As an attorney, I sometimes need to use investigators, whether for gathering intel about litigants, fraud investigations, locating people and assets, or service of process. In the game of litigation combat, working with Michael Colella of Chicago Intel Agency is like having a cheat code. I have worked with Chicago Intel Agency on several matters and, each and every time, they have exceeded expectations. It's not just that Michael Colella is experienced, resourceful, and a downright ninja. Yes, he is smart, efficient, and honest. But much more importantly, he cares about his clients. He knows that, too often, anguish and trauma and fear form the root of the work he is asked to do, and he understands that his work will often have a deep emotional impact or its value may be measurable only in peace of mind. He listens better than any investigator I have worked with. He cares about his work and the effect it can have on people's lives, it's power to transform a lawsuit, to upend a negotiation, and sometimes to permit someone to begin the long process of healing. Colella has been the mastermind behind some very high-profile investigative exploits. The work I have sent to Chicago Intel Agency may be mundane by comparison, but Colella realizes that, when someone calls him, the stakes are high for them or their client. You may read elsewhere about Michael's combat skills or his medical training, which he has used to defend and save people. But the more routine investigative projects -- the kind I often work with Michael on that will not make any headlines -- are no less dramatic for the people involved. Truth is our most powerful weapon. It paves the way for justice and it also saves lives. When it is hidden, Michael will help you find it. If you need investigative services, you need to get it right the first time. You rarely get a second chance if you hire the wrong private investigator. Whether or not you think you need a jedi like Michael, you won't go wrong calling Chicago Intel Agency. At the very least, you will get to speak with a true professional who will genuinely listen and who is ready to go the extra mile to help you make things right. read more

"I had known Michael for a few months and the work he does and wasn't sure he would be able to help me, but I figured it was worth a shot and sent him a message. He called me later that morning and spent quite a bit of time on the phone with me answering all my questions, giving me advice and guidance. He was incredibly kind and took into consideration the sensitivity of the situation and those involved. He calmed my fears and eased my anxieties immediately and confirmed that he absolutely can help me and informed me on what all he could do for my situation was a lot more then I had thought. After our initial phone call, he sent me a message answering a question I hadn't asked him yet, but Michael is so intuitive he just knew what I and my children needed. He truly listens and understands and gets to know his clients and ALL those who contact him immediately...I honestly felt like I had known him forever and felt so comfortable talking to him and trusting him with my situation. I would have never thought to ask him for a referral for a new family law attorney which I absolutely needed...Michael heard my need in my voice and by my situation. Anytime I have a question or get new info and I contact Michael he is so kind, personable, knowledgeable and always gets back to me right away. I honestly have never waited more than a few hours to hear back from Michael. ​I have to say that Michael is truly unique and one-of-a-kind PI who truly puts his heart and soul into his work and truly cares for each and every one of his clients. He is kind, calm and has a great sense of humor which is SO important to lighten the mood sometimes, but he is also incredibly professional, knowledgeable and direct. He does not allow roadblocks to get in his way. Instead, he plows right through them with a mix of compassion and professionalism. I know that my kids and I will be ok and safe because of Michael and the help he's given me and the work he does and I can't thank him enough." read more

On August 16, 2020, my father was involved in a hit and run. He was in the hospital for four days. On the fourth day, he sadly passed away. I had an individual reach out and provided me with the alleged driver's name and the photos of the vehicle that was involved. I proceeded to forward the information to police who were handling my father's case. I spent months trying to get information from the police department and it got me nowhere. It took eight months for the police to finally get an arrest warrant. I received a call from the police that day and they stated they were waiting for the suspect to break the law once again to be found and arrested. They were not going to go and actively search for the guy. ​At that point, I became frustrated beyond belief and I reached out to Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. Michael Colella met up with me and my mother and agreed to help us out and find the guy who hit my father. Within a week, he found the whereabouts of the suspect. Michael then did a news interview and brought awareness to the case while local law enforcement continued to drag their feet. I'm happy and want to say thank you to Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd., especially Michael for getting the suspect behind bars. Michael took the time and answered every single question my mother and myself had at all times of the day. He walked us through every step of the way and gave us advice on the best way to get the results we desired. Without Michael, I truly believe the suspect would still be on the streets. We cannot thank Michael and Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. enough for all the hard work they did in bringing this bad guy to justice! read more

My now wife and I couldn't of been more grateful when we stumbled upon Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. Michael and his associates went above and beyond for our difficult and borderline case. A true passion and integrity for his work, particularly involving children, radiates from Michael's highly energetic personality. Very down to earth and personable. Impeccable communication at any time, in my opinion this is critical. Caseloads are low to dedicate the necessary time spent on a case. Communication and follow through have been above and beyond expectations to include in person meetings, texts, calls, whatever was necessary. He and his team compassionately assisted both my husband and I through a very emotional situation. Michael and his team went above and beyond to work with us, our borderline situation, with exceptional communication, fair prices, and even prioritized our needs, as clients, and made himself available to accommodate any need or request we had. Exceptional work, attention to detail, desire to collaborate with not just us but our legal team, impeccable communication with clients, meeting the needs of a unique situation, creativity, available and well prepared for court. If you want someone who actually hears your voice, this is the team to go with. If you want someone who is going to follow through on their words, you want these people on your side. If you want someone who is knowledgeable and very experienced this is an excellent agency. If you want people who actually care and it shows, consider consulting with Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. We couldn't say better things about Michael and his associates. read more

I have known Michael Colella for well over 25 years and can personally attest to many things about this man. First off, Michael is an individual with great integrity and cares very much for people in general, including all of his clients. He is one of the finest detectives I have ever met and puts 110% into everything he does when it comes to his career. His detective agency, Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd., is very well respected and so is Michael. He has been on multiple major news channels many times throughout the years on a variety of cases and investigations and it is no surprise to me because I know of his hard work, dedication and skill-set. He is also the only individual that I know of that offers a testimonial page on his website with well over 200 testimonials with real pictures, real first names and real last names, so you know that it's all legitimate and verifiable, instead of other companies and agencies that put a testimonial up and sign it with only a first name. I recently saw an interview with Michael and one of his clients that was facing 14 years in prison on a crime he did not commit and Michael was responsible for getting this man's charges dropped. Here is the video of that interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YWTrlbTNek You will not find a finer detective than Michael, who is very diverse and offers a wide array of investigative services to meet your needs. If you or someone you care about is in need of a private detective, without question, Michael is the individual you should contact and hire. read more

I first came in contact with licensed private detective, Michael Colella of the Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. a few years ago when I joined him on a 1991 murder case working with another attorney. Michael found a missing witness who had testified at the trial in 1992 whose testimony had become suspicious based upon newly discovered evidence. Michael located the witness out of state. A prior investigator, who was a retired police officer and competent investigator, previously had the assignment to find this witness, but could not do so. After Michael located this key witness, he arranged for us to interview the witness. When we began the interview, the witness began to demonstrate lack of cooperation by stating that what he had to say was said at trial. But Michael was able to use his interviewing and interrogation skills to put the witness at ease to the extent that he got the witness to speak more freely and obtain significant statements from the witness that can be used to impeach his trial testimony. Most recently, I have been working on a case where the sheriff was unable to serve the defendant at home and it was suspected that the defendant was successfully avoiding service of process by the sheriff. Michael obtained service within 24 hours of being provided with an alias summons for service. From the report of service, it appears that the person served was somewhat disappointed that service by Michael could not be avoided. read more

First I wanna start by saying Mike's character and empathy of our situation made my fiance and I feel so comfortable working with him. He takes all cases very serious and especially takes ones that deal with children to another level of care and urgency to protect. We got a chance to speak with Mike while he was in the process of serving the court orders to the respondents. He LITERALLY does any and everything to get this work done. My fiance and I live in a different state and had to depend solely on Mike to find these people and serve them. He even took a photo of the respondent and sent it to us. Mind you the respondents live in an apartment building and we had no idea what the unit number was, him and his team were able to figure it out and BAMMM! Got them!!!! Thank you Mike and your team for all you guys do! These 5 stars are not enough! I plan to give Mike's info to anyone I meet that needs something done, his number is stored in our phones just in case and just knowing that I know who to call has brought us so much empowerment and peace at the same time. Mike will be the first person we call when we need help! I pray they continue their amazing services for many many more years to come as they have helped so many other people, I noticed this when I did my research. I am honored to be giving my testimony along with many others. Mike is great! Thank you read more

Working with Michael as a private detective has been an experience defined by professionalism, sharp instincts, and an unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth. He has a natural investigative intuition -- the kind that allows him to notice details others overlook and connect information in ways that bring clarity to even the most complicated situations. Whether he's conducting discreet surveillance, locating hard‑to‑find individuals, or assembling a timeline from scattered clues, Michael approaches every case with precision and purpose. What truly distinguishes Michael is his steady judgment and methodical approach. He doesn't rush conclusions; he builds them piece by piece. Every lead is verified, every detail is documented, and every report he delivers is clear, thorough, and immediately useful. Clients trust him because he communicates honestly, protects their privacy, and handles sensitive matters with respect and discretion. Michael's reputation is rooted in results. Time after time, he delivers answers through persistence, resourcefulness, and a work ethic that goes far beyond expectations. If you need someone who can navigate difficult circumstances, gather accurate information, and do it all with integrity, Michael is the investigator you want in your corner. read more

My name is Paul Kludac and I am the proud owner of Detail Kings Hand Car Wash and Detail Shop. In January we got contracted by a dealership to detail over 40 cars for Elite Auto Group. When my client didn't pay his invoices after 30 days he started ghosting all my calls, emails and texts. After being 90 days delinquent on his invoices I hired an attorney to file a small claims case against this dealership seeing it cost me thousands of dollars in labor to service his vehicles and still haven't received payment. I hired a private detective that my attorney recommended and he was unable to serve the defendant. I have known Michael Colella for years and decided to give him a call and see if he can help serve the defendant so I can have my day in court with him. Michael put me at ease and guaranteed he would get this dead beat who was no where to be found. This morning I received a call and Michael told me after countless hours of investigating he made contact with the defendant and was able to process serve him. Michael's confidence and getting the job done has earned a client for life. I will happily refer clients his way. He is the Godfather and the master at his craft. Thanks again for a job well done Michael Colella with Chicago Intel Agency. read more

I hired Detective, Michael Colella and he took my case right away and was extremely helpful and generous to me by putting my case ahead his other clients so I could get my husband served his divorce summons since I only had 2 weeks left and my divorce case was going to be thrown out of court. I was having a hard time locating my husband. If you need to hire a private detective who is honest, professional with integrity, and a man who treats his clients like family ... then this is the guy that you need to hire! The great thing about Private Detective, Michael Colella is he charges a one-time flat rate fee for unlimited attempts to serve court documents where other process servers and private detectives charge more money for each attempt to serve the individual. Private Detective, Michael Colella is truly beyond a 5 star rating and he was able to locate my husband. I would definitely recommend Detective Michael Colella to any of my friends or family or anyone in need because he does phenomenal work and I was very pleased with his service. read more

You will not find a better private investigator than Michael Colella and his private detective agency, Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. ​As an office manager of a criminal defense law firm, we knew after the first assignment we gave him that there was no one more dependable or as efficient as him. In my opinion, he should be teaching and mentoring on the subject of private investigation. Not only is he an incredible individual and passionate about what he does, but he is a compassionate and understanding man. He could take care of some cases we gave him as quickly as a few hours on the first day. To this day he has successfully closed every case we have given him and has delivered results....EVERY TIME! Michael is professional, efficient, resourceful, persistent, and you can tell that he truly cares about his clients. Him and his company is the total package! Thank you Michael so much for all of your hard work you've performed on all of our cases and we will refer you out to everyone that is looking for a skillful licensed private detective. read more

I wanted to publicly make it known how pleased my husband and I were with Michael when we had hired him to serve a court summons to a contractor who had breached a contract and walked off with our money for incomplete work in early July, 2018. Michael came to our home at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 22, 2018 to pick up a copy of the court summons, arrived at the contractor's home at 6 p.m. and before 8p.m. this unscrupulous contractor was served! How fast is that?! Michael was very professional and knowledgeable about the entire process of serving someone. He explained what was needed to be explained and then got down to business! I highly recommend Michael should you need a top-notch detective. I will most definitely keep his contact information and share it with my friends and family should they ever need someone with Michael's skill set. Thank you so much, Michael! Glad I found you on the "Everything Schaumburg" group page that is managed by the Daily Herald. Nicolette Chelios read more

It doesn't matter if you're looking for your car in a parking lot, or looking for the "reputable" person that took your money and skipped town. Michael has the skills, experience, unique thought process and a laser like focus that is second to none. His determination and creativity have made for some bad days for a lot of people. These are just a few of the resources that he uses to take care of you, no matter what he is doing for you. Once he starts something, he will finish it. He is always professional in his communication with you regarding your case, both in collection of information from you, to any updates he may have for you. The best thing I can say about Michael is that he ALWAYS makes time for you, which is not easy for a man in his position to do these days, but he does. If you should find yourself in a situation that requires the help of a PI, look no further than Chicago Intel Agency, Ltd. and Michael Colella. You'll be glad you did. read more

I recently hired Michael Colella, Chicago Intel Agency, to assist me with an on-line dating scam and I am thoroughly impressed the work that was done. From the moment I contacted Michael, he was professional, prompt, and friendly. He paid incredible attention to detail and was able to get the results I knew, but wanted confirmed. What stood out was his care I handling my case and his commitment to ensuring I was satisfied with the result. He willingly contacted the individual whose identity was stolen and make sure that party was aware of what had happened. I wholeheartedly recommend Michael Colella and his agency to anyone looking for a reliable and high-quality investigator. I considered his services an investment in my future as I plunge into the dating world after 29 years. I learned a lot and while I hope I won't be needing his services again, I'll definitely use him if something suspicious comes up. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Michael, and I couldn't be more grateful for his services. He is incredibly sharp and professional while also showing a level of empathy that made me feel truly supported. He and his assistant were kind, attentive, and made me feel completely at ease throughout the process. The investigation was thorough, well-organized, and detailed, giving me confidence that I was in the best hands. What stood out the most was the way they approached everything with a "family care" mindset rather than just treating me like another client. If you're looking for someone who is both highly skilled and compassionate, I highly recommend Michael and his team! Additionally, he was able to refer me to a fantastic lawyer who has since taken my case and made a huge impact. His connections and recommendations are just another testament to his professionalism and dedication to his clients. read more

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AGENCY!!! I call this agency from Atlanta Ga to get some information about my ex that lIves in Illinois and spoke to a Godly Man name Michael. After telling him my story and asking for his assistance he told me the absolute trust with some advise. Un fortunately his agency was unable to assist Michael went way and beyond to explain what my options were while at the same time making sure I was educated and not be taken advantage of by other agency that would lie and just take my money. Coming from a Major city like Atlanta where it's every man' for himself it is a breath of fresh air to know that morals still exist in this country. Thank you Michael for all your advise and my advise to anyone seeking someone that will take your case serious and will be honest no need to look any further. Never meet you Michael but if I'm ever in Illinois dinner is on me . Kindly My Angel read more

We are very happy that we asked Michael Colella to help us with some issues my family is having. He helped us through the first hurdle and we may very well need him again. Since it is ongoing, we cannot yet share all the details as others have in their reviews. Suffice it to say, when we looked for an investigator, we, like so many, researched the internet to locate someone who would work hard to help us. We felt the reviews Michael had on the internet were very honest and, in a few cases, incredible. The many stories' people have shared encouraged us to take a chance with Michael and his CIA group. We are very happy we did. He was professional, open and honest with us. We definitely felt he had our best interest at heart. We highly appreciate all that Michael and his team did for us and we highly recommend him to anyone who needs the help of a great investigator. read more

I have known Michael now for almost 20 years. His kindness, business intelligence and his genuine concern for his clients and their loved ones are just some of the many traits he possesses that make him a superior investigator. Over the years I've had him help me with a few different private matters. His extreme focus and willingness to find answers as quickly as possible was always very impressive all the while remaining very discreet. Above all, he's probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and will always go above and beyond to get a job done. As a female, its sometimes hard to find someone to trust and that has your best interests in mind...I never had to worry for an instant with Michael. He's a great business man, thorough and always kept me in the loop of his progress. I cannot recommend Michael enough for any needs you may have. read more

Michael Colella is a man of focus, commitment, persistence, dedication and sheer will. I've personally had the pleasure and privilege of working under Michael's leadership and mentorship for many years and have seen his success speak for itself. With decades of success as a licensed private detective, Michael has had numerous life-changing testimonials from his clients including (but not limited to) finding missing people that local law enforcement was unable to locate, proving innocence of individuals who were wrongfully convicted of crimes and saving a man's life in a shooting where the President of the United States personally sent him an email letting him know what a good job he did. Michael puts his work as his number one priority and his dedication and excellence is 2nd to none. I am honored to know someone of his stature. read more