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If you’re here, it’s because you suspect your business is losing money under questionable circumstances. You might have noticed employees acting strangely or even discrepancies in financial reporting. But it’s difficult to pinpoint–and prove–that there’s a problem.
Fraud and embezzlement are often perpetrated by those you trust and rely on the most, creating a crisis that threatens your company’s reputation, profitability and long-term stability. The longer it goes on, the more complex the trail becomes, making it more difficult to recover your stolen assets.
With help from Sage Investigations, you’ll be able to shed light on the truth. Led by retired IRS Special Agent and Certified Fraud Examiner Ed Martin, our expert team brings 50-plus years of forensic accounting experience in corporate fraud and embezzlement cases here in Texas and across the nation.
Through our assistance, you’ll be able to move beyond suspicion to legally sound evidence, loss quantification and the forensic accounting expert witness testimony you need for criminal prosecution or civil recovery.
Ready to learn more about how Sage can help you stop the bleeding through navigating financial complexities and supporting your case with accurate, reliable information? Call us at 512-659-3179 now to request a free consultation.
Types of Corporate Fraud We Investigate
We investigate many types of corporate fraud, including:
- Employee embezzlement – payroll fraud, skimming, check tampering and expense report abuse.
- Vendor and procurement fraud – kickbacks, shell companies and billing schemes.
- Financial statement fraud – manipulating records or concealing liabilities.
Our Investigation Process
- Confidential meeting. Sage Investigation begins our corporate investigations with a confidential meeting so we can understand the scope of the suspected fraud.
- Data collection. We forensically acquire and preserve relevant data for your case, including financial records and electronic communications.
- Forensic analysis and quantification. Using Sage’s proprietary software DIO, our team is able to analyze complex financial data quickly, easily, and efficiently. This tool helps us save time, keep data secure and confidential, keep data for analysis and reporting within the country and obtain accurate information faster. This greatly reduces the amount of time needed for investigative work. Once the scheme is identified, we are then able to calculate damages.
- Investigative reporting. Our team then uses investigative findings to create a comprehensive, clear report for litigation.
- Expert witness testimony. Our work doesn’t end with creating a report. Sage is prepared to defend our credible and unbiased findings under scrutiny in court so you can get the resolution that you deserve.
Our Results – Corporate Embezzlement, Fraud and Theft Cases
Our corporate investigation results speak for themselves. Here are just three of the many cases that we have assisted in.
Partner Embezzlement
Ed Martin and Sage Investigations were hired to analyze the records of the client and to prepare a report and analysis. Martin investigated and later testified in an embezzlement scheme involving a flight center in Morristown, NJ. The one-third owner/manager, in a period of eight years, used four schemes to embezzle $2.2 million.
Results: The arbitration judge agreed, and the defense agreed that the partner had embezzled $1.7 million from the partnership using four different schemes to steal money from the partners. The IRS Criminal Investigation prosecuted the partner for four years and unreported income of $870,000.
Insider Fraud and Theft
Ed Martin testified in deposition and trial in a vendor fraud and theft case in which a Round Rock computer company had $10 million stolen from the insider dealings of an employee and his two fraternity brothers. Martin testified in a deposition in the matter and later in a hearing.
Results: Two of the three defendants settled the civil matter. The third defendant went to trial. Martin testified as to his findings, and ultimately, the judge ruled in favor of the computer company. The defendant was assessed $10 million in damages and $1.7 million in attorney fees. The case was later adopted by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI, and two of the three fraudsters were prosecuted along with a CPA return preparer, and all were sentenced to prison.
Employee Theft
A large, family-owned company employed a controller and an IT person, and together they embezzled $350,000. The controller was on the verge of retirement, never took a vacation, and ruled with an iron fist. They stole the money over a period of 4 years during which the son of the owner was enrolled in college and studying accounting and finance to gain the knowledge to take over the family business. The owners noticed their bank account did not have the balance they thought should have. They placed the controller on paid leave after an altercation in the office. Sage was hired to determine what happened to their money and learned that the controller prepared and signed the checks issued by the company, and he reconciled the bank accounts and destroyed the third-party invoices as they were paid. Sage inspected the bank account for checks over $1,000 and compared them to the QuickBooks transactions journal. Sage found an anomaly that the controller wrote checks to himself and the IT person, and changed the payee name on QuickBooks and the classification to indicate a draw by a family member. Several years were analyzed to find the extent of the embezzlement. Sage learned that the controller built a second home in Colorado, and the IT person built a home in Texas with the stolen proceeds.
Results: Both employees were terminated, and the case was presented to the local district attorney.
Stop the Bleeding by Requesting a Free Consultation Today
If you suspect fraud or embezzlement in your business, don’t hesitate to contact a forensic accounting expert like Sage Investigations. Our expertise is your most critical asset when facing an internal theft crisis.
Our team doesn’t just find the fraud. We uncover the evidence you need to recover losses, prosecute employees and secure your long-term financial future. Call us at 512-659-3179 to request your free consultation today!
