It has been almost 20 years to the day that one of the country’s largest publicly traded companies filed for bankruptcy protection amid what continues to be cited as one of the largest accounting frauds in history. However, since the collapse of Enron and subsequent enactment of legislation to prevent similar scandals, corporate fraud and […]
Posted on July 29, 2021
by
Lewis Taub
According to the U.S. Treasury, the cryptocurrency market capitalization in April 2021 reached more than $2 trillion. Today, there are approximately 4,000 virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin (BTC), Etherium (ETH), Tether (USDT) and Dogecoin (DOGE), stored and traded on more than 8,600 cryptocurrency exchanges around the world, including Kraken and the largest exchange, Coinbase, which […]
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the total number of bankruptcy filings in 2020 decreased nearly 30 percent from the prior year, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. By contrast, the total number of Chapter 11 reorganization filings during the same period increased 18.7 percent from 2019, while the number of […]
Posted on February 17, 2021
With the continuous rise of tax-related identify theft, the IRS has expanded its Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) Program, offering all U.S. taxpayers the ability to request an added level of security for verifying their identifies when filing taxes or dealing with the IRS. The IRS introduced the IP PIN program nearly 10 years ago […]
Posted on February 08, 2021
by
Joseph Saka
The IRS warns taxpayers to be on alert to a rise in identity-theft schemes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including phony offers for government-backed economic relief, access to FDA-approved vaccines or other products falsely marketed as virus cures. In one scam, thieves are directing victims to click on a link in a text message to […]
Posted on November 23, 2020
by
Richard Fechter
As millions of business owners and independent contractors seek forgiveness of much-needed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans they received in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are surprised to find themselves the subject of fraud investigations by the federal government. Last week, the Justice Department announced it already has publicly charged more than 80 […]
Although the U.S. government postponed its plan last week to vote on a bill that could legalize marijuana use at the federal level, the rapidly growing cannabis business remains alive and well at the state level. There are currently 33 states that have legalized marijuana for medical use, 11 of which have also legalized use […]
According to the Association of Fraud Examiners (ACFE) “2020 Report to the Nations,” a growing number of businesses that fell victim to occupational fraud between 2018 and 2019 disciplined perpetrators privately rather than referring them to public law enforcement for criminal prosecution. Yet, while there has been a steady increase in civil suits and private […]
Posted on June 26, 2020
by
Rick Bazzani
The COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed the pace of financial crimes targeting taxpayers. In fact, the IRS Criminal Investigation division (CI) has noted an increase in coronavirus-related scams seeking to steal taxpayers’ money and personal information. Reducing your risks of falling victim to these schemes requires you to take precautionary measures to secure your data […]
COVID-19 social distancing has upended the logistical functions of nearly all aspects of American governance, including court systems. With courthouses completely or partially shuttered, the courts are rapidly expanding their reliance on remote teleconferencing capabilities and stepping-up their use of technology to keep dockets moving. Members of our firm recently attended a three-day hearing in […]
