Matt Gardiner, CPA, CFE, Audit Manager For organizations lacking dedicated IT departments or comprehensive controls and risk assessments, cybersecurity threats are a growing concern. As organizations increasingly rely on digital technologies for data-driven decision making, member-relations, and supply chain operations, the potential for a cyber attack grows significantly. Without adequate cybersecurity measures in place, your...

By Mark Gardiner, CPA, CFE, Partner The week of June 12, I attended the 34th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference in Seattle, Washington. There were over 5,000 who attended the conference in person and “virtually”. It included individuals who worked in law enforcement, corporate governance, cyber security, Department of Justice and risk management.  There were...

By:  Mark Gardiner, Partner, CPA, CFE The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners released their 2022 edition of the Report to the Nations fraud study last spring. This study contains over 2,110 cases of occupational fraud that were investigated between January 2020 and September 2021. This study published each year by the Association of Certified Fraud...

This June, I spent a week in Nashville, Tennessee attending the Annual Certified Fraud Examiner Conference. I’ve attended the majority of these throughout the years, as it’s a great way to pick up continuing education hours, network, and listen to numerous speakers on a wide array of fraud topics. This year, there were over 3,000...

About two months ago, the FBI’s cyber division issued an alert for the food and agriculture sector stating that, “ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during the critical planting and harvest seasons” like the early spring and fall. Were you aware of this alert? Are you prepared to handle a cyberattack...

By: Matt Gardiner, CPA CFE Whistleblower hotlines are the most effective way to enable staff, customers, and vendors to report fraud and unethical activities occurring at your organization. Historically, this has meant maintaining an actual telephone line where whistleblowers could call in tips, however over the last few years these hotlines have evolved to include...