U.S. Attorney Damian Williams Collapses the Distance Between Crime and Consequence

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U.S. Attorney Damian Williams Collapses the Distance Between Crime and Consequence

“I’ve always believed that we have to collapse that distance between crime and consequence,” Damian Williams told attendees of the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. “Otherwise, the message that gets sent to the broader world, and, in particular, people who may be thinking about breaking the law, is diluted. For me, it was making sure that we showed the world just how quickly the Southern District of New York could move.”  

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A Fraud at the Highest Level

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A Fraud at the Highest Level

Before Harry Lidsky, MBA, CCI, CIG, retired from his role as Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General’s Cyber Investigations Office, he was able to help put two fraudsters behind bars, including one with a significant sentence, in a case he called a “fraud at the highest level.” He shared details about this case in his educational session, “Chasing Ghosts: Identity Theft, Document Alteration, and PPP Loans,” presented virtually during the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference.

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Crash Course: Preventing Fraud in the World of Cybersecurity

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Crash Course: Preventing Fraud in the World of Cybersecurity

During the first round of breakout sessions at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, cybersecurity management consultant Gideon Rasmussen delivered a crash course on fraud concepts, 15 kinds of fraud schemes and best fraud response practices to demonstrate how cybersecurity insights contribute to fraud prevention.

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Get Rich Quick: A Case Study of Government Fraud

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Get Rich Quick: A Case Study of Government Fraud

In the dynamic world of fraud prevention and detection, Rick Roybal, CFE, CISA, a senior vendor auditor for Matador Services, presented at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference on the topic of “Get Rich Quick: A Case Study of Government Fraud.” Roybal delved into the complexities of embezzlement through the lens of an intricate case study involving Marzieh Abedin, a former employee of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).  

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Quick Changes and Pen Cameras: Jonna Mendez, a Female Pioneer in the CIA

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Quick Changes and Pen Cameras: Jonna Mendez, a Female Pioneer in the CIA

Jonna Mendez, an author and former CIA Chief of Disguise, spoke about her career in the intelligence community and lessons learned as a woman in her field at the 35th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. Mendez highlighted ways in which intelligence professionals shared encrypted information and how they constantly innovated to stay ahead in the secretive and dangerous world of espionage.

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Understanding the Fraud Risks in Green Public Procurement

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Understanding the Fraud Risks in Green Public Procurement

When Tom Caulfield, CFE, CIG, CIGI, was commissioned to write a report on how to prepare a public procurement anti-corruption strategy for green public procurement, he initially didn’t know what green public procurement (GPP) was. His research revealed that, while the Basel Institute on Governance claims the term “green corruption,” there’s no universal definition of what green corruption entails. Thinking at first it involved mainly water and air pollution, he discovered that a more accurate definition is any corrupt or fraudulent act occurring in the procurement process that impacts the environment.

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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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