Fraudish

Епизоди

• Corporate Governance Starts Before Any Consultant Arrives with Evan Tsai 09.06.2026 38мин

  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 ou...
• What to Know About Whistleblowing from Whistleblower Royalty with Sam Buffone 02.06.2026 45мин

  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 ...
• The Fraud Doesn't End When the Money's Gone: Aftercare & Elder Protection with De'Airra Belcher 12.05.2026 26мин

  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 esp...
• Fraud is a Culture Issue? The Financial Consenquences of Turning a Blind Eye with Evie Wentink 05.05.2026 36мин

  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 complia...
• Insurance Fraud, Personal Branding, and 37 Years of Solving Riddles with Kelly Riddle 14.04.2026 43мин

  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 h...
• The Fraud Red Flags You Should Pay Attention To with Michael Blevins 08.04.2026 46мин

  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 frau...
• “Just Go Do the Thing”: Inside Forensic Accounting and Fraud Minds with Justin Burns, CPA, CFE 24.03.2026 42мин

  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...
• Tipper X Returns: Cold Emails, Insider Trading Lessons, and Turning Scars into Service with Tom Hardin 17.03.2026 54мин

  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 ...
• Following the Money: An Inside Look at IRS Criminal Investigations with Carla Blake 11.03.2026 56мин

  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 t...
• Behavioral Similarities Between Fraudsters and Murderers with Julia Cowley of The Consult: Real FBI Profilers 03.03.2026 56мин

  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 ...
• Going Undercover to Recover Priceless Art with FBI Art Crime Senior Investigator Robert Wittman 24.02.2026 37мин

  Art crime isn't like other crime. They aren't just stealing from one person or organization, when they steal a masterpiece from a museum,  they're stealing from all of us. A lot of former law enforcement officials write books. Not a lot of them write page turners. I found Robert Wittman after reading about him in the news and reached out cold—because his book Priceless is just that good. We're talking kept-me-up-until-2-AM good. Art crime is fascinating, but it doesn't always grab me li...
• Are You a Robot? AI and Paywalls in Investigations with Rob Gardner 17.02.2026 52мин

  A return guest on Fraudish who is a LAWYER? Shock & awe. Rob Gardner is back, and technically he just went to law school (we'll let it slide). This time we're tackling something every investigator is bumping up against: the limitations of AI in research and the paywalls that keep getting in the way. We dig into how public records access varies wildly from state to state—and why that matters more than ever when you're trying to piece together an investigation. Rob brings the practica...
• Pro Bono Forensics: Access to Forensics and Fraud Investigation Shouldn't Be a Luxury with Austin Parris 03.02.2026 44мин

  What happens when someone needs a forensic accountant but can't afford one? This week Kelly speaks with Austin Parris, forensic manager at IAG Forensics and Valuation, to talk about something that doesn't get nearly enough attention in our industry: access. Not everyone who needs forensic work can pay for it, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve it. Austin shares his career journey and his work with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer Foundation, where forensic accounting meets real community im...
• AI Tools for Fraud Fighters: IT Risk Expert JR Kunkle on Gemini & Cybersecurity Trends 27.01.2026 41мин

  What if AI could make you a better fraud investigator? This week I sit down with JR Kunkle, an IT professional with over three decades of experience in IT risk and project management. JR isn't just talking theory—he's actually using AI tools like Claude and Gemini in his daily work, and he shares his hands-on approach to leveraging these tools for professional writing and analysis. We dig into the cybersecurity trends that should be keeping fraud professionals up at night, why organizational ...
• From Cybercrime Prosecutor to Cyber Yenta with Brian Levine 20.01.2026 53мин

  Does technology make fraud easier to commit OR easier to catch? Brian Levine has some strong opinions, and trust me, you'll want to hear them. In this episode, I sit down with Brian, an attorney, former DOJ cybercrime prosecutor, entrepreneur, and #CyberYenta for one of the most entertaining conversations I've had on this show. We dive into his fascinating career journey from commercial litigation to his work fighting cybercrime at the Department of Justice, and what inspired him to build For...
• From Big 4 to Family-Owned Fraud Business with Liz Briggson, CPA of Encoursa 14.01.2026 42мин

  What does it look like going from a massive international company to working with your husband on a family-owned business? Liz Briggson, CPA joins Fraudish to discuss her career in the fraud world as a CPA and shares a lot about the differences between working for a big org and starting your own thing. No matter which side you are on, you will learn something! Encoursa is a platform that provides insightful and engaging professional education for CPAs, accountants, and finance leaders all ove...
• Why Do Fraud Victims Not Pursue Justice? with Natalie Lewis 09.12.2025 43мин

  Why do so many fraud victims choose to quietly move on rather than pursue criminal charges? In this episode, I explore this frustrating reality with Natalie Lewis, CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, as we unpack why victims often choose the path of least resistance — and what this means for fraud prevention on a larger scale. Natalie brings her forensic accounting expertise to our conversation, sharing what it's really like to work massive fraud cases with mountains of discovery and impossibly...
• The Best Embezzlers Are the Ones We Don't Know About with Eli Rosenblatt 02.12.2025 48мин

  Who makes the better embezzler: men or women? According to this week's guest, it's impossible to know because the truly great embezzlers never get caught. I'm excited to welcome my longtime friend and colleague Eli Rosenblatt to Fraudish. Eli takes us through his wonderfully "squiggly" career path in fraud investigation, reminding us that there's no single route to success in this field—and that's what makes it exciting. Whether you're just starting out or contemplating a career pivot, Eli's ...
• Unethical Companies, Unhappy Employees with Dr. Bettina Palazzo 25.11.2025 53мин

  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 unexpecte...
• Increasing Fraud Detection without More Friction with Tamás Kádár 18.11.2025 39мин

  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 ...