Fraudulent Intention$, by Scott P. Hilsen, Esq.

The opening session of last Friday's 2011 Fraud & Forensic Accounting Conference, hosted by the Georgia Society of CPAs, featured author, Scott P. Hilsen. Mr. Hilsen, a securities and business litigation attorney with the silk-stocking law firm of Alston + Bird, LLP, gave a fascinating 75-minute presentation about his recently-published book, Fraudulent Intention$. I was captivated by Scott's talk and rushed to his table afterwards to buy a signed copy of the book. I've only read the first three chapters, but can tell it's well-written. It's a must-read for fraud investigators, auditors, and others interested in cases pertaining to financial crimes and corporate wrongdoing. Following is the author's overview of his book:

"Based on a true story of a corporate deal gone bad and the internal investigation that exposed a shocking online fraud. For SouthPoint Bank, its purchase of Internet Connections, or ICon, was a risky way to boost its stock price, and the deal was rushed so that the Chairman of SouthPoint could stay in power. For ICon, being acquired by SouthPoint was its last chance to cash in on the Internet boom, but the President of ICon was looking for more than money – he needed a way to escape a secret that ICon had been concealing through a conspiracy of fraud. After an insider’s tip, SouthPoint launched a surprise internal investigation of ICon. When the investigators found a connection between ICon and the Russian Mafia, the investigation suddenly turned into a dangerous race against the clock to expose the fraud and to save SouthPoint from financial ruin. From Andorra in the Pyrenees Mountains to Antigua in the Caribbean Sea, Fraudulent Intention$ twists and turns around the shadowy world of online adult entertainment."

The book is receiving excellent reviews. Here are just two examples:

“A smile will come to the face of any experienced investigator who follows the work of Jake Morgan in Fraudulent Intention$. This story shows what it takes to “make the case” in a forensic investigation involving fraud and deceit. Future fraud investigators, take note of the challenges, hard work, stresses, and human elements in this type of work. I had trouble setting this book down, and it will become a must-read for the white-collar crime students in our program.”

Don Berecz (retired FBI), Director, Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting, Georgia Southern University

“Fraudulent Intention$ is a thriller! I couldn’t stop turning the pages….Hilsen keeps the reader on edge guessing who the bad guys are and what is going to happen next. As a forensic accountant, I related because the book accurately represents the essential steps of an investigation with an added edge of car chases, private jets, yachts, suicide, murder and the Russian mafia. Hilsen hits a homerun on the interpersonal relationships between characters and with the contrast between a conservative southern Atlanta bank and a glamorous high growth Miami payment processor. I recommend this book broadly and especially to those professionals who are considering a career fighting fraud.”

Christopher Grippa, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal, Dispute Analysis & Forensic Services

For more information and to read chapter one...

Comments

[Jeff]

Just finished Scott's book. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in forensic accounting, corporate investigations, and business and law in general. There are many practical lessons to be learned from this exciting, realistic story!

[Accountants Miranda]

thanks for the great information and warning on this. Keep it up Jeff

[virtual accounting]

Thanks for the info on the book. It is actually on my list of books to read over my Christmas vacation.