Forensic Accounting & Fraud

The Smartest Guys in the Room

Bethany McLean & Peter Elkind - Enron

The definitive account of Enron's collapse. Chronicles how mark-to-market accounting, special purpose entities, and corporate hubris combined to create one of history's largest corporate frauds.

Rogue Trader

Nick Leeson - Barings Bank

The autobiography of the trader who brought down Barings Bank. A cautionary tale about inadequate controls, unauthorized trading, and how one person can destroy a 233-year-old institution.

The Wizard of Lies

Diana Henriques - Bernie Madoff

The comprehensive account of Bernie Madoff's $65 billion Ponzi scheme. Examines how he fooled sophisticated investors and regulators for decades.

Bad Blood

John Carreyrou - Theranos

The investigative journalist's account of the Theranos fraud. A modern case study in how charismatic founders, credulous investors, and a culture of secrecy enabled massive deception.

Money Men

Dan McCrum - Wirecard

The story of the Wirecard fraud and the FT journalists who exposed it. A DAX 30 company that simply invented billions in revenue, showing that fraud can happen even in highly regulated markets.

Extraordinary Circumstances

Cynthia Cooper - WorldCom

The memoir of the internal auditor who uncovered the WorldCom fraud. A firsthand account of corporate fraud detection and the courage required to expose wrongdoing.

IFRS Foundation

The International Financial Reporting Standards are used by most countries outside the US. Understanding IFRS is essential for analyzing international companies.

IFRS in Your Pocket 2024

A free, concise summary of all IFRS standards published by Deloitte. An excellent quick reference for understanding specific accounting treatments.

ESRS/CSRD Resources

The European Sustainability Reporting Standards under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive will require extensive ESG disclosures from companies operating in the EU.

Financial Shenanigans

Howard Schilit

The classic guide to detecting earnings manipulation. Covers techniques companies use to inflate revenue, defer expenses, and manipulate cash flow with real-world examples.

The Financial Numbers Game

Charles Mulford & Eugene Comiskey

A comprehensive guide to detecting creative accounting and financial reporting abuses. Covers revenue recognition issues, expense manipulation, and balance sheet games.

ISA 240 — Fraud in Financial Statement Audits

The International Standard on Auditing that defines auditor responsibilities relating to fraud. Covers fraud risk factors, the fraud triangle, and procedures for detecting material misstatement due to fraud.

ISA 315 — Identifying and Assessing Risks

The standard for identifying and assessing risks of material misstatement through understanding the entity and its environment, including internal controls relevant to the audit.

ISA 550 — Related Parties

Guidance on audit procedures for related party transactions, which are frequently involved in fraud schemes. Covers identification, risk assessment, and disclosure requirements.

Deloitte Fraud Resources

Deloitte's IAS Plus website provides practical guidance on fraud detection, summaries of ISA standards, and real-world case studies of accounting irregularities.