The Layered Approach There is a maxim in forensic accounting that investigations take twice as long as anticipated, yet the final report appears to have taken half the time. This article provides an overview of the forensic methodology to balance client expectations with the appropriate level of service. Each progressive layer allows for the milestones reached to be evaluated before expanding the scope. Thi ...

Part I in a Series Addressing Advances in Forensic Accounting and Financial Forensics The author of this series of articles is co-founder of Valid8 Financial Forensics Software, a Seattle, WA and Boulder, CO-based professional service provider. These articles set forth techniques used to investigate financial fraud allegations and focus on the flow of funds. As 2023 comes into clearer view, it is evident th ...

Financial Abuse of Seniors Could Grow as the Population Ages As more people enter their golden years, they become increasingly susceptible to financial fraud and financial elder abuse, especially if their mental faculties start to decline.  This article looks at the case of an 86 year old Seattle widow bilked out of much of her savings and how easily it can happen. To find out more about The New York Times ...

  Daily trading of foreign currencies is estimated to be about $5 trillion—a staggering figure, no doubt, but the sheer volume of the foreign currency market coupled with other factors such as weakened international regulation, the misapplication of translation standards, and the introduction of virtual currencies (bitcoin) has given rise to an environment where hedging, speculation, and fraud are prev ...

More on the neutral business valuator and the mediation process This article, by one of the top national leaders in the mediation profession, discusses the importance of having reliable facts to expedite the settlement of conflicts where the value of a business is a key factor. ...

It is far broader than forensic accounting While financial forensics may share some common ground with forensic accounting, these professions are far from identical twins. D. Larry Crumbley, CPA, MAFF lays out the differences between these often misunderstood professions and explores the academic factors that may be contributing to the confusion. ...

Forensic Accounting Requires Nuance Performing forensic accounting in front of the Justice Department is like a wild rollercoaster ride, explains John DeLuca. Here’s why.  ...

Held at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC, the Annual Consultants’ Conference Will Feature 57 Sessions Covering the Highest-Demand Specialty Areas in Financial Consulting  The National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) and the Consultants’ Training Institute (CTI) will collaborate to host the 2013 Annual Consultants’ Conference, June 5–8, 2013, in Washington, DC.  Themed “Innovate. Co ...

Many States Require CPAs Practicing Forensic Accounting to Now be Licensed as Private Investigators.  The AICPA Provides an Online Guide. Jeff Drew at the Journal of Accountancy reports that the AICPA has made available to members an online guide detailing which states and cities require CPAs practicing forensic accounting to be licensed as a private investigator.  Here's more detail: ...

Unreported Income Can Be Detected By Direct and Indirect Methods; Indirect Methods Examine Cash Inflows and Outflows. Here’s How. Joe Epps, CPA/CFF/ABV, CFE, CVA, explains how a forensic accountant goes about searching for unreported income—a commonly required practice in divorce and bankruptcy cases, contract disputes, and fraud investigations.  The direct method is simply reviewing financial statements fo ...

Net Cash Flow is Often the Most Significant Single Factor in a Financial Condition Analysis A financial expert in an arson case answers four questions: What changes occurred in financial condition prior to the date of the fire? What was the financial condition at the date of the fire? What was the future financial picture if there had not been a fire? Was there a potential financial benefit from the fire?  ...

A Solid Checklist to Help Businesses Deal with the Immediate Hours after Discovery of Fraud The discovery of fraud within a company can be extremely unnerving and can introduce a certain amount of panic in business owners and accounting professionals. Here’s a checklist of things you should be sure to do—from contacting law enforcement and insurers to preserving evidence and communicating with employees. ...

There Are All Kinds of Different Standards to Consider In Sophisticated Valuations. Here are Some Tips. Control premiums are difficult to calculate.  Why?  Because there are so many variables. You may need to adjust earnings to reflect a control value (i.e., restating owner’s compensation and adjusting discretionary expenses). But wait: There’s more!  There are minority earnings. And a variety of people to ...

The FBI Says it Busted an 18-Person Ring that Spanned 8 Countries and 28 States.  Make Up. Pump Up. Run Up. Daniel Gross at The Daily Beast explains:  It’s not the latest exercise fad. Rather, according to the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it’s the three-step process through which an 18-person ring allegedly committed a stunning $200 million credit-card fraud.   Here're the bas ...

External Attacks, Data Loss are Top Concerns Jeffrey Roman at Government Industry Security interviews Forensics expert Rob Lee  who says its not new types of attacks that concern him. It's the old ones that continue to impact organizations. How can organizations learn from past incidents and respond in 2013? The bulk of the cases he investigates are external breaches, not insider cases, says Lee, a seasoned ...

Ahead of the new health-care law, small firms worry about crossing the crucial 50-person threshold — and about rising premium rates  Emily Maltby at the WSJ Law blog reports on increasing concerns about the forthcoming healthcare laws among small business owners.  This seems to be a prominent issue and concern among small business owners, and has been noted in most every major media outlet in recent weeks, ...

Here are four surprising ways to protect yourself in a law suit and keep legal fees to a minimum. Kevin Daum at Inc. advises:  "Shakespeare said, "First kill all the lawyers." Maybe this seems a tad aggressive, but then again, for most people the last thing you look forward to is someone showing up at your door with a subpoena. Whether a lawsuit is business related or personal, the thought of engaging an at ...

Avoiding the “Why Me’s”: Easy-to-Implement Steps to Mitigate Fraud Risk Financial fraud can be devastating and fiscal, legal, and developmental repercussions can impede the operations of a business for years after an incident. Paul E. Zikmund takes us through his four-step process to actively deter fraud within an organization. ...

Whether you are engaged in a business valuation or a forensic investigation, do you know exactly what to do if you suspect that an employee of the subject company is committing theft? Darrell Dorrell and Gregory Gadawski provide company owners, CFOs, valuators, and forensic accountants with a check list of how to proceed in fraud investigations. The key procedural ingredient is caution. Here’s why. ...

Learn How the Pros Take Down an Embezzlement Scheme and Gather Tips on How to Best Defend Your Own Practice. Mark S. Warshavsky reviews Stephen Pedneault’s Anatomy of A Fraud Investigation. The book combines a step-by-step recounting of best practices with real-life drama as investigators discover, investigate, and resolve a fraud incident—a fantastic guide to how to defend against and uncover fraud. ...