Jamie Bartlett: In Search of The Missing Cryptoqueen

Jamie Bartlett: In Search of The Missing Cryptoqueen

As an investigative journalist, Jamie Bartlett has a knack for spotting inconsistencies and strange behaviors. His published books include “The Dark Net” (2014) that details niche internet subcultures and online crime, “Radicals Chasing Utopia” (2017) about the motivations and growth of fringe political groups, and “The People Vs Tech” (2018), which won the 2019 Transmission Prize.

But when Bartlett began pursuing the mysterious disappearance of OneCoin founder Dr. Ruja Ignatova in November 2018, his next endeavor proved to require an even higher level of scrutiny as he began unraveling the truth behind a billion-dollar scam whose mastermind seemingly vanished into thin air.

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ABCs of Emotional Intelligence in Investigations 

ABCs of Emotional Intelligence in Investigations 

The first day of the 2023 ACFE Fraud Conference Europe concluded with a session on emotional intelligence by Lloydette Bai-Marrow, a founding partner of Parametric Global Consulting, a former lawyer for the U.K. government and a visiting faculty member at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna.  Her goal for this session was to discuss recognizing how emotions can affect an investigation, how to employ emotional intelligence to manage investigations, and how to identify the four types of emotional intelligence and how they apply in investigations. 

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Kelly Donovan: The Fearlessness of a Police Whistleblower

Kelly Donovan: The Fearlessness of a Police Whistleblower

Kelly Donovan stood before attendees at the 2023 ACFE Women’s Summit, shoulders back and head held high. Carrying the same iPad that she often does, which helps the former Canadian police officer living with Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and short-term memory loss, Donovan recalled her story of domestic abuse, police corruption and the on-going fight for whistleblower advocacy and justice.

But more than that, Donovan told a story of unbelievable courage and personal sacrifice that revealed the character of a woman and mother who deserves to be heard.

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The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

The Role of Curiosity in Countering Bias

Fraud examination and investigation requires a curious mind, but can this very same trait protect us from falling victim to our own biases?

The 2023 ACFE Women's Summit hosted a panel session exploring this link between bias and curiosity, featuring moderator Janet McHard and panelists Chelsea Binns, Ph.D, CFE, Bernadette L. Harris, CFE, and Kelly Paxton, CFE.

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Gender Considerations in Investigative Interviews

Gender Considerations in Investigative Interviews

Bright and early on International Women’s Day, the first session of the 2023 ACFE Women’s Summit kicked off with a conversation on gender considerations in investigative interviews. A panel of four professional fraud fighters discussed their experiences as women in the anti-fraud field and shared knowledge of how to combat biases based on gender and perception therein.

As they began, you got the impression that they could talk at length on this subject, the nuances and variations within, and their experiences as women in the anti-fraud profession.

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Tom Hardin: Confessions of an Insider Trader

Tom Hardin: Confessions of an Insider Trader

When then-financial analyst Tom Hardin left his Manhattan apartment building one summer’s morning in July 2008, he knew the game was up.

“I stepped onto the sidewalk and this guy behind me says, ‘Are you Thomas Cody Hardin?’ Anytime someone calls you by your full name, you are probably in trouble,” he laughs. “I knew I was trouble as a child when my mother did it.”

The voice came from one of two FBI agents who quickly informed him that they knew that he had made four trades on the stock market using insider information.

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"Thanks for the Nightmares!" A Deep Dive into Technology Crime

"Thanks for the Nightmares!" A Deep Dive into Technology Crime

In a session that had many virtual attendees joking about having nightmares tonight, going completely off the grid and hiding under blankets, Walt Manning, CEO of Techno-Crime Institute, told a story about darknet, cryptocurrency, encrypted messaging apps, burner phones, ransomware and more at the 33rd Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference.

In his session, "You're in Charge: Are You Ready for a Techno-Crime Challenge," Manning discussed the above and offered this piece of advice: "This is not the fraud of the future - this is the fraud of right now. And if you're not prepared, you need to be prepared because it's already happening."

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