFIED ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING SPECIALIST (CAMS), AND CHAINALYSIS (CRYPTOCURRENCY)

daniel.fannin@sageinvestigations.com

Daniel Fannin has over 26 years of criminal, and financial investigative experience as a Special Agent with the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation.  He retired in 2021 and joined Sage Investigations, LLC.

Daniel Fannin comes with extensive education, such as a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas, as well as certifications to include being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Chainalysis (Cryptocurrency), and a Licensed Private Investigator in the State of Texas.

Daniel Fannin has extensive training and experience in the application of legal and accounting principles, analyzing financial records, interviewing witnesses, preparing reports with recommendations, and testifying in grand juries and courts.

Daniel Fannin’s casework included income tax evasion (both domestic and international), payroll tax fraud, money laundering, violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, investment fraud, bank fraud, mail fraud, bankruptcy fraud, fraud related to the CARES Act (Covid related relief loans), illegal gaming, human trafficking, and narcotics trafficking.  His investigations involved a variety of industries, including banking, technology, commercial services, oil and gas production, restaurant and bar, construction, trucking, real estate, telemarketing, and others.

Daniel Fannin has worked closely on cases with other agencies, including the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Secret Service, as well as numerous state and local law enforcement agencies.

Since retiring from IRS-CI, Daniel Fannin has also been a Lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin in the Accounting Department of the McCombs School of Business.  His courses of instruction include ACC 355 & ACC 380K.11 Introduction to Taxation and Fundamentals of Financial Accounting.

Download Curriculum Vitae

Toni Lusk, MBA, CFE
Financial Investigator

Toni offers 20+ years of experience in fraud, forensic investigations, and managerial accounting roles. Her broad range of accounting expertise spans multiple financial platforms and business sectors. She has performed numerous fraud investigations and provided various clients with litigation consulting/support and other advisory services.

Her industry expertise includes hospitality, consumer product goods, real estate, oil and gas, engineering services, retail, technology, construction, medical device, and advertising.

Toni has a BA from Baylor University and a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Edwards University in Austin, TX. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner and has numerous awards and memberships.

Proficiencies:

  • Fraud & Forensic Accounting Investigation
  • Litigation Consulting & Support
  • Financial Reporting
  • Cash Flow forecasting and management
  • Internal Audit
  • Budgeting & Process improvement

Download Curriculum Vitae

KENTON STEPHENS
DIRECTOR OF SURVEILLANCE AND UNDERCOVER

kenton.stephens@sageinvestigations.com

Kenton Stephens became a Licensed Private Investigator in the State of Texas in 2009. His experience includes surveillance, undercover operations, background checks, and case research, including familiarity with multi-jurisdictional state and federal records searches. He has also provided witness testimonies in multiple court trials.

Kenton received a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 1998, from the Texas State University, and he has a knack for undercover and surveillance work. His varied work history provides the experience needed to go unnoticed in a number of scenarios. His past jobs range from lifeguard to bartender to legislative aide to enterprise computing sales to homebuilding. He has logged over 950 hours of surveillance work.

He also has over 10 years of experience in gathering and investigating corporate business structures, which taught him to be very resourceful. Give him a name and city, and he can find more information than you will ever find using Google. He presented a lecture to the Austin Chapter of Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) on the Effective Use of the Internet to Jumpstart your Investigation.

In 2011, Kenton established a relationship with Sage Investigations, LLC.