Taking Down the Largest Gift Card Fraudster in the World

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Taking Down the Largest Gift Card Fraudster in the World

It all started with an investigation of a young man in Louisiana suspected of small-level drug dealing on the dark web. It ended with the conviction of the largest gift card fraudster in the world in a case called “Operation Bad Bot.” Dariush Vollenweider, federal agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, recounted the story in his presentation, “Shutting Down America’s Largest Illicit Online Gift Card Marketplace.” He co-presented with Alan Stevens, assistant U.S. attorney at the Department of Justice, at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference.

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Conmen and Development Grants: A Case Study

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Conmen and Development Grants: A Case Study

At the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, Daniel Porter, CFE, a speaker and investigative fraud consultant at D. Porter Solutions, presented a captivating session titled “Two Conmen + One Development Grant = $3M Fraud”. His presentation detailed a complex case of grant fraud involving two cunning individuals and a mismanaged development grant that resulted in a $3 million loss.

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Identifying and Preventing Remote Employment Scams

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Identifying and Preventing Remote Employment Scams

In today's post-COVID landscape, where remote work is commonplace, the risk of employment-related fraud has surged, posing significant challenges for organizations worldwide. At the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, Christopher DeAngelis, CFE, vice president of enterprise fraud strategies at Zellis, addressed this pressing issue in his session titled, "Are You Sure Your Remote Employee is Real?" 

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Strategies for Preventing Bias and Improving Investigations

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Strategies for Preventing Bias and Improving Investigations

Investigators are called to uphold standards of integrity and honor. However, as Natalie Lewis, CFE, CPA/CFF, stated during her morning session titled “Recognizing the Impact of Bias and Emotional Intelligence in Investigations” on the final day of the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, “Bias can harm our judgment and skew our objectivity.” Lewis then walked conference attendees through different types of biases that affect investigations and discussed strategies for preventing bias and building emotional intelligence and social skills to improve investigations. 

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No Need to Write a Book: A Whistleblower’s Guide to Protecting Yourself

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No Need to Write a Book: A Whistleblower’s Guide to Protecting Yourself

At the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, Clark Bolton, J.D., CFE, an attorney with Morgan and Morgan, presented "No Need to Write a Book: A Whistleblower’s Guide to Protecting Yourself" to attendees. This session provided critical insights and practical advice for Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) on navigating the complex and often perilous journey of whistleblowing. Drawing from his own experiences as a successful health care whistleblower, Bolton offered attendees a comprehensive guide on how to protect themselves when faced with employer fraud. 

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How the IRS Investigates and Combats Metaverse Fraud  

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How the IRS Investigates and Combats Metaverse Fraud  

IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco, CFE, described the metaverse as “ripe for criminal activity” in his session at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. He explained that criminals exploit the anonymity, pseudonymous transactions and lack of regulation intrinsic in the metaverse’s makeup to engage in theft, investment fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and other schemes.  

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