Whistleblower Program Webinars

Lessons Learned on the Path to Making Our Hotline More Effective and Accountable - 4/16/24

Presented by Marc Rose, Hotline Director and Sura Sumareh, Management Auditor, Multnomah County Auditor’s Office

Seeking to make its fraud, waste, and abuse hotline more effective and accountable to those who call in, the Multnomah County Auditor's Office has pivoted at key points in its approach, policies, and communication. The changes the office made led to better tips, numerous substantiated reports, and an agreement with county management to codify the hotline in county code. Hear about lessons learned and surprises the office encountered along the way, using examples from recent investigations.

Vendor Fraud in Social Services Contracts: A Case Study - 6/22/23

Presented by Andrew Williams, CFE, Senior Investigator, City of Austin's Office of the City Auditor

The City of Austin, Texas, Auditor’s Office recently issued a report on a false billing scheme by a nonprofit City vendor that received millions of dollars across several social services contracts. We found the nonprofit falsified various records to support its reimbursement requests, resulting in over $400,000 in improper payments. The nonprofit also submitted falsified performance reports under one contract. This case study will provide an overview of the investigation, identify lessons learned, and propose best practices for preventing and

Embezzlement and Procurement Fraud in the Public Sector – A Case Study - 10/20/22

Presented by Jason Zirkle, CFE, Training Director, ACFE

The risks around occupational fraud and corruption constantly evolve throughout all levels of business and government. These risks become more problematic and challenging to detect when senior staff is involved in carrying out a scheme. Poor internal controls and ill-defined or no accounting policies can be a recipe for disaster. Jason will discuss how this scenario occurred in a Texas university and how the elaborate fraud scheme was ultimately discovered.

Pandemic Response – Where to Focus Your Investigations & Audits - 5/26/22

Presented by Lise Valentine, Financial Management Specialist 

How can your audits and investigations improve government response to this pandemic, or the next one? The presenter will share insights from her experience in COVID-response operations and her perspective as a former Deputy Inspector General for Audit and Program Review at the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General. Attendees will learn about fraud risk areas, potential audit topics, and pitfalls to avoid when examining COVID-related programs.

Why It Matters: Inclusion and Equity in Investigations - 10/13/21

Presented by Rumbi Petrozello, CPA, CFF, CFE

We have long lived in a very diverse country but for too long our workplaces have not reflected this diversity and that has resulted in norms, processes, and cultures that are neither inclusive nor equitable. A lack of inclusion can result in unconscious biases, stereotypes, and a lack of cultural competence that can negatively impact how an investigation is carried out and how an investigator interacts with parties involved. During this webinar, we shall explore the dangers of blind spots that may occur in cultures that are not representative and not inclusive and we shall also discuss the benefits of inclusive teams, in investigations.

Evidence Collection for Auditors - 5/11/21 

Presented by Beth A. Mohr, CFE, CAMS, CCCI, CFCS, PI, Managing Partner, The McHard Firm

This is an audit; what do you mean I might have to collect evidence for a criminal case – is that really my job? When should I collect evidence, and how do I do that so potential criminal investigations are not compromised – especially if I don’t yet know whether this will be a criminal case? Is there some special way that evidence must be tracked and maintained so that has the best chance of being admissible in court? What about computers and electronic storage devices – what are the basic steps for dealing with those? When should I stop what I’m doing and call law enforcement? When should I stop collecting evidence and call in an expert in that particular area, like a computer forensics expert?

You Will Learn How To: 

• Recognize the different types of physical evidence that are common in fraud examinations and white-collar cases 
• Identify factors that affect whether evidence is likely to be admissible at trial, and know which of those factors are beyond your control ·
• Know the best practices for collecting documentary evidence in white-collar cases
•  Gain a basic knowledge of how to deal with evidence on computers and other electronic storage devices 
• Know when to stop what you’re doing and call in law enforcement or the experts
   

Effective Communication in Fraud Investigation Reporting - 1/27/21

Presenter by Paul McEwen, CFE, CPA, CA, CBV President, McEwen Valuation & Forensic

Communicating the results of fraud investigations effectively is a challenging but critical skill. Whether writing the investigation report or preparing to give oral evidence in Court, many practitioners struggle with the key step of taking information (often technical) that they know and understand well and communicating that information in a way that doesn’t cause the audience to feel confused, bored, skeptical, or worst of all, sleepy. 

The good news is that there are some best practices to follow in organizing and presenting fraud investigation findings that can significantly improve the audience’s or reader’s experience and comprehension. This presentation will provide practical suggestions as to what to consider before “putting hands to keyboard” or heading to the podium. Using case examples and drawing on Paul’s background in psychology, including memory and cognition, he will provide ideas on report structure and list some common grammatical bad habits which hamper comprehension and often distract readers or listeners

Using Root Cause Analysis to Enhance Your Anti-Fraud and Ethics Process - 6/23/20 

Presenter by Jonathan T. Marks, CPA, CFF, CITP, CGMA, CFE & NACD Board Fellow 

Root cause analysis is a tool to help identify not only what and how an event occurred, but also why it happened. It is a key element of a fraud risk management program and now a best practice of an organization’s compliance program. When you determine why an event or failure occurred, you can recommend workable corrective measures that deter future fraud events of the type observed. It’s important you think critically by asking the right questions, applying the proper level of skepticism and, when appropriate, examining the information from multiple perspectives.

Guarding Credibility - Maintaining Objectivity in Government Oversight Agencies - 11/6/19

Presented by David T. Harper, MPA, CIG, CFE, CFCI | Inspector General, Florida Department of Financial Services 

This webinar will discuss the public oversight that organizations need to be credible to stakeholders, the requirements of public trust, and the impact of lost credible and steps to guard.

Fraud Hotline and Investigations Panel - 2/27/19

The panel discusses best practices for hotlines and investigations, including hotline awareness and authority, anonymous complaints and confidentiality, and other hotline challenges. 

Panelists - 

Andy Horita, MAcc, MSW, CFE, CPA 
Fraud Investigator, Office of the City Auditor, City of San Diego (California) 

Brian Molloy, JD, 
CFE Chief of Investigations, Office of the City Auditor, City of Austin (Texas)

Marc Rose, MBA, CFE 
Senior Management Auditor, Auditor's Office, Multnomah County (Oregon)

Moderator - 
Steven Muñoz, Audit Manager, CFE, City Services Auditor, City and County of San Francisco (California)

Lessons From A Fraud Investigation - 9/26/18

Presented by Todd Kucker CPA,, CIA, CISA, CFE, Director of Internal Audit, University of California Merced 

The presentation discusses how a fraud investigation changed Internal Audit's perspective and the ethical culture at the University.

Determining Your Ethical Baseline - 6/13/18 

Presented by Steve Morang, CFE, CCEP, CIA, CRMA 

Understanding the link between ethics, culture, internal controls, and fraud.

Guardians of the Public - Entitlement Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in a Changing Landscape - 3/14/18

Presented by Auditors with Oregon Secretary of State - Audits Division: 
Jamie Ralls, ACDA, CFE 
Kathy Davis

Objectives: 

1. Understand risk areas that could result from policy decisions and legislative change.
2. Examine analytic techniques for identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in entitlement programs. 
3. Understand Benford's Law and how to apply this tool.