The forensic accounting profession is ever changing and evolving.
White collar criminals are finding new ways to commit fraud, and
litigation matters are becoming more and more complex. In order
to meet the needs of clients, forensic accountants are learning new
skills and using new techniques. How these new techniques are
impacting our reports and expert testimony is now a permanent
consideration for legal counsel when retaining a financial professional
on behalf of their clients.
It is not surprising that the most significant impact on forensic
accounting engagements over the past 10 to 15 years is the
prevalence and growth in data. There are countless stats on the
terabytes of data companies are creating which then lead to the
petabytes of data that companies have to store. When an investigation
or a lawsuit arises, for example, this repository of data can suddenly
become relevant; but, then what? Many questions arise: What
information exists and where? What information is needed? How
can the information be obtained? And, is counsel comfortable that
they understand how their expert has collected and interpreted this
information in reaching their conclusions in important investigative
and litigation matters?
At Risk
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Volume 7, No. 1
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21
is the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Information Technology at the Regional
District of Central Kootenay and is based in Nelson, British Columbia. Stuart is a former
Senior Manager of KPMG LLP and Vice President of KPMG Forensic Inc. Stuart has
10 years of experience in a litigation support capacity related to business valuations,
damage quantification, and contract compliance. He has experience in leading fraud
investigations, including alleged management and employee fraud, misappropriation
of assets, and asset tracing.
Stuart Horn
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affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.