• Multi-Level Marketing Companies are Pyramid Schemes

    I often hear: “Pyramid schemes are illegal! If XYZ Company was a pyramid scheme, the government would shut them down!” Yes, pyramid schemes are illegal. No, our government generally doesn’t shut down pyramid schemes masquerading as multi-level marketing. MLM is […]

  • Using a Forensic Accountant in Tax Cases (Civil or Criminal)

    Why should a taxpayer use the services of a forensic accountant when being audited or under criminal investigation? Tracy Coenen talks about the expertise a forensic accountant can bring to the case, specifically in evaluating the methods used by the […]

  • Judgment of Management and Financial Statement Fraud

    With thousands of detailed accounting rules, how can there be financial statement fraud? There are areas of the financial statements that rely heavily on the judgment of management. They make estimates and decide how to apply the accounting rules. This […]

  • Divorce: Documents to Investigate Business Interests

    When a spouse owns a business, it can create some of the most complicated financial issues in a divorce. It is extremely important to dive into the financial records of the business in order to value it and to determine […]

  • Daubert Challenges of Expert Witnesses

    Daubert challenges are used by opposing counsel to limit or exclude the testimony of expert witnesses at trial. In this video, Tracy Coenen discusses how she deals with Daubert challenges in her work.

  • Does the Judge Like the Expert?

    Forensic accountant Tracy Coenen and attorney Miles Mason discuss the likeability of an expert witness and how important this is to a court case. The important factors also include good judgment and confidence.

  • Behavioral Red Flags of Financial Fraud

    There are a number of common signs that we may see when someone is engaged in financial fraud within a company. Tracy talks about the behavioral red flags for fraud in this video, which are also summarized below:

  • Construction Fraud Cases

    What kinds of things can forensic accountants be involved in relative to construction fraud? A common area of fraud involves a general contractor using funds from a project to fund other projects. Also common is the construction company claiming a […]

  • Getting Background Information on Company Owners and Executives

    Have you ever wanted or needed to do a background check on an owner or executive of a company? If you’re considering investing in a public or private company, you may want to find out information on the people who […]

  • Is It “Creative Accounting” or Fraud?

    Companies engaged in financial statement fraud sometimes use creative phrases to legitimize or cover up what they’re doing. Examples include: Aggressive accounting – We’re following the rules, but pushing the limits to make the financial statements look as good as […]