Page 533 - ACFE Fraud Reports 2009_2020
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Perpetrators
Figure 65: Position of Perpetrator—Frequency and Median Loss
$800,000 45%
40.9%
$703,000
$700,000 40%
36.8% 35%
$600,000
30%
MEDIAN L OSS $400,000 18.9% 25% PERCENT OF CASES
$500,000
20%
$300,000
$200,000 $173,000 15%
10%
$104,000
$100,000 $65,000 5%
$0 3.4% 0%
Employee Manager Owner/Executive Other
POSITION OF PERPETRATOR
Median Loss Percent of Cases
Figure 66 shows a correlation between the fraudster’s level of authority and the duration of the occupational fraud
scheme. Because high-level fraudsters are generally better equipped to override or circumvent anti-fraud controls, we
would expect their schemes to be harder to detect, and thus to last longer. The typical fraud committed by an employee
in our study lasted one year before it was detected, whereas the typical fraud committed by an owner/executive lasted
twice as long. Frauds committed by managers had a median duration of 18 months.
Figure 66: Median Duration of Fraud Based on Position
Position Median Months to Detect
Employee 12
Manager 18
Owner/Executive 24
Other 18
REPORT TO THE NATIONS ON OCCUPATIONAL FRAUD AND ABUSE 49
