European Backlash!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Auditing, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Managerial Accounting.

According to the New York Times, across Europe, Google has been under fire. This reflects the broader challenges facing American technology companies. Fairly or not, Google has become a glaring proxy for criticism of an intrusive American government and concern over America’s unmatched technology dominance. Questions: 1. What other U.S. tech companies are being carefully… Read more »

Rip Off: We Work Hard for the Money!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

Although Guadalupe Rangel worked nearly 70 hours per week, he never saw any overtime pay at the Schneider warehouse in Mira Loma, California. As a result he joined a lawsuit involving hundreds of warehouse workers where he will likely receive more than $20,000 in back pay as part of the recent $21 million legal settlement… Read more »

Fraudsters are always looking for a way to rip off the Government

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Fraud Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

This article details a wheelchair scam that was designed to exploit blind spots in Medicare, which often pays insurance claims without checking them first. The fraud begins with criminals disguised as medical-supply companies. Questions: 1. Based on the article, which major internal control allowed this fraud to happen? 2. What type of control slowed down… Read more »

Bad Blood

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

Questions: 1. Explain why this is such an unusual labor action. 2. Based on John A. Davis’ blog, what could the board chairman do to help rebuild family unity and commitment to Market Basket? 3. At this point, Market Basket as a continuing entity is hemorrhaging financially. From a corporate governance standpoint, do you think… Read more »

Is Herbalife a Ponzi Scheme?

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Herbalife is a company that sells weight loss shakes, vitamins and other similar products worth billions of dollars. The company has been around for more than 30 years. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. So what could be more legitimate? Bill Ackman, who manages a hedge fund thinks the whole thing is… Read more »

A Complex Financial Crime Story

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

Stephen Flatow, a grieving father, charged that Iran financed the Gaza bus bombing that killed his 20-year-old daughter in 1995. Buried in court filings, the suit alleged that money from a charity “fronted” financial transfers to terrorists from the Iranian government. In fact, the charity, known as the Alavi Foundation, actually operated and owned a… Read more »

The Dirty Little Secret of “Cramming!”

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On July 1, 2014, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused wireless carrier T-Mobile of adding bogus charges to customers’ accounts without their consent, in U.S. District Court. Questions: 1. How long did T-Mobile use the practice of “cramming” on customer mobile phone bills and what is the estimated amount of the total fraudulent charges? 2…. Read more »

The worth of an employee?

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CEOs talk about what valuable assets employees are, but these assets do not show up on the company’s balance sheet. Why? Because the company does not and cannot own its employees, even though it may seem so at times. However, employers can put a value on your life through company-owned life insurance (COLI). Questions: 1…. Read more »

Barclay’s Dark Pool

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Despite Barclay’s private and public assurances to investors in its pool that they were continually shielded from high-speed trading, the bank is being sued for actively attracting high-speed traders to its venue, as well as bolstering high-speed trader strategies with privileged information about the pool. Questions: 1. Summarize why the article essentially called this a… Read more »

The Untouchable Alaska Bypass

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

Under a federal program exclusive to Alaska, the Postal Service is responsible for shipping more than 100 million pounds a year of apples, frozen meat, dog food, diapers and countless other consumer items to off-road villages in the sparsely populated outposts known as the bush. Over three decades acting as freight forwarder, the agency has… Read more »