Profiles

Erik Anderson, CFE

Fighting fraud for Erik Anderson, CFE, is so much more than conducting an examination. “I fight fraud by making sure what we’re doing is right,” says Anderson. “Whether I’m on the front lines of an investigation or using the principles of a fraud examination to better understand the risk to the organization, being a good fraud examiner is about challenging yourself to stand up for what’s right and seeking that out with passion.”

Dixon's quiet hero

The ACFE’s 2018 Sentinel Award recipient had no intention of changing her orderly life as the city clerk of Dixon, Illinois. And then she found a secret account in city ledgers that led to discovery of Comptroller Rita Crundwell’s astounding $53.7 million fraud. Kathe Swanson’s life will be forever marked by her simple heroic decision.

ACFE research director finds inspiration from passionate CFEs

When Andi McNeal, CFE, CPA, was in graduate school finishing up her master’s and researching doctorate programs, she read an article written by Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, founder and Chairman of the ACFE, in the Journal of Accountancy that mentioned the fraud examination course he was teaching at the University of Texas at the time. “I was trying to find a path to focus my doctoral studies on fraud — the intersection of accounting and human behavior has always fascinated me — and I ended up emailing Dr. Wells to find out if he had any suggestions or guidance about where I could find a Ph.D. program in white-collar crime,” she says.

Dave Cotton, CFE

The ACFE presented Dave Cotton, CFE, the Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year award at the 29th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference in June. Cotton, who’s the chairman at Cotton & Company, LLP, has played a significant role in developing best practices in anti-fraud controls.

Johanna Duenser-Mardook, CFE

Johanna Duenser-Mardook, CFE, who’s always loved solving puzzles, says the fight against fraud is a never-ending puzzle to identify missing pieces in cases or internal controls. As the vice president, business initiative fraud policy manager at Citi, Duenser-Mardook says she thrives on closing loopholes that help prevent serious damage to a person or business, financially or otherwise.

Pablo Santamaría Cisneros

Pablo Santamaría Cisneros, CFE, believes that a deep digital transformation is happening in the anti-fraud profession. “New cybersecurity and fraud threats are coming,” he says. As global anti-fraud senior manager at BBVA in Madrid, Spain, Santamaría is tackling these new threats by using data-driven business models and advanced analytics while adapting BBVA’s strategies to work with professionals, tools, methodologies and knowledge in the global community.

Lone brave journalist exposes 1MDB corruption

Independent journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, at the risk of her safety and without the protection of a news organization, has exposed the flow of billions of public Malaysian dollars from the government’s 1MDB development fund to the country’s top leaders and many others. She says democracies need strong, cynical, courageous media to help protect the public against the powerful.

Europol is uniting EU against fraud

Why do we have so much trouble preventing and deterring fraud across borders? You know the answer: lack of cooperation. However, most European law enforcement organizations don’t want to compete with each other. They want to help each other deter and prevent crime. But they need some overarching force to help them work together. That’s where Rob Wainwright and Europol come in.

Jadon Fox, CFE

Jadon Fox, CFE, head of fraud control services at Taylor Fry, has analyzed countless transactions using sophisticated technologies and techniques, but he’s most proud of his relentless pursuit of dreams that live outside of the office. “My wife and I’ve always wanted to live overseas,” says Fox. “So, six years ago we sold our dream house, traveled 9,000 miles from home, settled in Australia where we knew no one and I began a job at Commonwealth Bank.”

Tom Golden, CFE, CPA

“I’ve often said in mentoring staff that no matter how smart you are, no one’s successful without someone else giving them a hand up the ladder of success,” says Tom Golden, CFE, CPA. Golden, a professional speaker, author and retired partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), now focuses on speaking engagements and the debut of his new novel but says he owes a debt to all who have helped him during his professional career.

Small town, huge fraud, insightful documentary

Kelly Richmond Pope, Ph.D., CFE, CPA, an associate accounting professor, has produced and directed a riveting documentary, “All the Queen’s Horses,” about Rita Crundwell’s historic $53 million embezzlement from the city of Dixon, Illinois.

Wendy Evans, CFE

“It’s fascinating to me how CFEs each have a different ‘investigative fingerprint,’ ” says Wendy Evans, CFE, senior corporate ethics investigator at Lockheed Martin. Evans’ investigative fingerprint first formed when she began her career as a radio reporter. She says she honed her ability to take a broad subject and condense it into concise sets of 30-second sound bites.