Billions, yes billion$, of dollars are lost by businesses each year due to fraud. The perpetrator may be that valued, trusted employee that has been with the company for years, or the new vendor everyone loves. Whatever the case may be, your company is probably more susceptible to fraud than you think. That's where SH&A Consulting Group's Forensic and Investigative Services can help. Our Forensic and Investigative Services (F&I) team can assist your company in many ways. Whether you suspect fraud is already occurring or you just want to minimize the risk of fraud happening to you, let us be your solution.

Fraud Detection

Chances are that if you are visiting this page, it may be because you already suspect that a misappropriation is going on in your business. SH&A Consulting Group's F&I Team can assist you in determining if there is. We will guide you from start to finish to help resolve the matter in a professional, economic manner.

Our F&I Team will gather evidence, take statements, write reports, and assist in investigating fraud in its varied forms. Although some cases are settled before going to court, we will proceed with our investigation as if litigation will occur. Each case is different, but the same general methodology is followed to insure a complete and accurate conclusion. Most cases turn out to be far more complex than they appear. That's why we delve beneath the surface and beyond the obvious, applying intuition, critical analysis and a perceptive understanding of human behavior to obtain a true picture of key events, transactions and business dealings. Teaming with SH&A Consulting Group's Valuation Team , we can use our shared skills to quantify the damage done to the value of your business and provide objective litigation support should court proceedings arise.

Fraud Prevention

There is a lot of truth to the old saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." A review of your current internal control structure today could help prevent future loss of time and money due to misappropriation of company assets. Not to mention save a few headaches along the way.

For an employee to defraud his employer, the employee must have both the intent and the opportunity to steal. An employee's integrity is the single most important key in preventing the intent. Teaming with SH&A Consulting Group's Human Resources Team , detailed background and reference checks on current and potential employees can be performed to determine if employees have had any prior problems. We can also assist in writing your company's policy on employee theft, including expressing to the employees that prosecution will be pursued. We realize that employee's personal situations do change and that sometimes the temptation grows so large that they act upon it. When they do, the opportunity to steal needs to be as nonexistent as possible. SH&A's F&I team can review and recommend any changes needed to the company's existing control structure to help prevent the opportunity, for both employees and outsiders.

SH&A Consulting Group

SH&A Consulting Group's F&I Team's Lead Investigator is Steve Samples, CPA, DABFA. Steve has been active in public accounting since his graduation from Miami University and continues to oversee the day to day operations of the Shultz Huber audit team. He has received the designation of Diplomate of American Board of Forensic Accountants from the American College of Forensic Examiners and is currently pursuing his designation as a Certified Fraud Examiner from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners for which he currently holds Associate Member status.

Steve is a member of SH&A Consulting Group, a consortium of professional advisers, from varied backgrounds, dedicated to enhancing business value for those companies and their owners.