Kroll's History

Kroll, a division of Duff & Phelps, is the leading global provider of risk solutions. For more than 45 years, Kroll has helped clients make confident risk management decisions about people, assets, operations and security through a wide range of investigations, cyber security, due diligence and compliance, physical and operational security, and data and information management services. 

Kroll was founded in 1972 by Jules B. Kroll as a consultant to corporate purchasing departments. The company focused on helping clients improve operations by uncovering kickbacks, fraud, and other forms of corruption.

In the 1980s, Kroll became known as “Wall Street’s private eye” as a result of its high-profile investigative due diligence work in the financial sector. The company later gained worldwide renown for its success in searching for assets hidden by Jean-Claude Duvalier, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, and Saddam Hussein.

In December 1997, Kroll merged with armored car manufacturer O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt and became The Kroll-O’Gara Company, a public company listed on NASDAQ.

In the late 1990s and early-mid 2000s, the company embarked on a series of acquisitions that expanded its areas of expertise and suite of services. During this time, the company also sold the O’Gara businesses. Following this sale in August 2001, the company’s legal name was changed to Kroll Inc., and its ticker symbol became “KROL”. In July 2004, Kroll was acquired by professional services firm Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

In 2018, Duff & Phelps acquired Kroll from Corporate Risk Holding. Kroll is now a division of Duff & Phelps and remains the leading global provider of risk solutions.