Ronin... clearly you want to make this fun
1) Your teacher who trained you is dead? Whats the lineage in your system? Is it traceable? Do you have papers? How's your technique? Can you pull it off on a resisting opponent? Try to validate if your dead teacher ever existed perhaps through forum discussions? Take a class? Talk to the parents? Do they spar? How do they spar? Etc.
2) They disappeared? See # 1
3) Another country? See # 1
4) Monk? Anyone claiming to be taught by a monk or claim to be a monk, or monk it up after clocking out after 5pm... are a higher risk. Not all. But generally I would stay away or tread with care. If I cant validate anything you say then why should I believe you?
FYI - through a simple forum discussion a person who claimed to be taught by someone in Japan was researched by individuals in Japan and found out to be fraudulent and that the picture of the person turned out to be lifted from the local currency and that person never existed. The "teacher" wasnt dead, an alcoholic who went AWOL, in another country, or monked once in high school. The person never existed!
And these "discoveries" have occurred more than once on something simple as a FORUM.
I find it interesting how this thread is beginning to be focused on my last section "External Parties"
Forget this sentence: "Although none of these techniques are absolute standing alone a combination of these procedures will give you more insight and empower you with the proper amount of knowledge to make a more informed decision."
More informed decision my friends, more informed decision. Dont go in blind. More informed decision.
First rule in auditing... the minute you feel management lacks integrity withdraw from the engagement.