Forensic Accounting: Interviews, Investigations, and Evidence

Learning Objectives

• To discuss the process of fraud investigation.
• To discuss methods for gathering evidence.
• To recognize ethics requirements for forensic accountants.
• To describe how to write an effective report disclosing the results of a fraud investigation.
• To identify various methods and resources for conducting online investigations.
• To identify ethical and legal issues that arise in online investigations.
• To review various interviewing techniques.
• To review the procedures for conducting an interview.
• To describe how to write an effective report disclosing the results of a fraud investigation.
• To describe how to present evidence effectively with visual aids.
• To explain how to testify effectively at deposition and trial.

Course Description

A fraud investigation is aimed at examining evidence to determine if a fraud occurred, how it happened, who was involved, and how much money was lost. Investigations occur in cases ranging from embezzlement to falsification of financial statements, to suspicious insurance claims.

This online CPE course is designed to cover the steps of the fraud engagement starting with the determination of whether a fraud investigation should be conducted, working with clients and attorneys, gathering and analyzing evidence, completing an engagement report, and testifying at depositions and trials about the evidence that wasn’t covered during the investigation.

The speaker Dr. Robert Minniti, CPA will walk through ways to document evidence including the use of a chain of custody form. We will look at the ethics and professional requirements for forensic accountants who are conducting fraud investigations. In this continuing education course, examples from real-world investigations will be presented for the participants to consider and discuss.

If you are considering doing a fraud engagement for the first time, are new to the field, or would just like a refresher on the procedures for performing a fraud investigation engagement then this CPE webinar is for you.

If you turn on the news today, you will likely see a story related to fraudulent activity. As criminals and scammers adapt to a world that revolves around the internet, committing fraud has become far easier. According to the Global Fraud and Identity Report, 33% of businesses experienced more fraud losses than they did in the prior year.

Forensic accountants typically begin an investigation and collect evidence when fraud suspicions already exist. Because of this, the data they look for when conducting an investigation include red flags and discrepancies that might indicate fraud has taken place. They may interview staff at an organization to gain more information and attempt to find the individual behind the fraud. Using the gathered information, they begin to form a hypothesis as to what happened and create follow-up plans to continue to assess the business.

The internet is a treasure trove of open-source information: We all leave detailed trails of our lives on social media, professional networking platforms, and online forums. For forensic accountants, all of this material can be instrumental in conducting investigations.

This CPE course is designed for individuals who would like to obtain a basic understanding of conducting online investigations.

Imagine someone taking an automobile to a mechanic for repair. The mechanic asks, "What's the problem?" The customer replies, "I'd rather not say. Just take it apart, and tell me what you find."

Sound crazy? Of course, it does, but it's not that much different from what happens when forensic accountants always start fraud investigations by digging through the financials.

Consider this. What if someone would simply tell the investigator how the fraud was perpetrated—whether the incriminating information was provided by the interviewee intentionally or not? How valuable would that be? How much time would that save compared to a semi-blind search through a company's books?

If you are working in the forensic accounting field at some time in your career it will be necessary to interview a suspect or other individuals tied to the investigation. The main goal of an interviewing strategy is to gather and synthesize enough supporting evidence to provide a sound basis for questioning the suspected fraudster and to elicit an admission of guilt.

This CPE course is designed to review the process for conducting interviews.

Forensic accounting engagements are normally investigated over fraud, dispute, insurance claims, and criminal cases. This engagement is normally called by police, lawyer, or the parties in dispute.

Preparing the fraud investigation report is part of your major responsibility if you are a forensic accountant. This task is normally done at the final stage of your investigation. Forensic accountant’s reports are normally used as evidence to resolve the case and present to the person seeking forensic accounting service, normally a lawyer, the insurance company, etc.

Main elements that should be included in your investigation report:

• Executive summary of the report
• Scope of works in the report
• Findings from the investigations
• The conclusion from the investigations 

Through this Online Accounting CPE Webinar Course, you will learn how to draft an effectively written report on a fraud investigation.

Overview

• Consulting versus testifying expert

  5 mins
• Recording conversations

  29 mins
• Archived public records

  52 mins
• Forensic accounting testimony

  87 mins
• Maintaining anonymity

  110 mins
• Sample of available information

  143 mins
• Illegal investigation activities

  166 mins
• Initial interview goals

  201 mins
• Preparing for the interview

  225 mins
• Other methods for verifying informations

  274 mins
• Direct evidence vs. Circumstantial evidence

  338 mins