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Diamars, 17 October 2023 AWEMainta BUSINESS & FINANCE 41
Fraud in the Accounting World:
Deloitte Rocked by Exam Scandal
EXAM fraud continues to haunt the accounting world as who was involved, how the fraud occurred, and when it took
another prominent firm, Deloitte, grapples with the fallout. place. In a Deloitte press release, departing board member
Following the revelation of exam fraud at KPMG earlier this Bergmans stated, “With the most recent insights from the
summer, Deloitte has been hit with a similar scandal. Rob investigation and the facts that have emerged, I can only
Bergmans, a member of Deloitte’s board of directors, has conclude that it is not in the organization’s best interest for
stepped down due to the fraud. me to remain as a member of the board or stay connected
to Deloitte as a partner.”
In recent months, it has come to light that over a hundred
employees at KPMG were involved in fraudulent activities, It is uncertain whether there will be additional repercussions
sending shockwaves through the industry. KPMG’s CEO, at Deloitte due to the exam fraud. The company expects to
Roger van Boxtel, admitted to completing training “inappro- conclude its investigation into the matter by the end of this
priately” and resigned from his position. year. The AFM encourages industry employees to report any
The regulatory body, the Netherlands Authority for the wrongdoings.
Financial Markets (AFM), expressed its deep concern over “It has now been proven twice in a row that exam fraud is
these repeated cases of malpractice within the accounting also occurring at the top of major accounting organizations,
profession, where integrity is of utmost importance. precisely where exemplary behavior is expected,” says AFM
board member Hanzo van Beusekom. “This confirms that
The exam fraud at Deloitte involved providing accountants the issue is more widespread than previously thought.”
and their employees with answers to exam questions. These
exams cover critical topics, such as cybersecurity and integ- Accountants play a crucial role in verifying that businesses
rity, and are mandatory for the profession. and organizations report accurate financial information in
In response to these scandals, the AFM asked major their annual statements. This information is vital as it influ-
accounting firms to conduct internal investigations into ences various economic decisions made by companies,
exam fraud last year. The regulator is closely monitoring the governments, and investors.
thoroughness of these investigations. This development is a stark reminder of the importance of
upholding ethical standards in the accounting profession,
Both the AFM and Deloitte have not disclosed specific details as breaches not only harm the industry’s reputation but also
regarding the latest incident of exam fraud. It remains unclear affect the broader economy.
