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Table of Contents
Age of the Perpetrator – Median Loss
$527,000
>60
$500,000
51-60 $250,000
$285,000
$173,000
41-50 $150,000
Age $80,000 2004
36-40
$100,000
2002
31-35 $75,000
$100,000
26-30 $25,000
$27,000
<26 $18,000
$18,000
$0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000
Median Loss
The Effect of Education
Approximately half of the perpetrators in our study had no more than a high school
education, while 42% had a bachelor’s degree and 9% had a postgraduate degree. As
the education level of the perpetrators rose, so did the losses they caused. The median
loss in schemes committed by those with postgraduate degrees was $325,000, or 6.5
times larger than the median loss in schemes committed by those with a high school
degree or less. This trend was to be expected given that those with higher levels of
education tend to occupy higher positions and enjoy more authority within an
organization. Curiously, this trend did not hold up in 2002, when we found that those
with bachelor’s degrees caused higher losses than those with postgraduate degrees.
Education of the Perpetrator - Frequency
Education Level Postgraduate Degree 9.1% 32.7% 41.5% 2004
10.4%
2002
Bachelor Degree
High School or Less 49.5%
56.9%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Percent of Cases
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