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Financial Statement Fraud

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When examining the many different aspects of fraud one common trend is usually found. This is concealment or some sort of alteration of financial statements. Financial statement fraud is usually committed by those individuals that have influence over a company or have some sort of opportunity to do so. These individuals include C-level management, controllers, and anyone else that has to do with the information that is placed in the financial statements. These individuals will make these alterations to meet the demands of the markets, to increase their financial bottom line, to increase stock price allowing for their own portfolios to be enhanced, and to overcome current financial losses (Albrecht, Albrecht, Albrecht, and Zimbelman, 2012, p.360). With financial statement fraud there are numerous ways to commit it. This can be through revenue, inventory, expenses, and even subsidiary reporting. Financial statement crimes over the past decade, and possibly longer, have similar characteristics that individuals should look for and should be aware of the effect of them. According to the text “Fraud Examination” COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations), released a study that showed these traits. The traits are the average fraud lasts two years, improper revenue recognitions, have an average impact of $400 million dollars, CEO involved in 89%, median assets involved are at $100 million, change in auditors, and press coverage leading to dips and/or decreases in stock price (Albrecht et al., 365) With this knowledge discovering the “who” and the “what” involved will be easier and will allow for individuals and investigators to be more aware of the motivation, opportunity, and pressures given or placed on specific individuals. The “who”, among the question “Who usually partakes in financial statement fraud” is surprising, but not to unexpected. With the high

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