Author: Joseph McCafferty

May is internal audit awareness month

Getting the Word Out on What Internal Audit Is Really All About

OK, so it might not quite have the gravitas of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) or Black History Month (February), but May—along with being associated with celebrating motherhood—is Internal Audit Awareness Month. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and showcase the internal audit profession in a positive Read More

SEC Charges Panasonic With FCPA Violation and Accounting Fraud

Japan-based electronics company Panasonic will pay more than $143 million to settle charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and engaging in accounting fraud involving its global avionics business. It further charged the company of having insufficient internal controls, which has become Read More

Think Your Company’s High-Value IP Is Safe from Hackers? Think Again!

New survey results from the Ponemon Institute are likely to send shivers down the spines of IT auditors, cybersecurity professionals, and risk managers. The alarming results say companies are losing the battle to protect digital assets and intellectual property from hackers and online thieves. Here’s the lowlights: A whopping 82 Read More

PwC Asked to End Internal Audit Role at Bank Amid Fraud Allegations

The curator of the collapsing VBS Mutual Bank, a troubled South African lender, asked PricewaterhouseCoopers to stop its work as internal auditor amid allegations of fraudulent reporting and accounting violations. The curator, auditing firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo, found evidence of fraudulent reporting and manipulation of financial information in its first report on Read More

bribe handshake

Dun & Bradstreet Avoids Criminal FCPA Charges by Self-Reporting

Dun & Bradstreet Corp. has agreed to pay more than $9 million to resolve Foreign Corrupt Practices Act charges arising from improper payments made by two Chinese subsidiaries, according to a statement from the Securities and Exchange Commission issued this week. The business data company also announced that it had Read More

Woman working on internal controls

IIA to Offer Discount for Internal Audit Credential in May

The Institute of Internal Auditors is waiving the application fee for the Certified Internal Auditor credential and offering a discount on CIA exam prep resources for the month of May, which is Internal Audit Awareness Month. The certification demonstrates proficiency and professionalism in internal audit, while encouraging elevated trust and Read More

U. of Ariz. Wins Audit Innovation Contest with AI Entry

A team from the University of Arizona and its Eller College of Management took home first place in the 2018 National Audit Innovation Campus Challenge, held by Deloitte. The winning submission centered on a “recommendation to enter the market of auditing corporate sustainability reports in anticipation of potential regulatory guidance” Read More

Navigating the New Political Risks

In a hyper-partisan world, companies can easily get pulled into political battles, risking alienating customers and suffering reputational damage. It’s time to assess the risks and get it on your risk radar. For internal auditors, political risks have generally meant keeping an eye on the geo-political changes in countries where Read More

money laundering

New Anti-Money Laundering ‘Know Your Customer’ Rule Takes Effect in May

Regulators said they won’t immediately crack down on financial institutions once a new anti-money laundering rule takes effect next month. The rule requires financial institutions to identify the true owners of companies when they open bank accounts. It will get a light enforcement touch in the early days after the Read More