While performing an audit of TCC Corporation, the audit team noticed something that didn’t look right. The company’s receivables aging report showed that bank loan eligible receivables were approximately $91 million. The audit team calculated the bank loan eligible receivables to be approximately $50 million. The client didn’t identify specific accounts in writing off bad debts, there was extremely slow credit memo processing, and items that management had not focused on remained uncollectible and ineligible for financing. In addition, over the last two years, the company’s credit department has had unusually high turnover—four different people had held the credit manager position under an intimidating CFO. The current credit manager was a friend of the CFO and had worked with him at a previous company. After looking at some invoices and asking about customer information to confirm, the credit manager admitted to creating false documents and arranging fictitious sales with clients— all with the knowledge of the CFO.
1. What are some of the red flags that point to the possibility of fraud?
2. What would you say was the main problem in this case that allowed the fraud to occur?