Gideon Epstein, MFS
Forensic Examiner of
Questioned Documents
FORENSIC DOCUMENT EXAMINER
TRAINING
Completed a two-year resident training program in the forensic science of Questioned Document Examination at the U.S. Army Crime Laboratory, Fort Gordon, Georgia from 1967-1969 and trained with the Post Office Identification Laboratory, Washington DC.
Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska and a Masters of Forensic Science degree from Antioch School of Law.
ASSIGNMENTS
Served with the Army Crime Laboratory System as a Forensic Document Examiner from 1967 to retirement as Chief, Forensic Document Examiner in February 1978. Then served as a Senior Forensic Document Examiner with the National Laboratory Center, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Rockville, Maryland from 1978-1980. Established the Immigration and Naturalization Service Forensic Document Laboratory in 1980 and served as the Chief Forensic Document Examiner until retirement in December of 2000. Opened his private practice in January 2001.
COURT EXPERIENCE
Testified as an expert witness more than 270 times in the last 41 years before Federal, State, Immigration and Military courts throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Guam, the Philippines and Israel as well as before the United States Congress.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Fellow of the Questioned Document Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICES HELD
Past President of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, the oldest professional organization for the forensic document profession in North America
CERTIFICATION
Certified by the Department of Defense (Army); Department of the Treasury (ATF) and Department of Justice (INS), U.S. Department of State, Federal Prison System as well as the Department of Homeland Security (FDL), to perform forensic document examinations for them.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Has been teaching Forensic Document Examination since 1969, first to United States Army Criminal Investigators and later at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco Georgia to both United States Treasury Agents and United States Immigration Special Agents for Diplomatic Security agents and State Department Counselor Officers. From 1986 to 1993 taught Forensic Document Examination for The George Washington Graduate School of Forensic Sciences, teaching 2 classes a year. In 1996-1997 Traveled to the Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland with the U.S. Department of State to train their National police in forensic document examination. In 1999 Traveled to the Philippines to advise that government in the establishment of a forensic document laboratory. In June 2001, traveled to Bosnia & Herzegovina for the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program to train their forensic document examiners and in 2004 traveled to Kosovo to train their forensic document examiners.
HIGH PROFILE CASES
From 1980-2007 conducted forensic document examinations for the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice, Office of Special Investigations. The office tasked with the investigation and prosecution of persons charged with WWII war crimes activities. Testified in dozens of cases throughout the United States where the handwriting on old World War II documents was used to positively link individuals to World War II war crimes activities.
Conducted handwriting examinations in the Josef Mengele War Crimes investigation as a member of an international forensic team sent to Sao Paulo, Brazil and later testified before the United States Congress on the results of this examination.
Examined key documents in the John Demjanjuk case tried in Jerusalem Israel when requested by the Israeli government and testified in Jerusalem in that case. Conducted examination of the handwriting of Variel Trifa, Archbishop of Romania that contributed to his identification in War Crimes activities in World War II.
Examined the handwriting and testified in the Manuel Noriega drug Conspiracy case in Miami Florida.
Re-examined the Lindbergh kidnapping case for Court TV.
Conducted handwriting examinations in the Jon Benet Ramsey Murder investigation.
Conducted handwriting examinations in the Anthrax letters for Fox New and discussed case on “Good Morning America”.
AWARDS RECEIVED
Was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 1978 by the U.S. Army Crime Laboratory for outstanding achievements while serving as Chief Questioned Document Examiner with the Army Crime Laboratory. In 1979 was awarded the Special Achievement Award by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for Forensic Document Examination work.
In 1982 received the Meritorious Achievement Award from the Immigration and Naturalization Service for accomplishments in the forensic document examination area.
In 1985 was awarded the Commissioners Meritorious Achievement Award for forensic document examination in support to the Office of Special Investigations
Upon retirement from government service, was awarded the Commissioners Distinguished Service Award for more than 20 years of Forensic Document Examination work for the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"Recipient of the Best of Rockville 2009 in the area of Consulting" Presented by the US Commerce Association (USCA)
402 Great Falls Road
Rockville, MD 20850
301-675-3711 (Voice)
301-315-2541 (fax)
gideon4hw@aol.com
