fraud - The Pros and The Cons!
Transcription
fraud - The Pros and The Cons!
Training, Writing and Consulting in: Fraud and Audit Failures Leadership Skills and Strategies Productivity Performance Measures 10356 Wellington Blvd., Suite D Powell, OH 43065 Phone 614-761-8911 gzfraud@bigfoot.com www.TheProsAndTheCons.com FRAUD 2005 HOT TOPICS GARY D. ZEUNE The Pros & The Cons 10356 Wellington Blvd Suite D Powell, OH 43065 Office Fax 614-761-8911 206-202-0880 gzfraud@bigfoot.com www.TheProsAndTheCons.com TRAINING AND CONSULTING sing 35 years of experience in auditing, corporate finance, and investment banking, Gary D. Zeune, CPA, provides CPAs, attorneys and executives with hands-on experience in fraud and corporate strategy performance improvement. Mr. Zeune instructs courses for: U FBI National Training Academy Office of the U.S. Attorney The SEC Institute National Association of Securities Dealers North American Securities Administrators Association American Society for Industrial Security Over 35 state CPA societies and bar associations American Institute of CPAs American Management Association Institute of Management Accountants Entrepreneurship Institute Treasury Management Association Private classes for numerous companies and accounting firms. Mr. Zeune has instructed Strategy Formulation and Implementation in the Executive MBA Program and Accounting and Honors Finance at The Ohio State University. He is also a member of the Education Executive Council and is past chairman of the Education Marketing and Public Relations Committees of The Ohio Society of CPAs. His other memberships include: the American Institute of CPAs, and the Regulation of Public Offerings Committee of the Ohio Division of Securities. Prior to forming his consulting practice in 1986, Mr. Zeune was an Assistant Vice President of Corporate Finance at The Ohio Company, a Columbus, Ohio investment banking firm. He also spent more than five years in Treasury and Finance at Wendy's International, where he was responsible for mergers and acquisitions, financial and SEC reporting, and corporate finance. He was on the audit staff of Ernst & Ernst from 1973 to 1977; and taught accounting at Ohio University from 1970 to 1973, where he received his bachelors in mathematics and masters in accounting, with honors. ARTICLES AND BOOKS Mr. Zeune is also widely published. He has published more than 40 professional articles and is the author of The CEO's Complete Guide to Committing Fraud and Outside the Box Performance. He has been a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of the Journal of Working Capital Management and The Ohio CPA Journal. For Deloitte & Touche, he authored Financing Business Growth and has completed the first draft of The Complete Guide to Buying or Selling a Closely Held Business, two books in the firm's Entrepreneurial Series. He has authored chapters for two books published by Warren Gorham Lamont, the world's largest financial publisher: Accessing the Capital Markets and Options for Raising Capital. WHITE COLLAR CRIMINALS Mr. Zeune has the ONLY speaker's bureau in the country specializing in white-collar criminals — The Pros & The Cons. Mr. Zeune's speakers tell their stories of how and they committed their crimes. Their frauds range from $18,000 to $350 million. Speakers include CPAs, attorneys, and business people. The frauds include: Mark Morze created 10,000 phony documents to steal $100 million in the infamous ZZZZ Best Carpet Cleaning fraud (86% of the revenue was fake and no one found it) Fred Shapiro defrauded nearly every major financial institution in the City of Philadelphia to the tune of $8.6M. He is a former attorney, accountant, educator and inmate. Fred worked undercover with the U.S. attorney's office and the FBI in a drug and money laundering operation in an effort to minimize his sentence. Nick Wallace committed a $350 million fraud as the President of ESM Government Securities resulting in the collapse of the Ohio Saving & Loan Guarantee Fund, and the bankruptcy of 69 Ohio S&Ls Dunlap Cannon was the largest real estate closing attorney in Memphis. He went to prison for 32 months for stealing $5 million from his clients. Suffering from medical expenses and family deaths, bookkeeper Teri Lynn Norwood stole $18,000, promising to pay it back. She ran out of time. 100% No-Risk Guarantee Mr. Zeune’s executive education training is consistently rated at least a 4.7 on a 5-point scale. If you are not satisfied for any reason, if you don’t learn at least 10 new things you can use the following day, there are no fees or expenses. PERIOD. Training, Writing and Consulting in: Fraud and Audit Failures Productivity Performance Measures Leadership Skills and Strategies 10356 Wellington Blvd Suite D Powell, OH 43065 Phone 614-761-8911 gzfraud@bigfoot.com www.TheProsAndTheCons.com ACTION STEPS FROM GARY’S CLASS # Action Item _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ _____ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Thanks for attending. Don’t hesitate to call or email if you have questions. . . .gdz Outside the Box Performance: How to Beat Your Competitors' Brains Out is packed with the techniques small and mid-size world-class companies use to become and stay competitive, and make a ton of money. Learn the secrets to unlock the multitude of new techniques which "drive" your profitability. This book compliments the class and provides new ideas to incorporate in your business. For example, do you know what the basis of competition will be in the next 10 years? It’s around you ALL the time. You expect it everyday as a customer. Or, how to beat your competitors by asking your customers two simple questions? If not, sit back and learn how to "beat your competitors'brains out!" Don' t you want to know how Barry Minkow and Mark Morze stole $100 million from investors in the ZZZZ Best Carpet Cleaning fraud, right under the noses of auditors, underwriters and lawyers? The first chapter of 100 pages in The CEO's Complete Guide to Committing Fraud tells you. It also has 8 chapters on other frauds: computer, real estate, fake financial statements, public company frauds, and a chapter by an auditor who became the target of a fraud investigation, just 4 weeks after becoming the engagement partner. Risk-Free Lifetime Guarantee: Gary Zeune’s books are fully guaranteed. If they ever fail to meet your expectations, even after you' ve written in them, marked them up, torn pages out, return for a full refund. I need the following copies of Mr. Zeune' s books. Price: 1 @ $19.95: 2 to 5 @ $15.95 6+ @ $12.95 The CEO's Complete Guide to Committing Fraud (300 pages) Outside the Box Performance (200 pages) Number of books ordered 1 @ $19.95 Checks make payable to: 2 - 5 @ $15.95 each Gary Zeune 10356 Wellington Blvd Suite D Powell, OH 43065 Office 614-761-8911 Fax 801-751-6283 Email gzfraud@bigfoot.com Web www.bigfoot.com/~gzfraud 6+ @ $12.95 each Postage/Shipping $5.00 Total Name _____________________________________________ Company ___________________________________________ Address City State Zip ______ Fax __ _____________________ Phone Email ______________________________________________ Address is: Firm Home v2 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Gary Zeune, CPA The Pros & The Cons 10356 Wellington Blvd, Suite D Powell, OH 43065 Phone 614-761-8911 Fax 206-202-0880 gzfraud@bigfoot.com www.TheProsAndTheCons.com Required Legal Stuff These materials were developed by Gary D. Zeune. The following policies govern their use: 1. These materials are intended for use in group study situations and were not developed for self study or reference uses. These materials are copyrighted. Reproduction of the manual or any portion of it is prohibited unless written permission has been obtained from Gary D. Zeune. 2. These materials were prepared solely for the purpose of continuing professional education. They are distributed with the understanding that Gary Zeune is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. 3. Participants are advised that the Statement on Standards for Formal Continuing Education (CPE) Programs places responsibility on both the individual participant and the program sponsor to maintain a record of attendance at a CPE program. 4. The information the participant should keep on each program is (a) sponsor's name, (b) title and/or description of content, (c) date(s) of the program, (d) location, (e) number of CPE contact hours. This information is found in the printed program for most courses or conferences and/or in a CPE attendance record form. Either or both of these documents should be kept for an appropriate period to enable regular periodic reporting to jurisdictional board(s) and to professional organizations requiring such reports. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 2 Free: Leading Edge Information Every Week Stay up to date with Mr. Zeune's free electronic newsletter. Just go to: www.TheProsAndTheCons.com And click There is no cost and you can unsubscribe at any time. 1.“Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate being on your distribution list. I have found that there are many items that you refer to me that are helpful.” . . .Mike McGlynn Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 3 Manual Posted Online This manual is posted at www.TheProsAndTheCons.com/manuals. It can be printed but not downloaded, edited or saved on your computer. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 4 Today’s Topics 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Small business, big losses New rules of business Industries under attack Fraud training increasing Selecting and retaining clients Materiality redefined Zero tolerance environment Corporate identity theft I didn’t know Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 5 Today’s Topics 10. Integrity and aligning goals to deter fraud 11. Prosecutors secret weapon 12. Companies that can’t count 13. What’s happenin’ in firms 14. Why managers break the rules 15. 11 questions to hire ethical employees 16. AICPA/FBI fraud partnership 17. T&E fraud 18. Selecting and retaining the right clients Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 6 Fraud Training Increasing FIRSTGlobal Investigations, a division of BDO Seidman LLP, predicts that fraud prevention will top priority lists for many corporate boards in the coming year. Boards focused on internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act last year. But the SarbanesOxley Compliance Journal reported fraud prevention training programs increasing this year since the Organizational Sentencing Guidelines made fraud prevention the responsibility of the board of directors. FIRSTGlobal also foresees that both private companies and nonprofit organizations will step up their fraud prevention activities. Venture capitalists and independent directors will pressure private companies to improve fraud detection, while major donors will do the same at nonprofits…… AccountingWEB, Feb 23, 2005. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 7 Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics www.CFEnet.com 800-245-3321 8 ACFE Findings 1. $660 Billion total 2. Internal controls detected smallest frauds 3. Organizations with anonymous tip lines frauds were ½ the size of those without them 4. Small organizations suffered disproportionately the largest frauds 5. Private companies suffered largest losses 6. Median recovery is 20% with 40% getting nothing 7. Owners and executives less likely to be prosecuted Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 9 ACFE Findings 8. Most fraudsters are first time offenders 9. Victim organizations revenue from $25,000 to $80 billion with average of $26 million 10. 1 in 6 financial statement frauds at least $10 million 11. 90+% of frauds were asset misappropriations but smallest average loss at $93,000 12. 8% of frauds were cooking the books but highest average loss at $1,000,000 13. Oldest/most educated commit biggest frauds Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 10 Cost of Fraud Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 11 3 Types of Frauds Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 12 Who the Victims Are Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 13 Most Fraud at Small Organizations Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 14 Small Organizations Suffer More Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 15 How Frauds are Detected Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 16 Hotlines Prevent Fraud Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 17 Internal Audits Prevent Fraud Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 18 External Audits Have Little Effect Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 19 Men vs Women Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 20 Older Fraudsters Steal More Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 21 More Education BIGGER Frauds Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 22 What Would You Do??? Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 23 Applying Going-Concern 1. Clean opinion covers not just the past but __________________ 2. Says ‘everything will be fine’ for next __________ 3. How many of you look at next year’s __________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 24 New ‘Rules’ You Need to Know 1. New Cops Will Walk the Mutual Funds Beat 2. Putnam targets its cutthroat culture 3. A Whole New Look at Mutual Funds: Due to Scandal, Long-Accepted Practices Get Closer Scrutiny 4. Fund Probe Broadens to IPO Allocations by Money Managers 5. Behind the Mutual-Fund Probe: Three Informants Opened Up 6. Hidden Loans May be Rife Among Insurers 7. Insurers May Face Heat via Inquiry Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 25 New ‘Rules’ You Need to Know 8. Two Insurance Brokers Are Sued Over Commissions 9. Insurers Reel From Bust of a ‘Cartel’ 10. Insurance Fees Are Scrutinized 11. How Coke Officials Beefed Up Results of Marketing Tests: Consultant gave kid’s clubs $9,000 to buy Value Meals in Burger King promotion 12. Bait and switch: Study finds red snapper mislabeled 13. Charities Start to Grade Themselves 14. SEC Prohibits ‘Directed Brokerage’ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 26 New ‘Rules’ You Need to Know 15. NASD Wants Street CEOs to Certify Compliance 16. The New Accounting: Companies face a paradigm shift in how they conduct business 17. “Why Ask?” You Ask, Because it’s part of your job and you may uncover fraud 18. In Fight for Ads, Publishers Often Overstate Their Sales 19. Lawsuits Challenge Charity Status of Hospitals on Care for Uninsured Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 27 Legal Environment Changing 1. Price-Fixing Investigations Sweep Chemical Industry 2. FDIC changes ID theft rule 3. Tom Trauger, E&Y Partner, Sentenced To 1 Year for Destroying NextCard Audit Workpapers 4. Spitzer Calls for Markup Curbs on Auto-Dealership Car Loans 5. As Hospitals Battle for Patients, A Prosecutor Alleges Bribery 6. Solicitations concern watchdog Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 28 Industries Under Attack 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Credit rating companies Insurance Investment banking Newspaper circulation Title insurance companies Data merchants Radio companies Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 29 Credit Ratings Overhaul Might Detect More Fraud, Earlier 1. “For years, the nation’s credit rating agencies have thrived, booking mouth-watering profits from operations that are riddled with conflicts of interest and shielded from competition.” NYT 2. “I think it’s fair to say oversight of the industry is insufficient. We want firms to meet certain standards.…on conflicts of interest and solicitation of ratings. Right now we don’t have that at all.” Annette Nazareth, Dir. of Market Regulation, SEC 3. Straight debt $1.2 trillion v. $146 billion common stock 4. + $1.4 trillion mortgage and asset-backed debt 5. Minimum credit ratings required for investments by pension funds, banks, money market funds Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 30 Credit Ratings Overhaul Might Detect More Fraud, Earlier 1. Certified by the SEC 1. Standard & Poor’s 2. Moody’s 3. Fitch 4. Dominion Bond Rating 2. Uncertified 1. Egan-Jones 3. Who Pays for the ratings 6 Do Investors Care Who Pays for the Rating? 4 2 3.8% Upgrades 0.5% 0 -2 -4 -6 -2.8% Downgrades -6.1% -8 Moody's EganJones Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 31 Credit Ratings Overhaul Might Detect More Fraud, Earlier 1. Big-3 moving into other consulting 2. Congressional hearings 3. Why did big-3 rate Enron investmentgrade until 4 days before bankruptcy but Egan-Jones blew the whistle months before 4. Debt-ratings are opinions protected by First Amendment Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Sen. Richard Shelby 32 Credit Ratings Overhaul Might Detect More Fraud, Earlier “We do not link analyst compensation, including bonus compensation, to the ratings they have on the companies they follow or to the amount of fees they receive from those companies. Beyond that, we have a collection of business conduct policies and codes of practice and behavior which the entire Moody’s population is required to adhere to.” Raymond W. McDaniel, President, Moody’s Corporation Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 33 Marsh & McLennan 1. World’s largest insurance broker 1. Contingent commissions 2. Bid rigging 2. Changes decades-long practices 3. “B quotes” 4. Settlement 1. $850 million to customers 2. Secret payments + Compensation 3. Apology: “shameful” and “unlawful” Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 34 Marsh + AIG Execs Plead Guilty 1. Joshua Bewlay, Marsh senior vice president and managing director 2. AIG scheming to defraud 1. Underwriter Carlos Coello 2. Karen Radke and Jean-Baptist Tateossian 3. Marsh significantly understated the amount of revenue it got from placing insurance Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics John Mohs, AIG VP, pleaded guilty, Feb. 15, 2005 to felony scheme to defraud, up to four years in prison. (AP/Julie Jacobson) 35 Title Insurance Companies 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fidelity National Financial First American LandAmerica Financial Group Citibank Wells Fargo…”We do not use any title underwriter on an exclusive basis nor do we have any contractual provisions guaranteeing any future business for any title underwriter.” 6. Widespread Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 36 Title Insurance Kickback Scheme Ti tle Reinsure Policy FORM Po lic y Independent Title Company Reinsurance Company Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 37 Ad Execs Go to Jail 1. Senior execs at Ovilgy & Mather 2. Convicted of 1 count of conspiracy and 9 counts of false claims to overbill U.S. Gov’t 3. Defrauded U.S. Office of National Drug Policy 4. $1 billion ad campaign 5. Cover $3 million shortfall 6. Ordered employees to alter time sheets Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 38 Ad Execs Go to Jail 1. Firm paid civil fine of ________________ 2. Demand advertising “Audit Rights” 3. Define terms in advertising contracts 1. Salary/Profit/Overhead Judge Richard M. Berman read more than 70 letters of support that characterized Seifert as a "hugely successful, high-level executive," but noted that "success in business is illusory unless it is grounded in ethical business practices and those need to be ... instilled in all of the workforce from the top to the bottom." Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Shona Seifert 18 months 2 years probation $125,000 fine 400 hrs Code of conduct Thomas Early 14 months $10,000 fine 2 years probation 39 Radio in Trouble 1. Ownership rules changed 1996 1. Vast consolidation via mergers 2. Competitive threats 1. Mp3/Napster/iPod/satellite/internet 2. Late upgrading to digital music 3. Programmed ‘corporate’ music 4. Changes 1. 30 seconds ads 2. Expanded playlists Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 40 Blackout Could Have Been Avoided No clear, consistent vegetation clearance system Tree branch on a 345,000-volt line Promptly shut down just 1500 megawatts would prevent 62,000 megawatt failure for 50 million 46 recommendations to all power generators Local power covered by state requirements Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 41 Blackout Could Have Been Avoided North American Electric Reliability Council rules for power grid are voluntary Control room operators inadequately trained “did not recognize or understand the deteriorating condition of its system” and did not conduct voltage analysis to know what was needed to keep system up NAERC was not properly overseeing First Energy Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 42 Space Shuttle Little Events BIG Impact Space Shuttle Columbia What happened ____________________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 43 9/11 Little Events Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics BIG Impact 44 Materiality Redefined A little number is material when it gets you or your company or firm on the front page of the paper Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 45 Little Numbers That Are Material Bank loan covenant requires minimum income $1,000,000 1st pass at income $980,000 Reduced bad debt expense +$31,000 Income Company gets clean opinion $1,011,000 Goes bankrupt Bank sues Firm ‘conspired’ with borrower Little numbers are material if they accomplish a _________________________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 46 Zero Tolerance Environment What used to be OK isn’t any longer…. Example:_________ _________________ _________________ _________________ _________________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 47 Ohio State Cracks Down on File Sharing 1. Downloading 1. Suspend 2. Expulsion 2. File-sharing 1. $250,000 2. Jail time http://resnet.osu.edu/article.asp?id=8 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 48 Zero Tolerance for CEO 1. Nutrisource willfully mislabeled as fat-free 1. Label: 3 grams of fat and 135 calories 2. Actual: 18 grams and 530 calories 2. Bought doughnuts, cinnamon rolls and cookies relabeled as First Health and sold to __________ 3. Customers complained to FDA that doughnuts _______________ and they ______________ 4. Prior warnings from FDA about mislabeling 5. Sentenced to _____________ 6. Banned from selling any food regulated by any agency Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 49 Zero Tolerance Examples Janet Jackson COVER: Photo illustration by Michael Elinsfor for NEWSWEEK, head shot by Mark Bryan-Brown ― WIREIMAGE. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Radio shock-jock Howard Stern Gift cards 50 No more late fees 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. $630,000 47 states and DC Deceived customers Better explain the ‘fine print’ Extra week to return movie before charged full price Insufficient disclosure which stores Limitations to be made in writing Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 51 Zero Tolerance: Martha Too harsh 24% Too light 53% Just right 14% No jail 9% Online survey, Columbus Dispatch, 7/27/04 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 52 Zero Tolerance: Quattrone 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Tech banker at First Boston 2000 income __________ Single email to “clean up those files” “Crystal clear” he lied testifying he didn’t intend to obstruct justice Obstruction of IPO ‘spinning’ investigation Probation said 10 months: 5 jail + 5 house arrest Sentenced to 18 months Ask for lighter sentence to care for family who have trust funds Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 53 Boeing CFO Sentenced to Jail 1. 2. 3. 4. Illegal recruiting of Druyun Druyun oversaw billions of AF contracts “I know what I did was wrong.” “You are a person who had everything and in a blink of an eye you jeopardized everything,” Judge Gerald Lee 5. Compensation _____________ 6. Est cost to Sears _____________ Michael Sears Boeing CFO Darleen Druyun Dept of Defense Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 54 Boeing CFO Sentenced to Jail 1. 2. 3. 4. Wealth worked against him Home $5 million “Soaring Through Turbulence” withdrawn Sentences 1. Sears 4 months + $250,000 + 200 hours 2. Druyun 16 months 5. Why did she steer business to Boeing? Michael Sears Boeing CFO Darleen Druyun Dept of Defense Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 55 Boeing CEO Forced to Resign Harry C. Stonecipher CEO to rebuild company Poor judgment that impaired his ability to lead Office romances have serious legal complications It's not the relationship, it's the lack of judgment Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 56 Can’t Even Trust Academics University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics A large portion of the materials on plagiarism on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Writing Center website was revealed in February to have been taken verbatim from Purdue University’s web page on plagiarism. 57 Check Your Gift-Card Rules 1. NY AG Eliot Spitzer sued claiming terms misleading 2. Maintained since issued by Bank of America Corp. and therefore governed by federal banking laws 3. 2004 sales increased 20% to 6.3 million cards totaling $400 million 4. Settled for $125,000 and changes 5. Suits continuing in Mass, NH and Conn 6. Conn. pursuing since fees/rules violate state law 7. 25 other states pursuing gift-card policies Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 58 Paid Plugs Undisclosed Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 59 Flower Pot Fraud 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Cheater pots/”trade gallon” Started after WW II with fruit cans 6” pot is just the _____________ Accepted practice for 50+ years Penn customer complained about 10” pot Federal labeling laws overseen by local weights and measures authorities 7. Result: standardized sizes and volumes Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 60 Tippy Toes Learning Academy 1. 2. 3. 4. Private Memphis day care center Killed 4 children, severely injured 2 Driver Wesley Hudson killed “This was a shocking accident that did not need to occur. That driver should not have been driving,” NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners 5. Driver marijuana convictions 6. NTSB: warned only experienced drivers should operate 15-person vans Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 61 Tippy Toes Accident Details 1. Primary causes…NTSB 1. Day-care negligence 2. Driver lost control 2. Contributing factors 1. Day care ignored parents 2. Absence of Tenn oversight 3. 15 passenger van specs 4. No commercial driver’s license 5. Undiagnosed sleep disorder 6. Smoked marijuana Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 62 Tippy Toes Aftermath 1. Camelia Gibson and Sandra Gordon, principals of Tippy Toes 2. Sentenced to two years on four counts of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated assault Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 63 Credit-Card Warning 1. Office of Comptroller of Currency letter 2. Unfair and/or deceptive practices 1. Credit limits “up to” 2. Promotional rates without disclosing restrictions 3. Raising interest rate without disclosing what triggers the increase 3. Targeting customers with limited or poor credit Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 64 Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising $10 - $20 Billion liability Yes 5% Percent of patients who doctors say actually understand risks and side effects of drugs. No 95% Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 65 Glaxo-SmithKline Disclosures Paxil is anti-depressant Didn’t disclose negative data about suicide effect on children NY AG sued for fraud $2.5 million to NY Eliot Spitzer Will disclose negative data on safety and NY Atty General effectiveness of its drugs by Dec 31, 2005 “The immediate impact is sending a signal to other drug companies this is the new standard for disclosure. We will continue until this industry has stopped this practice.” Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 66 J&J Talks Straight 1. Disclose benefit and risks of DTC ads In a new ad for J&J's 2. CEO tells other CEOs to follow Ortho Evra birth control patch, a 3. Chairman of Pharmaceutical Research physician urges a and Manufacturers of America woman to carefully 4. Why the change ________________ consider the risks. 5. “Lie of omission” 6. Ortho Evra birth control and smoking 7. “Here we are with a doctor stating factual information, with no cover-up,” House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, drug industry critic Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 67 Hospital Identity Thieves Location Number of cases University of Chicago Hospital 85 Iowa 15 Minnesota 30 Indiana 50 Michigan 20 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 68 Identity Theft 1. 2. 3. 4. 27 million or 13% of Americans since 2000 $60 billion cost to businesses and consumers 8% of companies budget 10%+ of IT on security 75% of 163 U.S. companies surveyed 12 months end Feb 2005 reported significant stolen data 1. 27% included customer data Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 69 Hospital Identity Thieves 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Rogue employees HIPAA Bar coding wrist bands not SSN SSN available only to billing office Don’t trust other patients 1. Michigan cancer patient stole identity of 9 other cancer patients 2. Teach patients not to give out SSN Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Eric Drew Identity stolen by lab tech at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. 70 Fake Mutual Fund 1. 2. 3. 4. Pax World $1.3 billion FairPax Inc. used Pax World’s web site Outlandish returns www.paxworld.org Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 71 Avoiding Fake Mutual Funds 1. High pressure emails “Your account will be shut down.” 2. Secure web pages: https, not http 3. Suspicious web address http://www.paxworld349.com 4. Review account statement for Missing trades or executed by someone you don’t know Late or missing statement Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 72 Avoiding Fake Mutual Funds 5. Keep browser up to date and apply patches 6. Report suspicions to: 1. Fund company itself 2. FBI Internet Fraud Complaint Center 1. www.IFCCFBI.gov 3. SEC at enforcement@sec.gov Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 73 Corporate Identity Theft Data Merchants 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. ChoicePoint 145,000 records LexisNexis 300,000 records DSW Shoe 1,400,000 records Ralph Loren 180,000 records Bank of America 1,200,000 records Boston College 120,000 alumni records Nearly anyone can buy records with SSN Direct Marketing Assn “Members use SSN to make sure they’re sending mail to the correct individual.” Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 75 ChoicePoint 1. 19 Billion records 2. 50,000 customers 1. FBI, IRS, Homeland Security 2. Insurance companies 1. 115 million new policies or renewals 3. 300,000 criminal records 4. Criminals posing as businesses stole 170,000 files 5. 3-person privacy committee met twice in 2003 6. Calif law required disclosure Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 76 ChoicePoint Changes ChoicePoint to Exit Consumer-Sensitive Data Markets; Shift Business Focus to Areas Directly Benefiting Society and Consumers, March 5, 2005 “….discontinue the sale of information products that contain sensitive consumer data, including Social Security and driver's license numbers, except where there is a specific consumer-driven transaction or benefit, or where the products support federal, state or local government and criminal justice purposes.” $15-$20 million revenue = $.10-$.12 per share Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 77 Discount Shoe Warehouse 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Theft over 90 days indicates an __________ 100,000+ thousand records Credit-card customers __________ Hired Ubizen to assess damage Company can’t contact customers Had to ask credit card companies and media to alert www.dswshoe.com Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 78 Secure Credit Card Transactions by 6/30/05 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Companies keeping things working not secure Established in 2001 Most small companies unaware Hackers use bots to scour for weak systems Will focus on small companies 20,000+ charges company must certify compliance Digital Resources Group LLC Qualys Inc. Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 79 Secure Credit Card Transactions by 6/30/05 1. Checkout software required to purge credit card info 2. Many systems retain info including 3-digit secret code needed to counterfeit cards 3. BJ’s Wholesale Club suing IBM over 40,000 accounts lost Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 80 Check Fraud 1. How much _________ 2. UCC Section 3-406 1.Comparative negligence 2.Know bank’s requirements for ordinary care 3. Positive pay program 4. Reverse positive pay program Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 81 Physical Check Security Controls 1. Watermarks 2. ‘Void’ pantographs 3. Chemical ‘Voids’ 4. High-resolution microprinting 5. Reflective holograms 6. Security inks Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 82 Ordinary Care to Limit Liability 1. Physical safety features 2. Timely reconciliation 3. Safeguard check stock and signature devices 4. Signature verification for paid checks 5. Segregation of duties 6. Prompt reporting of check fraud Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 83 Corporate ID Theft 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Phoebe Nicholson, 39 Honeywell paralegal for 7 months $600,000 Jan 8 to March 25, 2003 Fish & Neave Boss signed 7 phony bills Convinced A/P to give her the ______ Business Certificate as Fish Neave Opened bank account Spent on __________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 84 Should ID Theft be Reported??? No 3% Should companies be required to inform you immediately if your sensitive information has been lost or stolen? 2107 people voted WSJ online survey, March 14, 2005 Yes 97% Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 85 Secure Your Information "A lot more numbers can be stolen through this very sophisticated kind of fraud compared to the kind a few years ago. If there is a message that can be derived from all this, it's that companies need to be aware and invest in the necessary network safeguards. If they don't, they'll pay eventually. They might as well pay at the front end.” Kurt Douglass, special agent, Secret Service, Cincinnati Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 86 Does Guilt Require a Direct Connection? “It would be a rare case where it could be shown that a person wrote, or states, that as of a given time in the past, he committed an act with fraudulent intent. Such direct proof is not required.“ Judge Barbara S. Jong of United States District Court in Manhattan instructing the jury. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 87 Does Guilt Require a Direct Connection? Jurors could find Ebbers guilty if they thought he strongly suspected fraud, but intentionally avoided finding out by turning a blind eye. Included when Ebbers repeatedly testified __________________________________ Judge Barbara S. Jong of United States District Court in Manhattan instructing the jury. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 88 “Aw Shucks” Defense Doesn’t Work Jury didn’t believe CFO Sullivan or CEO Ebbers Jury reviewed boxes of exhibits Extra-large ‘green-bar’ paper including “management budget variance reports” ‘Line costs’ were very high, then big drop-off “If we could see the adjustments, how could he not see them?” Salina Strong, juror 4 “Ignorance at this level can not be excused”. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 89 Prison Time Ebbers Should Get…. 1 year 5% 1-10 years 24% 10+ years 71% Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Source: TheLadders survey of 838 executives making $100,000 to $500,000. 90 Should Bernie Ebbers Have Been Convicted 1. Absolutely yes. If he wasn't found guility, you could throw out the entire integrity of publicly traded companies. — Victor Connor 2. His conviction should send a message to all presidents and CEOs across corporate America that the buck stops with you, not the accounting department. — David Glass 3. I voted no, only because I never saw anything proving his guilt. — Jason Taub Source: WSJ online survey March 16, 2005 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 91 “I Didn’t Know” Defense Doesn’t Work Willful blindness A person tries to avoid knowing something that will incriminate him. Defendant “knows” anyway because of the high probability of its existence. Deliberate ignorance People who, recognizing the likelihood of wrongdoing, consciously refuse to take basic steps to discern the truth. Conscience If a defendant claims a lack of knowledge, avoidance and the facts suggest a conscious course to avoid learning the truth, then the defendant may be charged with knowledge “Good soldier” Doesn’t work Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 92 Earnings Management Defined…… Did you hear about the company that needed a CFO? Five finalists were given financial information and told to compute net earnings. The first 4 got the right answer, but not the job. The last candidate got the job when he asked, __________________________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 93 When Does Juggling the Numbers Become Fraud???? 1. Do you manipulate the numbers _______ 2. Not all GAAP is high quality Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 94 When Does Juggling the Numbers Become Fraud???? c M Kesson Empowering Healthcare Cease and desist $1,000,000 fine Stashed earnings in reserves to _____________ Premature revenue Many contracts that hadn’t been finalized “the accounting stuff that’s required to smooth things out causes management to mislead itself,” Peter Lewis, CEO, Progressive Insurance. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 95 Earnings management Selecting and applying GAAP to report desired results instead of reality Inventory Depreciation Performance timing Maintenance Inventory obsolescence Sales period GAAP sometimes doesn’t reflect economic reality R&D Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 96 Cultural Audit 1. “A corporation’s culture is what determines how people behave when they’re not being watched,” Tom Morris 2. Ethics is doing the right thing even when no one’s looking…..gdz Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 97 Is Ethical Behavior Enough? 1. Profitability is not optimized by only ethical compliance and codes of conduct 2. Cannot force people to behave ethically and for benefit of stakeholders Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 98 Integrity “Integrity must be accompanied by ethical values, and must start with the chief executive and senior management and permeate the organization. Control systems cannot rise above the integrity and ethical values of the people who create, administer and monitor them,” COSO report. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 99 Goal Discongruence When the ‘system’ puts the decision-maker in a position of conflict. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 100 Goal Congruence When the ‘system’ puts the decision-maker in win-win position. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 101 Goal Discongruence Management has set the target. They expect me to achieve it. My future, my job could be on the line. I want to succeed, and I want to please my boss, management, and the company. I want to look good when compared to my peers. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 102 Goal Discongruence Sales Force 1. Managers accountable for regions’ sales goals 2. Established by _____________ 3. Company policy was ‘team work’ 4. Primary motivators were individual quotas and rewards 5. Result: ‘team members’ were in competition with ______ 6. Example: who should get credit for a sale Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 103 Goal Discongruence Revenue 1. Software company management set very aggressive sales targets 2. Sales recorded when product shipped 3. End of month Î call customers to _______ 4. Shipments to customers who hadn’t _____ 1. What do customers then do _________ 5. Not enough? Ship to ____________ 6. Company went bankrupt because management didn’t understand the ______ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 104 Secret Weapon Section 1001 Crime to lie to ANY federal agent Don’t have to be under oath No other crime necessary Martha Convicted of lying to FBI/SEC Not charged with insider trading Cover-up worse than the crime Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 105 Secret Weapon Section 1001 Remarkable trap Criminalizes behavior most don’t think it illegal Agents usually don’t tape record Agents CAN lie Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 106 Secret Weapon Section 1001 “Any casual conversation … you can be convicted of lying.” “You have an absolute right not to talk to the government, but if … you open your mouth … choose your words wisely.” “With the government, you’re always on the record.” Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Seth Taube Baker Botts 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, New York 10112-4498 Phone: 212.408.2655 Fax: 212.259.2455 seth.taube@bakerbotts.com 107 Milestones in Federal Sentencing 1987 Federal sentencing guidelines adopted 1991 Add guidelines for companies, cooperate for leniency 1999 DOJ says waiving privilege may indicate cooperation 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley increases criminal penalties 2003 ‘Thompson memo’: paying employees’ legal costs may show company isn’t cooperating 2003 Increase in penalties if many victims 2004 Compliance and ethics training for reduced sentence Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 108 Prosecutors’ Tough New Tactics 1. Federal grand (NY) criminal probe of abusive tax shelters 2. CFO Richard Rosenthal resigns (at 48) 1. Vice chair for tax operations 3. Deputy Chair Jeffery Stein retires 1. Email tying Stein to marketing shelters 4. KPMG star tax partner Jeffery Eischeid ‘resigns’ 1. Read Eischeid’s Congressional testimony 2. Won’t pay legal costs unless he cooperates Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 109 Prosecutors’ Tough New Tactics Old: “If you let our employees go, we’ll plead guilty.” Now: “We’ll give you our employees, so long as we don’t have to plead guilty.” 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. IRS: KMPG shelters caused $1.4 Billion in lost taxes KPMG has waived privilege No joint defense agreement KPMG gives same documents to DOJ Will set standard for ‘cooperation’ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 110 Prosecutors’ Tough New Tactics 1. 3 Computer Associates executives pleaded guilty to obstruction for lying to company attorneys 2. Lucent’s accounting fraud fine increased $25 million because it paid employee legal costs Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 111 Warning: Honesty is the Best Policy The truth will keep you free Far-reaching change in expectations on truthfulness Dot com late 90’s environment Facts were not material Opinions were not actionable without direct proof Puffery was acceptable NOW skewed or deceitful comments that mislead will be pursued Even if legal no deals that mislead Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 112 Raising a Red Flag Isn’t Enough 1. Either quit or join the conspiracy 2. Prosecutors are going after anyone complicit or who participates, even under protest 3. If raise questions, nothing is done, and continue working, shows criminal intent WorldCom CPA mid-level manager “I was very concerned about being ordered to make the adjustments.” General accounting department in financial statement preparation Ordered to falsify earnings and testified against CEO Ebbers Pleaded guilty to securities fraud and agreed to cooperate Turned herself in to late after Cynthia Cooper _______________ 15 years max Betty Vinson Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 113 FTC Gets Tough Graco Children’s Products $4 million fine Failure to notify FTC 1991 to 2002 6 deaths and hundreds of injuries Consumer Product Safety Act requires immediate reporting Relies on company data and few rules Graco “did not knowingly violate CPSC’s [rules]” …failures occurred before the current system that will insure this will not occur moving forward. WalMart $750,000 fine and model reporting system Weekly spreadsheet of complaints to FTC Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 114 Companies Can’t Count 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Three Newspapers Are Sanctioned SEC probing newspaper circulation SEC Probes Hazy Notion of ‘Customer’ SEC Dials 411 on Telecom Math Will Apollo's Bad Report Card Get Its Shares Grounded? 6. Can For-Profit Schools Pass an Ethics Test? 7. TV Networks May Not Be ‘Upfront’ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 115 What’s Happenin’ with Firms Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 116 Small and/or Risky Clients Getting ‘Fired’ 1. Vascular Solutions 1. E&Y auditor since 1997 IPO 2. ‘Fired’ 3 months before filing 3. $20 million and declining loss 4. No wrongdoing 2. Molex Inc. Howard Root CEO Vascular Solutions Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 117 Molex Fires CEO+CFO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Electronic components D&T: Inventory problem Must fire CEO + CFO Fired D&T, hired E&Y E&Y: Fire ___________ $5.8 million write-off 118 Big-4 ‘Firing’ Public Clients 1. PWC reduced July 2003 to 2004 = 660,000 client hours 2. E&Y fired 88 in 2004 vs. 52 in 2003 3. BDO 40 – 100% fee increase Public Clients Fired by Big-4 210 152 78 2002 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 2003 2004 119 Firms Settle Travel-Billing Suits 1. Firms 1. Retained lump-sum rebates on travel expenses 2. Said rebates offset costs they otherwise would have billed to clients 2. E&Y pays $18 million 3. KPMG pays $34 million 4. PWC pays $54.5 million Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 120 PwC Travel-Billing 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Neal Roberts complains Filed False Claims Act suit against Big-4 If not retained, would have billed higher rate Thousands of firm documents now public Jan 1999 internal slide presentation “While I appreciate the importance of managing a tight fiscal ship, I somehow feel we are being a bit greedy,” Barbara Kipp, Ethics PIC 7. Stopped taking rebates in late 2001 but didn’t _____ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 121 E&Y Gets 6-Month Ban 1. Jointly marketed consulting and tax 2. Customer of PeopleSoft and allegations are “outrageous” 3. E&Y is an “Implementation partner” in _________ 4. PIC of Independence Ed Coulson who was __________ 5. Culture of big firms was to use audits as ___________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 122 E&Y Gets 6-Month Ban “The overwhelming evidence is that Ernst’s day-today operations were profit-driven and ignored considerations of auditor independence….committed repeated violations….by conduct that was reckless, highly unreasonable and negligent.” Conduct “reckless, highly unreasonable and negligent…. Virtually no systems in place to ensure compliance and disregarded what few guidelines it had.” Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 123 E&Y Gets 6-Month Ban “This was not isolated or confusion over a complicated technical issue. These violations occurred over an extended period. They were committed by professionals throughout the firm who exhibited no caution or concern for the rules of auditor independence in connection with business relationships with an audit client.” Brenda Murry, SEC chief administrative judge. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 124 E&Y Gets 6-Month Ban 6-month ban from accepting new public company clients 1998 E&Y earned $150 million implementing PeopleSoft and audit fee of $372,000 $500 million in licensing and marketing fees 94 to 99 $1.7 million fine (________) + $800,000 interest Hired outside monitor No assertion audit was faulty Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 125 Grant Thornton Settles Case 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. MCA Financial Corp SEC charged GT aided and abetted securities fraud GT and Doeren Mayhew jointly audited MCA SEC charged they issued clean opinion knowing “that MCA failed to disclose several million dollars of material, related party transactions.” $1 million fraud training + $1½ million fine Disgorge audit fee 5-year ban on joint audits www.sec.gov/news/press/2004-106.htm Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 126 Doeren Mayhew 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Voluntarily discontinued conducting public audits 6-month ban on public company audits Agreed to improve public company audit practice Disgorge $115,126 Partners Peter M. Behrens (GT) and Marvin J. Morris (DM) and Manager Benedict P. Rybicki (DM) did not adequately plan the 1998 MCA audit, did not act with sufficient skepticism in conducting the audit, and did not obtain enough evidence to support their conclusions and, thus, engaged in improper professional conduct. 6. Barred for Behrens 5 years, Morris 3 years, Rybicki 1 year Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 127 GT and Doeren Mayhew 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. MCA bought distressed real estate and resold to LPs LPs were controlled by MCA principals Doeren brought in GT for public bond offering Auditors questioned transactions in work papers Kentucky Derby, hockey games, Michigan football tail-gate party 6. Bean Counters Bash 7. 6 MCA officers plead guilty The Bean Counters Bash? Corporate Governance News Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 128 History of SEC Bans 1975 Peat Marwick 6-month ban on failed audits of 5 clients including Penn Central Railraod 1978 E&E 6-month ban but full SEC reduced to censure 1976 Seidman 6-month ban over failed audits including Equity Funding 2004 Grant Thorton 6-month ban over MCA Mortgage audit Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 129 New Legal Tactic to Battle Fraud 1. “Deferred” prosecution agreements 2. Companies: 1. Prudential 2. WorldCom 3. Computer Associates 4. Merrill Lynch 5. Monsanto 6. American International Group 7. AOL Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 130 “Deferred” Prosecution Agreements 1. 2. 3. 4. Go after people, not the company Used by Feds and state AG’s Partly result of Enron/Andersen “Granting a corporation immunity or amnesty or pretrial diversion may be considered …. in exchange for cooperation,” Deputy U.S. AG Larry Thompson 5. Reduces investment and job losses 6. Does it let companies off too easily 7. Judges usually don’t have to approve Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 131 “Deferred” Prosecution Agreements 1. BIG goal: encourage companies to cooperate 2. Companies were 1. Shielding key executives 2. Failing to disclose records/documents 3. Dragging feet 3. Factors to get deferred prosecution 1. Top executives 2. Witnesses 3. Internal investigations 4. Waive privilege Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 132 Why Managers Bend the Rules = = = = Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 1. CEO/Owner/Founder larger than life 2. Most are locals 3. Status to work there 4. Compensation structure 5. Cook-the-books 1. Hit the numbers 2. Make the numbers 3. Help the numbers 133 Why Managers Bend the Rules 1. Starts as one-time, temporary, fix 2. Snowballs and becomes __________ 3. Loyalty to the ‘boss’ Franklin C. Brown Vice Chairman/General Counsel Counsel to Rite Aid CEO for 40+ years 76 years old Backdating contracts + $25,000 to secretary Sentenced to 10 years Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 134 Why Managers Bend the Rules Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 135 Compilations and the Duty to Detect Fraud 1. No duty to actively hunt for fraud. 2. Liable if ignore obvious problems or fail to report to right party. 3. Don’t place undeserved trust in management. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 136 Compilations and the Duty to Detect Fraud Facts 1. 2. 3. 4. Issues 1. Any duty to detect the fraud? 2. Expert “Firm should have looked.” 3. Firm “Only a compilation.” Resolution 1. Settled for $375,000. Thoughts 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Compilations for 5 years. 3rd year saw problem with deposits. Controller ”It’s just a timing issue.” Controller embezzles $750,000. LOTS of checks in transit. Firm knew no segregation of duties. Firm knew signatures stamps open. Firm detected and reported, but to wrong person. Should have reported higher up. 137 FRAUD—AICPA/FBI PARTNERSHIP 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Expanded cooperation with law enforcement Deep and wide-ranging partnership 20,000 accountants watched joint webcast CPAs are an essential part of winning the fight FBI is actively recruiting CPAs FBI SAYS CPAs STAND AS A SOLID LINE of defense Hotline 888-622-0117 A Joint Effort to Fight Corporate Fraud, J of A, 4/04 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 138 Hiring Ethical Employees Your hands aren’t tied _____________________ Best predictor of future behavior is ___________ Background and reference checks People will voluntarily talk about ethics Everyone who interviews should share, crosscheck and evaluate People with low integrity tend to think everyone does it and will brag Key: multiple examples Show understanding, not ____________ Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 139 11 Questions to Hire Ethical Employees 1. We often have to choose between what is right and what is best for the company. Tell me about when that’s happened to you. 2. Tell me about the ethics of your company. What are you comfortable and uncomfortable with? 3. Tell about an ethical decision you had to make. How did you make a decision? Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Just Just 22 or or 3, 3, not not all all 11. 11. 140 11 Questions to Hire Ethical Employees 4. Why would someone at your company stretch the rules? What did you think? 5. Have you ever had to bend the rules or exaggerate a little to get a sale? 6. Have you ever had to make something seem a little better than it really was? 7. Tell me about a situation where you had to go around company rules to get something done? Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 141 11 Questions to Hire Ethical Employees 8. We’ve all done things we later regret. Tell me about one and what you’d do differently today. 9. Have you ever had someone mislead the company or a client significant? How’d you handle it? 10. People think regulations, rules, and policies are either to be followed to the letter or to be broken. You? 11. Have you ever gotten credit for work someone else did? How’d you handle it? Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 142 T&E Fraud – Issues Little time reviewing Why might employees think it’s OK with management ________________________ Often symptom of larger schemes and frauds Average T&E thief Valued, works hard, unsupervised, no suspicion Likely married and church-going and no arrests Post high school and socially adept Acts alone 70% of the time Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 143 T&E Fraud – 1st Way Mischaracterizing personal expenses as business Gray: children’s video tape Business dinner really personal Fuel for personal car Business gifts to family and friends and ______ Golf when play with friend or spouse Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 144 T&E Fraud – 2nd Way Overstating expenses Add or alter amounts on legit receipts Non-existent cash expenses Inflate mileage Too many per diem days Taxi drivers increase amount Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 145 T&E Fraud – 3rd Way Fictitious expenses Requests reimbursement for fake expense University tuition, office supplies/equipment Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 146 T&E Fraud – 4th Way Multiple reimbursements Claim same expense Duplicate hotel or airline bills Same expense on different form Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 147 Selecting and Retaining Clients Statement on Quality Control Standards (SQCS) 2 System of Quality Control for a Firm’s Accounting and Auditing Practice Audit, attest, accounting, review and other services Policies and procedures for reasonable assurance Only engagements to be reasonably completed with professional competence Consider risk of providing service Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 148 Selecting and Retaining Clients Audit failures are your greatest risk 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Law firms specialize Deep pockets Settle if damages > insurance Third party suits Just complying with GAAP+GAAS not enough Client acceptance 1. 2. 3. 4. Screen clients Understand the client Identify high-risk clients Are you qualified I had a _____ feeling about that client. Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 149 Selecting and Retaining Clients Interview client 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Interview 3rd parties 1. Other professionals, attorney and credit sources 2. Business assn, vendors, customers, Google Contact predecessor accountant 1. Management integrity and disagreements 2. Why fired 3. RPTs Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics Why client needs an service and for whom Deadlines and other services Does client understand engagement Do you understand client + industry trends Why client needs new firm Conflicts of interest 150 Fraud: 2005 Hot Topics 151