The Data Sleuth Podcast

This summer while at the ACFE Global Fraud Conference several speakers and friends of the podcast got together to play an escape room. Before and after the escape room adventure, Leah found herself engrossed in stories from investigators around the US and didn’t want the conversation to end. It was these valuable conversations that inspired the format for the next 6 episodes of the podcast. For the remainder of 2022, Leah is joined by investigators to share case stories from investigations worked in a variety of areas.

In this episode, Leah is joined by Tracy Coenen CPA, CFF, MAFF and Mary Breslin, CFE, CIA who discuss cases involving embezzlement from businesses.

Data Sleuth: Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations by Leah Wietholter, CFE, PI, CPA

When Leah joined the financial investigation industry over 15 years ago, her goal was to work as many cases as possible, but getting those first few cases felt extremely challenging with questions like, “How do I get the casework without the experience? And how do I get the experience without the casework? And when I get the casework, will I know what to do?”

Based on her experience of working over 200 cases in her career, she wrote Data Sleuth® to help others facing this very problem. It is the book she needed so many years ago. In this book, she explains how to start a financial investigation from case planning, to finding best evidence, to incorporating non-financial evidence – like interviews and open source intelligence, and ultimately, how to put it altogether for clients or even law enforcement with step by step details and case examples. If you want to gain confidence in financial investigations to build your case experience, you need to read Leah’s book. Data Sleuth® is available on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you like to buy books!

Tracy Coenen CPA, CFF, MAFF

Tracy has been investigating fraud for more than 25 years, but she didn’t always want to be a forensic accountant. With a dream of one day being a prison warden, Tracy went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI to get a criminology degree. A class on financial crime investigations reminded her how much she loved Encyclopedia Brown books as a kid. She continued her criminology degree, but added accounting and economics courses so she could sit for the CPA exam. Tracy is a Certified Public Accountant and holds the designations Certified in Financial Forensics and Master Analyst in Financial Forensics.

Now, Tracy is finding money in cases of corporate fraud, high net worth divorce, and other financial shenanigans.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracycoenen/

Website: http://sequenceinc.com/

Mary Breslin, CFE, CIA

Mary Breslin is the Founder of Verracy and an internationally recognized speaker and training facilitator for Internal Audit, Risk and Fraud.  When she is not speaking publicly or facilitating trainings, Ms. Breslin conducts fraud investigations and provides management consulting for internal audit and fraud.

Ms. Breslin has over 25 years of experience in Internal Audit, Fraud, Accounting and Management, including working for global companies like Costco, Barclay’s Capital, ConocoPhillips, and Boart Longyear.  She has implemented and managed audit programs in more than 50 countries.  Additionally, she has led fraud investigations in numerous countries spanning six continents.

Ms. Breslin attended Rutgers University and University of Phoenix.  She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Connect with Mary:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marybreslin/

Website: http://www.verracy.com/

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Connect with Workman Forensics

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

This summer while at the ACFE Global Fraud Conference several speakers and friends of the podcast got together to play an escape room. Before and after the escape room adventure, Leah found herself engrossed in stories from investigators around the US and didn’t want the conversation to end. It was these valuable conversations that inspired the format for the next 6 episodes of the podcast. For the remainder of 2022, Leah is joined by investigators to share case stories from investigations worked in a variety of areas.

In this episode, Leah is joined by Brian Willingham, PI, CFE, and Clay Glasgow, CPA/CFF/ABV, CFE who discuss cases involving estates.

Data Sleuth: Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations by Leah Wietholter, CFE, PI, CPA

When Leah joined the financial investigation industry over 15 years ago, her goal was to work as many cases as possible, but getting those first few cases felt extremely challenging with questions like, “How do I get the casework without the experience? And how do I get the experience without the casework? And when I get the casework, will I know what to do?”

Based on her experience of working over 200 cases in her career, she wrote Data Sleuth® to help others facing this very problem. It is the book she needed so many years ago. In this book, she explains how to start a financial investigation from case planning, to finding best evidence, to incorporating non-financial evidence – like interviews and open source intelligence, and ultimately, how to put it altogether for clients or even law enforcement with step by step details and case examples. If you want to gain confidence in financial investigations to build your case experience, you need to read Leah’s book. Data Sleuth® is available on Amazon, Goodreads, or wherever you like to buy books!

Brian Willingham, PI, CFE

Brian Willingham has been a private investigator since 2001. For the past 13 years, he has been the founder and President of Diligentia Group and is based in New York. Over the years, he has developed an expertise in open source / public record research and developed an open source intelligence course in conjunction with PI Education. He has been a regular contributor to a number of industry magazines and publications like PI Magazine and Pursuit Magazine. Brian is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Connect with Brian:

Website - https://diligentiagroup.com/

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

Clay Glasgow, CPA/CFF/ABV, CFE

Clay Glasgow is a partner with HoganTaylor LLP and leads the firm’s Forensic, Valuation, and Litigation Services practice. He has over 20 years of experience in public accounting and has provided forensic accounting services throughout most of his career. Clay and his team serve clients in the areas of financial investigations, business disputes, economic damages, and business valuations. Clay enjoys using his accounting expertise to help clients navigate high stakes matters that require careful, objective investigation and analysis. He is a Certified Public Accountant, and has also earned the Certified in Financial Forensics, Accredited in Business Valuation, and Certified Fraud Examiner credentials.

Connect with Clay:

Email - [email protected]

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/clay-glasgow-cpa-abv-cff-cfe-7851256/

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Connect with Workman Forensics

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

Forensic accounting services are a necessary and valuable part of a divorce case - especially when it comes to property settlements. However, many divorce matters need a forensic accounting expert but cannot afford one. Tracy Coenen has been working with clients of divorce matters for over 20 years to find hidden assets and uncover understated income. Now, she is taking her expertise and experience to the next level and making it available to the general public in the Divorce Money Guide. Divorce Money Guide provides the exact action steps to uncover hidden financial fraud in a divorce matter. It’s designed to offer clients peace of mind and detailed instruction of everything they need to figure out what's rightfully theirs.

Tracy is known as a no nonsense forensic accountant who delivers the “real deal” to her clients. Let’s face it: When your money is on the line, there is zero time to dance around an issue. Her passion lies in helping people find answers. Answers to questions like “Where did our money go?”

After years of watching those who couldn’t justify the cost of a forensic accountant lose thousands of dollars in their divorces, Tracy knew she had to create a solution. That’s why she put her heart into creating the Divorce Money Guide.

Tracy works as a forensic accountant through her firm, Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting. She has been doing fraud investigations for more than 25 years, and is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics), and MAFF (Master Analyst in Financial Forensics). Tracy testifies as an expert witness around the country.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM WORKMAN FORENSICS

Order Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon!

CONNECT WITH TRACY COENEN

LinkedIn: Tracy Coenen

Website: www.divorcemoneyguide.com

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

Nursing home abuse and neglect is a real problem - especially for several states. In this episode of The Investigation Game Podcast, Nic Decker, PI explains the evidence and investigation steps he takes while investigating cases involving nursing home abuse and neglect. Based on his investigative experience with such matters, Nic shares with listeners the red flags and warning signs to look for, and ways to research a nursing home, when having to make long-term care decisions for a loved one.

In 2005, Nic began his career as a Private Investigator. It became evident soon after, that there was a lack of overall quality of service and innovation in the Oklahoma market. Nic sought out veterans in the fields of personal injury, nursing home abuse & neglect, and criminal defense who exemplified these long lost qualities and studied the foundational principles and practices that built their stellar reputation among their clients and colleagues. One year later, in 2006, Paradigm Investigations was born out of Nic’s drive for excellence to restore honor to his field. It is this same passion and drive that continues to accelerate each of Paradigm Investigation’s cases to success today.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM WORKMAN FORENSICS

Order Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon!

CONNECT WITH NIC DECKER

LinkedIn: Nic Decker

Website: http://investigateoklahoma.com/

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

Missing persons investigations are just one of Private Investigator Krista Pavey's, a.k.a. SpyGirl, specialties. In this episode of The Investigation Game Podcast, Krista shares her story of becoming a private investigator, the “why” behind her focus on missing persons cases, and investigation best practices and applications. 

Krista Pavey is a Private Investigator, entrepreneur, published author, advocate for justice and public speaker. Spending the first half of her career as C.O.O. of a multimillion-dollar corporation, Krista decided to become an investigator and opened her investigation firm in 2012. Krista helps people find peace of mind through seeking truth in their lives. She has been married for 28 years and has two successful and happy children.

Krista specializes in missing persons, cold cases, sentence mitigation, criminal defense cases and very selectively takes domestic case work. In private investigation, she is dedicated to helping her clients achieve success. She believes every case matters. She will fight for those who put their trust in her and her business. She believes investigative integrity is paramount to a successful outcome and takes tremendous pride in her work.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM WORKMAN FORENSICS

Order Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon!

CONNECT WITH KRISTA PAVEY AKA SPYGIRL

Facebook: @SpyGirl@Tulsa Private Investigation

Twitter: @therealspygirl

Instagram: @therealspygirl 

Website: www.TulsaPrivateInvestigation.com

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

A common question for forensic accounting experts is, “How do I break into this industry and become a forensic accountant?” In this week’s episode, Leah interviews Hayden Lewellen, a forensic accountant who started this career path with an FBI internship and a public accounting internship. Learn more about his journey and advice to others seeking guidance to join this fascinating career.

Hayden Lewellen is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner. After graduating with his BSBA in Accounting in May of 2020 he successfully received his MBA and his CPA license within a year and, after a nine-month internship that was extended due to the ongoing pandemic, he began working full-time for HoganTaylor LLP as a Forensic, Valuation, Litigation Support Staff in October of 2020. 

PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Subscribe for Novel Mysteries escape room updates and be the first in line to book at www.novelmysteries.com. 

OTHER RESOURCES 

Leah's new book Data Sleuth is available on Amazon.

CONNECT WITH HAYDEN LEWELLEN

LinkedIn: @HaydenLewellen

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

In 2022, is there any investigation that will not benefit from digital evidence collection? Our guest this week, Robert Fried, is a digital forensics expert who discusses the answer to this question with Leah in addition to other digital evidence collection questions.

Robert Fried is a seasoned expert and industry thought leader with over 20 years of experience in data collection and forensic investigations. As Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sandline’s Forensics and Investigations practice, he leads day-to-day operations and oversees the forensic services offered to clients, including data collection, forensic analysis, expert testimony, and forensic consultation. Previously, he has held senior-level positions in digital forensic practices at global professional services firms and worked as a computer crime specialist at the National White Collar Crime Center. He has developed and instructed computer forensics and investigative training courses for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Robert holds a BS and MS in Forensic Science and certificates in Law Enforcement Science, Computer Forensic Investigation, and Information Protection and Security from the University of New Haven. He serves on the Board of Advisors for the Master’s in Investigations program at the University of New Haven and the Global Advisory Board for EC-Council’s Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (C|HFI) certification. Robert is a licensed professional investigator in Michigan and a licensed private investigator in New York. He is a frequent speaker at industry events, has been a guest on industry podcasts, and has been published in several professional publications. He has also authored the book Forensic Data Collections 2.0: The Guide for Defensible & Efficient Processes and contributes to PI Magazine, where he created the CyberSleuthing department and shares insightful content on topics relating to digital forensics, eDiscovery, data privacy, and cybersecurity. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Order Robert’s new book Forensic Data Collections 2.0: The Guide for Defensible & Efficient Processes on Amazon.

CONNECT WITH GUEST: ROBERT FRIED

LinkedIn: @RobertFried

Website: www.forensicsbook.com

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS



Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

As a continuation to data processing and comparative analysis, Rachel and Leah discuss more of the analyses and tools used to help clients find the needle in the data haystack. In this episode, they discuss: 

• Source and Use Summary Analysis
• Interesting Data Findings Analysis
• Risk Indicator Analysis

The information in today's podcast is just a glimpse of what's inside Leah's new book—Data Sleuth: Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations—available today! Available anywhere you buy books and on Amazon! 

Rachel Organist is the Data Analytics Manager at Workman Forensics. Originally trained as a geologist, Rachel uses her unique scientific reasoning expertise and analytical aptitude to undertake financial investigations. Read her full bio on the Workman Forensics team page.

PROMOTION MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Register at https://podcastpromo.datasleuthbook.com/ to win your free copy of Data Sleuth| Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Order Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon.

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Connect with Workman Forensics

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

After the case plan is approved by a client, the financial investigator must then get to work processing and analyzing the financial data. Leah and Rachel begin by discussing how to process both standard and non-standard data in financial/fraud investigations for data analysis. Then, they discuss in detail the first of several Data Sleuth® analysis types: Comparative Analysis.

The information in today's podcast is just a glimpse of what's inside Leah's new book—Data Sleuth: Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations—coming April 19, 2022. Preorder now on Amazon! 

Rachel Organist is the Data Analytics Manager at Workman Forensics. Originally trained as a geologist, Rachel uses her unique scientific reasoning expertise and analytical aptitude to undertake financial investigations. Read her full bio on the Workman Forensics team page.

PROMOTION MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Register at https://podcastpromo.datasleuthbook.com/ to win your free copy of Data Sleuth| Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Preorder Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon—coming April 19, 2022.

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Connect with Workman Forensics

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.

Any investigative process carries the inherent risk that you’ll spend limited resources chasing the wrong information. Leah and Rachel discuss how risk-based analysis helps the Data Sleuth® investigator navigate this risk by narrowing focus and aligning efforts with investigation priorities. They also touch on some practical tools you can start using in your current casework.  

The information in today's podcast is just a glimpse of what's inside Leah's new book—Data Sleuth: Using Data in Forensic Accounting Engagements and Fraud Investigations—coming April 19, 2022. Preorder now on Amazon! 

Rachel Organist is the Data Analytics Manager at Workman Forensics. Originally trained as a geologist, Rachel uses her unique scientific reasoning expertise and analytical aptitude to undertake financial investigations. Read her full bio on the Workman Forensics team page.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE

Download & learn how to use the Fraud Detection Worksheet mentioned in this episode in our blog post—Fraud Detection Made Simple.

Preorder Leah's new book Data Sleuth on Amazon—coming April 19, 2022.

CONNECT WITH WORKMAN FORENSICS

Connect with Workman Forensics

Youtube: @WorkmanForensics

Facebook: @wforensics

Twitter: @wforensics

Instagram: @wforensics

LinkedIn: @workmanforensics

Subscribe and listen to this and more episodes of The Investigation Game on Apple Podcasts, Android, or anywhere you listen.