• Grocery Store Theft By School District Executive

    Retail theft isn’t part of my work as a fraud investigator. But it’s a type of fraud so it’s fair game for this blog. Yesterday I was stunned by this story. Kevin Deering, the Executive Director of Educational Services for […]

  • Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis Custody Battle

    Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis called off their engagement in late 2020, and the custody battle over their children has heated up. In April 2022, Olivia was served with papers while appearing CinemaCon, although the Ted Lasso star claims he […]

  • I’m a Millionaire! I Don’t Pay My Taxes!

    In this ongoing saga of one Jennifer McKinney, pyramid topper at the MLM Xyngular, and recipient of millions of dollars of commissions…. I have a minor update in her bankruptcy case. (May I remind you, this is the THIRD time […]

  • Interviews in Fraud Investigations

    Interviewing witnesses and suspects is a critical part of any fraud investigation. There are tons of resources out there to help fraud investigators learn how to be effective interviews. There are books, videos, courses, and certifications.  I’m going to quickly […]

  • Rebuttal Reports in Divorce Lifestyle Analysis

    While a financial expert may be retained to proactively complete a lifestyle analysis in a divorce case, one might also be retained to do a rebuttal report focused on the analysis of an expert retained by opposing counsel. The process […]

  • Things I Have Learned About Fraud

    After more than 25 years conducting fraud investigations, I have learned a lot about fraudsters, their methods, and the companies they work for. Hotlines cut fraud losses in half. Anonymous reporting mechanisms like fraud hotlines decrease the cost of internal […]

  • Are There Good MLMs?

    Defenders of multi-level marketing (MLM) will tell you that some companies “do it” right, while some companies “do it” wrong. The fact that a multi-level marketing company like Mary Kay Cosmetics has been around for more than 55 years does […]

  • The Attorney Can’t Write the Expert Report

    I never thought this was something we’d have to tell an expert witness: The attorney who retained you to provide your expert opinion can’t write your report for you. Attorneys often want to have input on the the expert’s report. […]

  • Jennifer McKinney Bankruptcy Round 2 and Round 3

    Yesterday my friends over at MckFacts informed me that our pal Jennifer McKinney was recently in bankruptcy court again. Back in 2012, Jennifer and her (soon-to-be ex-) husband Israel McKinney filed bankruptcy and eventually had it denied because of their […]

  • Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis Removed From Office Following Felony Conviction

    Back in September 2021, Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis was charged with was charged with 4 felonies and 1 misdemeanor related to misconduct in public office, embezzlement, fraud, and campaign finance violations. Her attorney claimed it was just “accounting errors.” Today […]