You can't have good business in a rotten society — and when your company is unethical, your employees feel it. Ethics is like a muscle: ignore it, and it atrophies.

I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Bettina Palazzo to discuss the real cost of business ethics (or the lack thereof). Fun fact: This marks a Fraudish first—I've now had both halves of a power couple on the show! Bettina met her husband, previous guest Dr. Guido Palazzo, at an ethics conference. Talk about finding your person in unexpected places, proof that you should definitely attend more events.

Bettina and I dive deep into the shifting landscape of corporate compliance and how leadership sets the tone for everything that happens in your organization. We explore why younger generations are fundamentally changing workplace expectations and refusing to settle for "that's just how business works" mentality.

Bettina brings fresh perspectives on making ethics practical, not preachy, so if you're tired of compliance being treated like a box-ticking exercise rather than a competitive advantage, this episode is for you.

Connect with Bettina:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettina-palazzo/
• Blog: https://bettinapalazzo.com/palazzo-blog/
• Compliance Cappuccino Club: https://bettinapalazzo.com/en/compliance-cappuccino-club-english/

For Fraud Awareness Week, I sit down with Tamás Kádár, CEO of SEON, for an in-depth look at how fraud detection has evolved into the systems we see today. We dig specifically into the topic of FRICTION and it’s role in the fraud world. 

Whether you're running a business, working in fraud prevention, or just curious about how companies stay one step ahead of fraudsters, this conversation delivers for you. Plus, Tamás shares some surprising perspectives on where fraud prevention is headed next!

Connect with Tamas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkadar/

SEON.io

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization providing anti-fraud training and education. 

With over 30 years in the anti-fraud trenches, John Gill, President of the ACFE, talks us through his unlikely start as a legal writer to becoming a key fraud-fighting leader. His journey proves there's no single path into this field (good news for fraud career changers!).

John shares stories from his interviews with notorious fraudsters that had me taking notes on psychological red flags. We dive into why developing killer interview skills might be the most underrated weapon in your fraud-fighting arsenal.

Whether you're a seasoned CFE or considering your first steps into fraud examination, John's advice on building rapport, establishing trust, and continual learning applies. This conversation reminded me why fighting fraud matters in ways that transcend the financial impact – and why the field continues to attract passionate professionals dedicated to protecting organizations and the public.

Connect with John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gill-cfe/
• ACFE: https://www.acfe.com/

Fraudish, a favorite reformed fraudster is back! Craig Stanland returns to Fraudish to share his continued journey of reinvention. And let me tell you, this conversation goes places I never expected!

Craig opens up about how stoicism became his unlikely lifeline after incarceration, offering practical wisdom for anyone facing life's tough moments (fraud-related or otherwise). We dive into the counterintuitive power of vulnerability, something most fraud professionals aren't exactly trained to embrace, and how it's transformed his approach to public speaking and connecting with others who've made devastating mistakes.

Whether you're a fraud professional seeking deeper understanding of what drives and reforms fraudsters, or simply someone fascinated by stories of reinvention, this conversation offers both emotional depth and practical wisdom from someone who's lived through the consequences of crossing ethical lines.

Connect with Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigstanland 

• Website: https://craigstanland.com/
• Book: "Blank Canvas: How I Reinvented My Life After Prison"
• Previous Episode: Episode 57 - Craig Stanland

Litigator turned a peacemaker? Well Doug Noll is no usual lawyer, and you won't want to miss his

Despite Kelly’s aversion to lawyers, she has invited Doug Noll on to discuss why he isn’t a typical lawyer anymore and how he got involved in the fraud world. Doug Noll is a former trial lawyer turned mediator who is known for his work in alternative dispute resolution and emotional competency. Doug shares his journey from starting as a litigation attorney to becoming a peacemaker. 

We cover: 

• How the prison population isn’t that different from the wider populations and his work with the Prisoner Peace Project
• How to really use boundaries in your life 
• Why most lawyers are lousy negotiators and how to be a better one yourself 
• Why emotional intelligence gets better as we age 
• How AI will change the legal profession

The way this lawyer blew me away with his emotional intelligence! Never thought I’d say that - so make sure to listen through. 

Learn more about Doug: https://dougnoll.com/

Connect with Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougnoll/

Follow Doug: https://www.instagram.com/douglasenoll/

Toxic leadership + unhappy employees = ethics disasters waiting to happen! Sound familiar?

This week, I'm thrilled to chat with Evie Wentink from Ethical Edge Experts who's revolutionizing compliance programs by putting people first. She shares why those mind-numbing checkbox approaches fail and how integrating employee wellbeing into ethics actually prevents misconduct. If you're looking to transform compliance from a dreaded requirement into a competitive advantage, this conversation delivers practical strategies you can implement immediately.

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

Website: https://www.ethicaledgeexperts.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/LETS-TALK-ABOUT-ETHICS-Wentink/dp/B0DXCK3N4P

Fraudish fans, I've brought an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) powerhouse Becki LaPorte to share the fraud lessons and career pivots that keep you coming back.

Becki breaks down her fascinating evolution from therapist to Anti-Money Laundering specialist, revealing how her psychology background became her secret weapon in understanding financial crime patterns. For those of you navigating career transitions in fraud prevention, her journey through banking, securities, and technology offers a masterclass in building transferable skills that keep you relevant as compliance demands evolve.

This episode delivers tangible professional development for anyone serious about advancing their fraud-fighting toolkit!

Connect with Becki: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becki-laporte-cfcs-fis-a543b95/

Fraudish fans, we made it to 200 episodes! To celebrate, I'm diving into the ultimate fraud – death fraud – with death investigator Dean Beers. And yes, "death investigator" is absolutely as fascinating a job as it sounds!

Dean's been poking around suspicious deaths since 1987 (before some of you were born!) and shares some jaw-dropping stories that would make even your favorite true crime podcast blush. From "Oops, they're not actually dead" insurance scams to cases where the evidence tells a completely different story than the witnesses, Dean's seen it all. The best part? He breaks down how evidence-based impartiality is the secret sauce to cracking these cases wide open.

This episode is perfect for my fellow investigation nerds, whether you're working in the private sector or government. Here's to 200 more episodes of Fraudish conversations!

Connect with Dean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forensicinvestigators/

Investigative Courses registration link and discount code:

www.InvestigativeCourses.com

Code: fraudish15

[email protected]

Truth Verifications: www.TruthVerifications.com (we offer a 10% discount or a 10% referral fee back to them, just tell us they heard on the podcast).

Books: their three books are at www.PrivateInvestigations.org (direct from us is a 20% discount from Amazon retail, and also includes taxes and shipping).

http://www.deathcasereview.com/

http://www.deathcasereview.com/truth-verifications.html

This episode with Prof. Guido Palazzo blew my mind about how normal people turn into corporate criminals. Turns out it's less about bad apples and more about toxic orchards! We dish about all your favorite corporate disasters: Theranos, Wells Fargo, and France Telecom. Guido explains how fear and impossible targets are basically Fraud Fertilizer™.

My favorite part? Learning that having a career "Plan B" is your best defense against being pressured into sketchy accounting, and that reading novels builds more ethical muscles than those cheesy HR training videos. Next time your boss talks about "getting creative with the numbers," remember this conversation and maybe update that resume... just saying!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guidopalazzo-/

Website: https://guidopalazzo.com/

Get his book: https://guidopalazzo.com/book-project/

Buckle up, Fraudish! Jeff Grant gives "career pivot" a whole new meaning in this episode: from lawyer to opioid addict to federal inmate to ordained minister to practicing attorney again. Talk about a LinkedIn profile that raises eyebrows!

Jeff and his wife Lynn created the White Collar Support Group (therapy for people who've traded corner offices for prison cells) and now he's fighting for a Federal Expungement Initiative. As someone who investigates fraud for a living, I was fascinated by the "after the handcuffs" perspective we don’t discuss too often.

Don't miss the White Collar Conference 2025 on October 11th (virtual) featuring CNN's Jeffrey Toobin and Joe Bankman, father of crypto's fallen wunderkind SBF. Florida friends – catch Jeff live on October 9th at Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach (RSVP: [email protected]).

Links:

• White Collar Support Group: http://prisonist.org
• Conference: http://whitecollarconference.com
• Law Practice: http://GrantLaw.com
• Expungement Initiative: http://federalexpungement.org
• New Yorker profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/30/life-after-white-collar-crime
• Jeff's Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Grant_(attorney)