5 Steps to Defeat an Ignorance Plea

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5 Steps to Defeat an Ignorance Plea

An ignorance plea in a fraud case is anything but for a fraud examiner. In February 2021, a tip was reported to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, raising concerns over the financial conduct and alleged theft of more than $75,000 from a non-profit named Main Street, Lawrenceburg, Inc (MSL). Michael Booher, CFE, CPA, senior investigator at the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, outlined the case in his session at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference.

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The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

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The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

Fraud examination and investigation requires a curious mind, but can this very same trait protect us from falling victim to our own biases?

The 2023 ACFE Women's Summit hosted a panel session exploring this link between bias and curiosity, featuring moderator Janet McHard and panelists Chelsea Binns, Ph.D, CFE, Bernadette L. Harris, CFE, and Kelly Paxton, CFE.

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Emotional Intelligence: The Secret Tool in the Fraud Examiner's Toolbox

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Emotional Intelligence: The Secret Tool in the Fraud Examiner's Toolbox

The 2022 ACFE Women's Summit explored many different industry topics in sessions led by experienced professionals to arm attendees with the latest tools to fight fraud — one of which was the importance of emotional intelligence. Mary Breslin, CFE, founder and managing partner of Verracy, led the panel of women consisting of Kathy Lavinder, executive director of Security and Investigative Placement Consultants, LLC, and Nicole Babnick, J.D., HR manager at Consolidated Metco. Together, Breslin, Lavinder and Babnick covered how emotional intelligence can be the next great tool in a fraud examiners tool kit.

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What an FBI Section Chief Has Learned Investigating Virtual Currencies

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What an FBI Section Chief Has Learned Investigating Virtual Currencies

At this year’s virtual 2021 ACFE Government Anti-Fraud Summit, attendees walked away with a wealth of knowledge on fighting fraud in law enforcement and government agencies. The opening keynote address was given by Aaron Tapp, section chief of the financial crimes section of the FBI. Tapp’s position grants him the unique ability to oversee all of the FBI’s financial crimes programs — and his past experience as a special agent connected him with agents around the globe to detect, disrupt and prosecute those who fund terrorism.

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