Page 246 - ACFE Fraud Reports 2009_2020

Letter from the president

When the ACFE published its first Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse in 1996,
it broke new ground in anti-fraud research by providing an analysis of the costs, the methodologies
and the perpetrators of fraud within U.S. organizations. The collective body of knowledge con-
tained in the first five editions of the Report to the Nation — published between 1996 and 2008
— has become the most authoritative and widely quoted research publication on occupational
fraud.

Now, for the first time, the data contained in the Report have been drawn from fraud cases
throughout the world. As readers will see, it reflects the truly universal nature of occupational fraud. This expansion of
our research is denoted in the modified title for this study, which has now become the Report to the Nations on Occu-
pational Fraud and Abuse.

The information contained in this report is based on 1,843 cases of occupational fraud that were reported by the Certified
Fraud Examiners (CFEs) who investigated them. These offenses occurred in more than 100 countries on six continents,
and more than 43% took place outside the United States. What is perhaps most striking about the data we gathered is
how consistent the patterns of fraud are around the globe. While some regional differences exist, for the most part oc-
cupational fraud seems to operate similarly whether it occurs in Europe, Asia, South America or the United States.

The Report to the Nations is the brainchild of the ACFE’s founder and Chairman, Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA who
throughout his career has contributed more to the study of fraud and the development of the anti-fraud profession than
any other person. On behalf of the ACFE, and in honor of its founder, Dr. Wells, I am pleased to present the 2010 Report to
the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse to practitioners, business and government organizations, academics, the
media and the general public throughout the world. The information contained in this Report will be invaluable to those
who seek to deter, detect, prevent or simply understand the global economic impact of occupational fraud.

James D. Ratley, CFE
President,
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners

2 | 2010 RepoRt to the NAtioNs ON OccuPATIONAl FRAUD ANd AbuSE