What does your grandmother have to do with corporate governance? More than you might think.

In this episode, Kelly Paxton sits down with Evan Tsai, an auditor, compliance veteran, and newly minted founder of Phoenix Ascent, for a conversation that travels from the fraud pandemic in Taiwan, to a book theft at an auditors' conference, to why governance starts long before any consultant walks through the door.

After 20 years in audit, risk, and compliance, Evan kept seeing the same movie play out: companies chasing big, shiny tools without first understanding their own processes, people, or data. That pattern and a deep respect for governance instilled by his grandparents in Taiwan is what drove him to launch Phoenix Ascent and help organizations understand where they actually stand before the regulators come knocking.

Plus: Evan shares why no organization (or auditor) is truly above temptation. 

Connect with Evan Tsai: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanjtsai/

Phoenix Ascent:https://www.linkedin.com/company/phoenix-ascent-advisory-llc/

Have you hear of the False Claims Act? This whistleblower statute recovers $2–6 billion per year for taxpayers. But most of us have never heard of it. 

Well, If you report fraud against the government (a "qui tam" action) and the government recovers, the whistleblower receives 15–25% of the recovery.

Sam Buffone is our guest on this episode of Fraudish, he is whistleblower attorney and founder of the Buffone Law Group. Sam spent 9 years at the Department of Justice and helped recover $3 billion in civil fraud enforcement. Kelly met him at the Maryland ACFE conference after being impressed by his last-minute fill-in presentation.

Sam describes his role as a translator: whistleblowers come to him feeling gaslit, with scattershot observations, and he packages their experience into something that speaks the government's language and directs investigative attention. Cases routinely take years. He works on contingency (no recovery = no fee), which is essential since whistleblowers rarely have the budget to fight corporations.

Sam doesn't advertise. Whistleblower clients are scared, isolated, and often don't even know whistleblower attorneys exist as a specialty. He relies on referrals to find the right clients. 

Whistleblower Programs to Know

Sam closed with a rundown of the major programs:

• False Claims Act — government/healthcare fraud (qui tam)
• SEC — securities fraud
• CFTC — commodities and crypto fraud
• IRS — tax fraud
• FinCEN — financial crimes, sanctions evasion
• DOJ Antitrust — illegal cartels (growing)
• DOJ Criminal Division — catch-all program
• NHTSA — auto safety/recall issues

Resources & References Mentioned

• Going Infinite by Michael Lewis (FTX/SBF)
• Who Is Government? compiled by Michael Lewis (long-form essays on public servants)
• The Big Short (film)
• My Cousin Vinny — Sam's pick for most legally accurate movie
• Michael Clayton (film)
• Tyler Schultz (Theranos whistleblower)
• James Holzrichter (whistleblower case)
• Erin Brockovich

Connect with Sam Buffone

Buffone Law Group— whistleblower and civil fraud enforcement. Sam encourages anyone who sees something wrong to reach out; initial consultations are free given the contingency model.

Links mentioned: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Cousin_Vinny

https://www.taf.org/

https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-catherine-kissick

What happens after someone gets scammed? The money's gone but the shame, the confusion, and the vulnerability to being hit again? That often sticks around. 

This week I'm joined by De'Airra "Dee" Belcher, founder and fraud-prevention lead of JRMT Consulting, and she is tackling the part of fraud recovery most of us aren't talking about.

Dee spent a decade in banking before turning her focus to the people most often left without support after a scam: small businesses, nonprofits, and especially older adults. Her Fraud Recovery and Guidance initiative was built specifically to address what she calls the "aftercare gap" which is the dangerous silence that follows a fraud incident and leaves victims exposed to revictimization.

Dee walks us through how organized fraudster playbooks actually work — the information recycling, the escalation tactics, and how our one fraud attempt does not mean its over. And we discuss how important it is to protect elders and focus on prevention because (if we’re lucky) we’ll be elders one day that are vulnerable to fraud. 

Links:

• Connect with Dee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deairrabelcher/

You may think fraud is a financial issue. And you would be wrong! According to my guest, “Fraud is a culture issue with financial consequences.” And I tend to agree. 

Everything in an organization — good or bad — begins and ends with culture. When leaders look the other way (as illustrated by Tom Hardin's first fraudulent trade going unchallenged by his boss), a culture of permissiveness takes root.

Kelly welcomes back Evie Wentink for her return appearance on Fraudish. Evie is a compliance professional with 20+ years of experience, founder of the Integrity Playbook program, and a passionate advocate for ethics and compliance in both enterprise and small business settings.

📚 Books & References Mentioned

• Tom Hardin — insider trader turned ethics speaker; his book is a recurring touchstone throughout the episode. Evie is co-organizing a Compliance Professionals Meetup in Morristown, NJ featuring Tom Hardin (with book signing).
• "London Falling" by Patrick Radden Keefe — Kelly's current read; a true story about a young British boy whose fascination with Wolf of Wall Street shapes his path.
• "Wolf of Wall Street" — used as a cultural reference point for how organizational culture can normalize extreme behavior.
• "Friends & Neighbors" (Apple TV/HBO Max) — Kelly recommends this Jon Hamm series about a hedge fund manager turned thief for Evie.
• The Better Way Podcast — hosted by Hui Chen and Zach Coseglia; their company is called Culture Data Ethics.

Evie's Final Word for the Audience:

"Relationships are the key to success — not only in business, but in compliance."

If you're in ethics or compliance, make it your goal to meet people across your organization before they ever have to come to you with a problem. Build those relationships proactively. It will become your biggest asset! 

Thanks for listening to Fraudish. Please leave us a good review if you enjoyed!

Connect with Evie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eviewentink/

Ethical Edge Experts: https://www.ethicaledgeexperts.com/

Ethical Edge Substack: https://ethicaledge.substack.com/p/ai-is-everywherebut-understanding?r=52e047&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%2Bviewer&triedRedirect=true

https://substack.com/@ethicaledgebyevie/note/p-195888058?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=52e047

When your last name is Riddle, solving problems kind of feels inevitable.

In this episode, Kelly sits down with Kelly Riddle, founder and CEO of Kelmar Global, to unpack a 37-year career in fraud investigation — from insurance fraud and corporate theft to how the field has evolved in the digital age.

They dive into what actually makes someone commit fraud, the differences between male and female embezzlers, and why no one committing fraud thinks they’re the bad guy. Kelly Riddle also shares his go-to interview techniques for getting people to confess — without ever leading with accusations.

Plus: why committing insurance fraud is a terrible idea (they know more than you think), how technology has changed investigations, and the surprisingly strategic side of naming and branding a business.

🔍 In this episode:

• Why insurance fraud is harder to get away with than ever
• The psychology of fraud: rationalization, guilt, and opportunity
• Male vs. female embezzlers — who actually gets away with more?
• Interview techniques that get people talking (and confessing)
• How fraud investigation has evolved over nearly four decades
• The role of social media and digital footprints in modern cases
• Why you should never name your business after yourself
• How strong branding shapes your reputation in an industry

Connect with Kelly Riddle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyriddle/

Kelmar Global:https://www.kelmarglobal.com/About-Us

PI Insitute: https://piinstitute.com/

She knew she would get caught one day but kept stealing…

Every day at work: "Is this the day?" and when FBI showed up with her boss, she knew immediately. This is Michael's choice for any fraudster to interview: Sue Sachdeva (Koss Corporation). 

Michael Blevins, a fraud prevention consultant based in Palm Springs, California, about his 35+ year career in mortgage banking and fraud prevention. We discuss Sue Sachdeva's shopping addiction embezzlement case, the evolution from consumer fraud to business fraud, the fraud triangle, red flags in employees, and Michael's transition to consulting after a corporate career.

Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelblevins7118/

Blevin Associates: https://www.blevinsassociates.com/

What does it actually take to build a career catching fraudsters?

In this episode, Kelly sits down with Justin Burns, CPA, CFE and founder of Space Coast Forensics, to talk about his journey into forensic accounting — and why success in this field (and honestly, any field) comes down to one simple mindset: just go do the thing.

From cold-emailing his way onto podcasts to building his own practice, Justin shares how taking initiative — even before feeling “ready” — shaped his career.

They also dig into the psychology of fraud, including which fraudsters Justin would most want to interview, why the first time someone steals matters more than anything else, and the truth about gender differences in embezzlement.

Plus: what forensic accountants actually do day-to-day, how to break into the field, and why the community is more supportive than you’d expect.

🔍 In this episode:

• Why asking about the first theft reveals everything
• The truth about gender differences in embezzlement
• How Justin found forensic accounting (and knew it was the right fit)
• What forensic accountants actually do: fraud investigations, litigation support, and more
• The power of cold emails, networking, and taking initiative
• Starting your own practice: exciting, terrifying… and worth it
• Why most people never take the leap — and how to be the exception
• The surprisingly supportive world of forensic accounting

💡 Key Takeaway

Most people wait until they feel ready.
 The ones who succeed? They start before that.

👤 About Justin Burns

Justin Burns, CPA, CFE, is the founder of Space Coast Forensics, where he specializes in fraud investigations, litigation support, and economic damages. He’s also the host of the Data Sleuth Podcast, where he explores real-world fraud cases and forensic accounting insights.

Connect with Justin:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-burns-cpa-cfe-215506155/

Space Coast Forensics

🎧 Resources & Mentions

• Data Sleuth Podcast
• Crime Junkie
• Swindled
• Criminal with Phoebe Judge
• Dead Money by Jacob Kerr
• Wired on Wall Street by Tom Hardin (Tipper X)

Tipper X is back.

Tom Hardin, former Wall Street analyst, convicted insider trader, and author,  returns to Fraudish to talk about what happens after the scandal.

Most people in Tom’s position would disappear. Instead, he’s chosen to do the opposite: speak openly about his mistakes and turn his scars into service.

Tom joins Kelly to discuss his new book and the real story behind his insider trading conviction — including the pressures of Wall Street, accountability, redemption, and what the justice system gets right (and wrong).

They also dive into the mental health toll of public scandal, the gray areas of ethics in finance, and what Tom now teaches organizations about compliance, culture, and decision-making.

In this episode:

• What actually happened in the insider trading case that made Tom “Tipper X”
• The personal and professional fallout after the conviction
• Prosecutorial overreach and the complexities of white-collar justice
• The mental health side of scandal and rebuilding a life
• Why Tom now speaks to companies about ethics and compliance

About Tom Hardin

Tom Hardin (aka Tipper X) is a former Wall Street analyst who became one of the most well-known insider trading cooperators in U.S. history. Today he is a public speaker on ethics, compliance, and decision-making in high-pressure environments — and the author of a new book about his experience and redemption.

Connect with Tom:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/tipperx/

📘 Get the book:
https://www.tipperx.com/book

🎧 Listen to Tom’s first Fraudish appearance:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-33-tom-hardin-aka-tipper-x/id1530413097?i=1000523021597

Before launching her own forensic accounting firm, Carla Blake CPA, CFE spent 15+ years with the IRS tracking down fraudsters. In this episode, she joins Kelly to break down how investigators actually follow the money—and the surprisingly simple red flags that expose embezzlement.

From ghost employees to Ponzi schemes, Carla breaks down how fraud really happens, how investigators catch it, and why understanding human behavior matters just as much as understanding numbers.

Spoiler: sometimes the biggest fraud control is simply not trusting the nicest person in the office with all the passwords.

What You’ll Learn

• Why women and men commit different types of fraud
• The red flags that signal embezzlement in small businesses
• How forensic accountants follow the money
• Why most fraud is discovered by accident
• The skills every future fraud fighter actually needs

Resources Mentioned

• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Data Sleuth Podcast

Carla Blake
 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakefiles/

Website: https://www.blakefiles.com/

Julia Cowley is a retired FBI agent/profiler, who hosts The Consult: Real FBI Profilers podcast. The one on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist was fantastic!

 Cowley traces her path from chemistry and a forensic science master’s to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, then the FBI, where she was assigned to bank fraud and later public corruption/civil rights in Boston while serving on the Evidence Response Team, before applying to and joining the Behavioral Analysis Unit during research into high-level white-collar offenders. They found some interesting similarities between serious violent offenders and white-collar criminals.

Listen to The Consult: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/