To quote the movie “The Godfather,” “Behind every successful fortune, there is a crime.” According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Charles Hallinan was dubbed the “Godfather” as he taught others how to defraud those seeking a payday loan by…
The FBI published an article on August 6 detailing the sentencing of a criminal whose crimes spanned more than 30 years and affected more than 500 victims. You might assume this man is some infamous terrorist, but he’s actually a…
In case you missed it, July 30 was National Whistleblower Day, which reminded us of the importance of whistleblowing as a means of fraud detection. A company’s culture and resources, including an effective fraud hotline, can greatly assist with whistleblowing…
BKD’s Risk Advisory Services division is pleased to announce that Stuart Berman has joined Forensics & Valuation Services as a director. Stuart will lead the division’s Chicago office in Willis Tower. Managing Partner Angela Morelock is excited to have Stuart…
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) released its annual Report to the Nations last month. The ACFE’s keystone publication contains the results and observations of its 2017 Global Fraud Survey. The 80-page report is equal parts enlightening, impressive, alarming…
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners just released its 2018 Report to the Nations (RTTN) on Occupational Fraud and Abuse. With great anticipation, I flipped to the area regarding the effect of hotlines in detecting fraud. As expected, a tip…
BKD’s Forensics & Valuation Services division starts the spring Forensics Institute on Wednesday, May 9. Our goal each season is to bring useful, relevant and timely information to clients and prospects in the legal field and other industries. Our spring…
It’s all hands on deck again this year to get the word out about a W-2 phishing scam that victimized more than 200 employers and thousands of employees last year. This scam has affected all types of businesses, no matter the industry,…
A 2015 federal court decision currently on appeal in the 9th Circuit could have significant ramifications for the music industry. The case involves Marvin Gaye’s estate suing Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. for alleged copyright infringement regarding their 2013…
If you’re interested in effective corporate compliance programs and how they may be evaluated in an investigation, read the recent U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division, Fraud Section document, “Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs.” When conducting an investigation, my clients…