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Palm Papers, Nicole Rothwell

Capstones

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) came into possession of a secret dataset of property owners of the Palm Islands, the elite high-end artificial islands on the coast of Dubai.

With over 250 neighborhoods on Dubai’s waterfront, a group of journalists around the world has been investigating who these individuals are that can afford the posh and pricey real estate. While most fall into the uber-rich category, some also have corrupt to criminal backgrounds leading to questions such as if the Palm Islands are truly a real-estate paradise, or instead a refuge for the corrupt.

The task for …

Revenue Accrual Quality As An Indicator Of Financial Statement Fraud, Meredith Potts Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study was conducted to address the need for additional financial statement fraud detection techniques. Accruals were chosen as the focus of this study due to the high likelihood of financial statement manipulation using accruals. Using the Dechow/Dichev accrual quality model, this study tested whether or not accrual quality can be used as an indicator of financial statement fraud. The study concluded that the Dechow/Dichev model found non-fraudulent financial statements to have higher quality accruals than fraudulent financial statements. In addition, accrual quality of non-fraudulent financial statements was found to be significantly different from the accrual quality of fraudulent financial …

The Fall Of Enron And The Creation Of The Sarbanes-Oxley Act Of 2002, Megan Connell

HON499 projects

The goal of this research paper is to analyze accounting fraud and its characteristics, explore the collapse of Enron and what happened because of it, and how the relationship between an auditor and its client has changed because of the creation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Learning about some of the positives and negatives of SOX will help the progression of the research into how the passing of SOX has changed over 15 years later. After discussing these topics, a personal opinion on the fall of Enron, if one group is more at fault than another, and how regulation …

Selecting An Alternative National Banking System Against Fractional Reserve Free Banking: The Greatest Modern Fraud?, Josiah J. Bardy

Senior Honors Theses

This paper serves as a compilation and analysis of different banking systems with an emphasis on fractional reserve free banking. Contemporary academic literature has debated fractional reserve banking with revisited scrutiny since the 2007–2009 financial crisis. The Austrian School, drawing conclusions from the Austrian business cycle theory, blames central banking for boom-bust economics. One proposed solution, fractional reserve free banking, eliminates the central bank’s control for a purer form of fractional reserve practice; however, this system may be inherently fraudulent and unethical. After completing an economic analysis of the western world’s banking system, this paper then explores an alternative solution.

Impact On Grant Fraud Within The Government, Ashley Clark

Economic Crime Forensics Capstones

My proposal and area of concentration will focus on the forensic accountant’s role in grant fraud. This role is more important now than ever, as fraudsters’ efforts have become more sophisticated over time. Grant fraud is particularly susceptible because more and more fraudsters are working within the company and understand the internal workings of the organization. Ensuring that grant notice of award regulations and rules are followed – and that relevant agencies and individuals follow all protocols under the budgeted term – are crucial components to ensuring the grant’s success.

Within my research paper, I will cover all areas associated …

Internal Controls Possessed By Small Business Owners, Stephanie Weiss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

On average, a small business could lose $150,000 a year due to employee fraud schemes. For most of the small businesses affected by employee fraud schemes, the average $150,000 loss could be detrimental to the small business, causing the business to close. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the internal controls small business owners apply to detect and prevent fraud from occurring in the business. The population for the study consisted of 3 small business owners located in Hartsville, South Carolina who implemented effective internal fraud controls in their business. The conceptual framework guiding the study …

Successful Ethical Decision-Making Practices From The Professional Accountants' Perspective, Tammy Tanner Webster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unethical behavior includes all decisions and actions counterproductive to an organization's mission and can cause irrevocable damage to the organization's professional reputation. The Securities and Exchange Commission reported 807 ethical violations in 2015. This study was underpinned by the ethical leadership theory, which emphasizes leadership decision making based on fair and just practices, for all involved parties. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the ethical decision-making best practices that not-for-profit accounting managers in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area needed to strengthen the ethical decision-making process in their organizations. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from 5 …

Protecting The Whistleblower: An Evolving Understanding Of The Role Of The Whistleblower, Alan Harrington

Honors Theses

This thesis will provide a background for whistleblower protection policies and explore the evolution of whistleblower protection policies in the United States in relation to publicly traded companies.