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Follow the Money –

We are pleased to present our new spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was designed by Joe Petrucelli and team member Yingyang (Lok Yung) of Team 800 Lb. Friendly Gorilla. It is interactive and allows you to enter information about a person of interest and see if, potentially, there is unreported income or any lifestyle changes.

While the spreadsheet can give you useful information that you can use in your investigation, remember that an increase in net worth does not necessarily indicate that someone has committed fraud. The spreadsheet is designed to identify facts, but even with these facts further examination will still be required. It is important to understand that only a judge and jury can determine if a fraud has taken place. A fraud investigator is merely a fact finder that assists a judge and jury in making a decision.

We think you will find our spreadsheet to be a useful tool. Click on the attached link for an explanation of the input fields.

Downloadable Source Documents:

1. Follow the Money – Spreadsheet Instructions
2. Follow the Money – Excel Spreadsheet

The Case of Noah – Janitor to Property Management Supervisor –

We have attached a sample case study for you to review. The exercise is for you to attempt to formulate a sound interview approach based on the case study. Do not look at our attached sample interviewing strategy until you have attempted your own approach. Remember, the more you do these practical exercises the better you will become.  The Spartan (Gene) assisted in the development of the exercise. Spartan will tell you it was not easy. Spartan learned to look at things differently as I hope you will after completing the exercise.

Downloadable Source Documents:

1. Case Study Noah (Procurement)
2. Sample Interviewing Strategy for Case Study

I find the best approach in understanding any of the organizational processes is to ask questions. Before we can ask questions we need to look at the underlying source documents that are created within the process. The first document in this exercise is a sample purchase order. Study the sample purchase order and think of the places that would need to be altered to gain access to the value and perpetrate a fraud. Who are the people that are in a position to alter the documents? What controls are in place to protect the value? What controls do you believe are needed after you have reviewed the document?

Once you have examined the purchase order, gather your thoughts and then read the purchase order commentary. Develop your ideas before looking at the purchase order with comments. The sample purchase order with comments has been analyzed to formulate questions and ideas that you can arrive at by using the source documents associated with the process being analyzed. Documents are critical in developing supportable  findings. Whenever possible, speak to documentary evidence in formulating your fact findings.

Downloadable Source Documents:

1. Sample Purchase Order
2. Purhase Order Commentary
3. Purchase Order  With Comments

I find the best approach in understanding any of the organizational processes is to ask questions.  Before we can ask questions we need to look at the underlying source documents that are created within the process. The first document in this exercise is a sample sales order. Study the sample sales order and think of the areas that would need to be altered to gain access to the value and perpetrate a fraud. Who are the people that are in a position to alter the document? What controls are in place to protect the value? What controls are needed after you have reviewed the document?

After you have looked at the sample sales order gather your thoughts and than read the sales order commentary. Develop your ideas before looking at the sales order with comments. The  sample sales order with comments has been analyzed to formulate questions and ideas that you can arrive at by using the source documents associated with the process being  analyzed. Documents are critical in developing  supportable  findings. Whenever possible speak to documentary evidence when formulating your fact findings.

Downloadable Source Document:

1. Sample Sales Order
2. Sales Orders Commentary
3. Sales Order With Comments