Neelum Khan on Running Investigations at New York Intelligence Agency
. Updated
Neelum Khan is Head of Investigations and Research at New York Intelligence Agency, a licensed New York firm working cases since 1989. She sets the rate card, decides which cases the agency takes, and builds surveillance around investigators who blend in, usually two on a job.
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Most of what we publish is written for clients. This guest feature is about one of the people doing the work. Neelum Khan leads investigations and research at New York Intelligence Agency in Manhattan. She runs the phone line, sets the prices, decides which cases come in and which go out the door, and trains the people who answer for the agency. Next she describes how she does the job, in her own words where we have them.
Who She Is
Neelum Khan is Head of Investigations and Research at New York Intelligence Agency (NYIA). NYIA is a New York State licensed agency, license 11000169770, founded in 1989 by David Schassler. It works surveillance, matrimonial and custody cases, bug sweeps, background research, missing persons and fraud across the five boroughs, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island.
She owns the office side of the work and much of the case side too. She is the admin on the agency's case software, the person who signs off on the rate card, and the voice new staff learn the job from.
She Built the Rate Card
In September 2026 NYIA's prices were checked against what the office actually quoted on 133 recorded calls, by NYIA's own count. Neelum confirmed every figure in writing on September 18, 2026. Those are the posted rates the agency publishes now:
- Surveillance with one investigator, $240 an hour, five hour minimum, plus $100 a day for the vehicle.
- Surveillance with two investigators, $280 an hour for both, five hour minimum, plus $100 a day for the vehicle.
- Comprehensive background search, $400.
- New York State criminal history search, $600.
- Bug sweep, from $1,400.
Few agencies put real numbers on their website. Most say call for a quote. Published prices let a client compare before the first call, and that is her call. All of these are NYIA's own prices, as posted on its cost page on October 17, 2026.
Two Investigators, Not One
Her default for surveillance is two investigators. "It's only forty dollars extra an hour for a second investigator," she says. "It's not like we're doubling the price, and it's better coverage anyway."
The reason is practical. One person following a car loses it at the first red light. Two can swap, cover both exits and keep a subject in view without being seen twice. She quotes one investigator only when one can really do the job, like watching a house rather than following someone.
She also pairs every surveillance job with a free background search. Her reasoning is simple. The search tells the team where the subject lives, what they drive and who they know. "If you do the background search first, you'd be paying for it twice."
Investigators Who Blend In
Ask her what makes NYIA different and she starts with the people. "A lot of these other firms hire former cops or servicemen, and you can smell them a mile away. Our investigators blend in anywhere."
NYIA says it has the biggest team of female private investigators in the country. A woman on a bench outside a cafe, in a gym or at a school pickup does not draw a second look. That is a big part of why clients in domestic and custody cases ask for a woman on the job, a point we cover in hiring a female investigator for a cheating spouse.
She Knows Where the Line Is
Neelum turns down a lot of work, and she is direct about it. When a caller asks for something illegal, the answer is short. "We don't do that. It's illegal and potentially a violation of privacy."
Under her rules NYIA will not hack a phone or a social media account, put a tracker on someone, plant cameras, trespass or pull bank and medical records. It will not hand over a home address to someone looking for an ex. On a long lost person case, the most it does is confirm the person is alive and well and deliver a written letter for the client.
That matters to clients more than they realize. Evidence gathered illegally can sink a court case. We explain why in how private investigator surveillance works and can private investigators be charged with stalking.
How She Runs a First Call
People call a private investigator in one of the worst weeks of their life. A spouse is lying, a son has stopped answering, money is missing. Her rule for the line is that callers need certainty, not a script. "This isn't a spa where we placate people. They like hearing someone self-assured, a savvy Dick Tracy type who knows the ins and outs."
She asks three questions early. Can you tell me more about the situation? What do you need this for? When do you need us by? The answers show her what the case is and whether the client's reasons hold up. Good callers get time. The agency also works around the clock, so a case does not wait for Monday.
She Trained the Next Ones
In 2026 Neelum's rules for the phone line became a written playbook and a set of training lessons for NYIA staff. Who picks up the phone, why callers pick the agency, how to vet a case, what the agency will never do and how to price a job. New staff learn her lines before they take a call.
That is the part of her work clients never see, and it may be the most useful. An agency is only as good as the person who answers when you call.
Working With NYIA
NYIA works from Manhattan and covers New York City, Westchester, Rockland and Long Island. Phone consultations are free. You can reach the agency through New York Intelligence Agency or by calling (646) 461-4650. Whoever you hire, check the license first. Our guide on how to check a private investigator's license shows you how, and you can compare other woman owned agencies in New York.
Fast Answers
Who is Neelum Khan?
Neelum Khan is Head of Investigations and Research at New York Intelligence Agency, a licensed New York private investigation firm founded in 1989. She sets the agency's rates, vets its cases and trains its staff.
What does New York Intelligence Agency charge for surveillance?
$240 an hour for one investigator or $280 an hour for two, with a five hour minimum. A background search comes free with surveillance.
Why does NYIA send two investigators?
Two investigators can swap and cover more than one exit, so a subject is less likely to be lost or to notice the team. The second investigator adds $40 an hour, not double.
Is New York Intelligence Agency licensed?
Yes. It holds New York State Department of State license 11000169770 and says it is licensed, bonded and insured.
Primary Sources
- New York Intelligence Agency, How Much Does a Private Investigator Cost in New York
- New York Intelligence Agency, About David Schassler
- New York Department of State, Private Investigator licensing
- NYIA rate card, confirmed in writing by Neelum Khan on September 18, 2026
- NYIA call rules for staff, version 2, October 1, 2026
All sources were read in October 2026.