If I hire a developer to create a fork of Bitcoin with a small premine. How do I make sure I get my premine and that the developer hasn't ripped me off. Is there a way to know for sure that I have received my premine? What would be the steps when launching the network to verify the developer hasn't done anything 'tricky'? Thanks!
There is really not a "sure" way to know beforehand, they will do it and they will give it to you and that is how you learn if they cheated you or not. Technically of course, otherwise just get in the same room with them, watch them work and basically be on top of them everyday to make sure they do not cheat you from anything.
However, I have always said that incorporate if you want to do big business stuff. If you incorporate you will have the rights to get all the information you need from the people you work with, so if they cheat you or do something you can literally call the cops and start a legal action with ALL their info as well, in that case they will not want to scam you because if they do everyone will be looking for them and they will go to jail, nobody would want to do that. So if you want to make sure, become a company and hire a lawyer.