A police officer is interrogating a suspect in a white-collar crime case where several hundred thousand dollars are suspected to have been stolen. When asked if he knows anything about the missing money, the suspect puts his hands over his mouth and says, "I don't know what you're talking about." What conclusion can the investigator draw from the suspect's behavior and answer?

There are some bodily signs that may indicate the intent, sensation, and action an individual is currently taking, these signs are often used by investigators who are trying to understand if the accused is speaking truths.

A typical gesture of not telling the truth is to touch one's mouth. Stroking your chin, wiping your lips with your fingers, placing a pencil or other object in front of your mouth are all common signs. According to body language experts, the concern with the mouth reflects the desire to prevent others from hearing the lie to be uttered, or even the unconscious desire to suppress their own words because they are false.

For this reason, in relation to the case described in the question above, when the accused touches his mouth, saying that he knows nothing about the charges of being involved in the theft of money, the investigator may conclude that the suspect is lying.