Course Description

What can we learn from the biggest corporate frauds in history? In this session, we revisit three of the most notorious accounting scandals—Enron, WorldCom, and Waste Management—to understand what went wrong, how it happened, and what accounting professionals can do to safeguard against similar pitfalls.

We’ll examine the red flags, failed controls, and ethical blind spots that allowed these frauds to persist. Along the way, we’ll discuss practical applications for strengthening financial reporting integrity, identifying risk, and fostering a culture of accountability.

Learning Objectives

• Explore case studies featuring well-known accounting fraud stories
• Identify how accounting standards and controls were exploited and disregarded in the commission of each fraud
• Recognize red flags that indicate possible fraud
• Consider how to apply lessons learned to AP best practices, including internal controls, expense classification, and professional skepticism
• Explore Quadient AP as an AP automation solution.

Prerequisites

• None

Who Should Attend

CPAs, accounting/finance professionals.