Executive Creates Anti-Fraud Cooperation Across a Continent

MEMBER PROFILE

Giuseppe Tritto
Vice President, Head of Anti-Fraud and Corporate Governance
BNP Paribas
New York, N.Y.

As the vice president and head of anti-fraud and corporate governance, Guiseppe Tritto knows how wide fraud investigations can span. From Miami to Vancouver, Tritto supervises and monitors all corporate and investment banking anti-fraud efforts in North America for BNP Paribas. Aligning those efforts across an organization, and a continent, can be a daunting, but necessary task. “By nature, controls, compliance and audit are not seen as the friendliest departments within a financial institution,” Tritto said. “Creating a spirit of cooperation with business lines is always a challenge. Over the years I have noticed an increased awareness from the business lines about our responsibilities and tasks, which are not aimed at penalizing business, but preventing negative events.” 

What trends are you currently seeing in fraud investigations? Do you see any trends specific to your region?

We are in the U.S. corporate and investment banking field and we do not have a lot of exposure to retail fraud. That being said, we have received several requests for support for Internet-related fraud schemes. Currently the level of sophistication of these schemes is remarkable and requires more in-depth review of the materials and particular attention to details.

Please describe your most memorable case and its resolution (to-date if it’s a fresh case). Feel free to use pseudonyms for suspects if the case is ongoing and no judgment has yet been made.

When I worked for the Italian government as a special agent for the Italian Treasury I uncovered a major scheme involving sensitive figures. The scheme focused on a government insurance agency involving fraud, corruption, money laundering and bribery on a large scale. It eventually resulted in the seizure of hundreds of millions of dollars and the arrest of several public figures.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to follow a similar career path as you?

Believe in what you do and provide the best service based on ethics, knowledge and a spirit of cooperation. Sometimes what we uncover is not pleasant, but nevertheless our mission is to prevent fraudsters and white-collar crimes criminals from exploiting our organizations.

What do you consider your greatest career achievement?

The position I hold now was awarded to me as the result of the creation of an anti-fraud program me and my colleagues implemented in North America. In Italy, I would note the case I mentioned in the previous question as I felt I provided a great service to the community and was well received by the local authorities.

Read more ACFE member profiles in the ACFE Career Center.

Sentinels Come in All Shapes and Sizes

GUEST BLOGGER

Timothy Hediger, CFE, CIA, CISA
Owner and Consultant, Polaris Risk Services, LLC

It’s a tremendous honor to talk with fellow CFEs at the 23^rd Annual ACFE Fraud Conference & Exhibition this June in Orlando and to share my whistleblowing experience. There are many things that I am passionate about: woodworking, listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan, reading and learning new things. But my greatest passion, and probably yours, is my chosen vocation as a fraud examiner. That passion and my belief that doing the right thing really means something are the reasons my family has persevered over the past few years. You see, I am a sentinel, a whistleblower.

I was the director of internal audit at one of the U.S.’s largest not-for-profit organizations that provided jobs for people with disabilities. Our company was supposed to help these people - from a teenager with a severe form of autism, to a soldier returning from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder, to a senior citizen who has cerebral palsy. Unfortunately, my company was cheating the U.S. Department of Defense out of a no-bid contract. The organization was not accountable to the government, the disabled or to the public that allows 501(c) organizations to operate. 

I reported these issues to management in writing on 17 different occasions and the following happened: 

• I was denied a raise
• I was given a written warning
• My coworker and fellow plaintiff was fired
• My audit reviewing the no-bid contract was cancelled
• I disclosed the problems with Corporate Counsel and External Auditors
• I was demoted
• I was a “lay off of one,” a way of saying I was fired

The entertainment industry depicts wearing a recording device for the Federal government as a lot sexier than it really is, and conveniently forgets to mention the nerve-wracking idea of a wire-wearing novice being discovered. In fact, that was one of the scariest propositions that I have had to go through in my professional life.

I never, ever want to go through an event like that again! When you have a wife and a newborn daughter to care for, it’s not easy to sacrifice your job for truth. However, it was comforting to know that the U.S. Department of Justice and other agencies found merit in the argument we made:  http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/July/11-civ-902.html. 

While in Orlando, please feel free to stop by, introduce yourself and say ‘hi’ to a sentinel at my session, “The Landscape of Whistleblowing: A Personal and Professional Perspective” on Wednesday, June 20.

You Are Not Alone: Finding, Changing and Growing a Career

AUTHOR’S POST

Mandy Moody
ACFE Social Media Specialist

I still remember the questions that ran through my mind when I heard the president of my former company say, “Mandy, we are going to have to let you go” back in the spring of 2009. How will I make my car payments? What could I have done differently? Where is the nearest bar?

As a life-long perfectionist and overachiever, I was dumbfounded to discover that I was “one of those people,” a casualty of a dwindling economy and unpredictable layoffs. All of a sudden the future did not look as bright as the keynote speaker at my college graduation promised it would be.

However, after picking my ego up off of the floor, seeking out advice from experienced professionals and researching resume best practices, I was able to rebound quickly and find a job that eventually led me to the front door of the ACFE. In the end what appeared to be a dark cloud turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Granted, I know it is not that easy for everyone, but I was thankful for the expert advice I received from people just like those that will be on-hand, ready and willing, to help attendees at this year’s Career Connection at the ACFE Annual Fraud Conference & Exhibition, June 17-22 in Orlando.

Here are just a few of the highlights you can expect to see at the Career Connection:

• NEW! Career Fair: representatives from some of the nation’s top employers like Capital One, Walt Disney World and ING Direct will be on-hand at the Career Connection’s first-ever Career Fair in the Exhibit Hall, Monday evening, June 18 from 3:00-7:00 p.m.
• Career strategists will answer questions related to the anti-fraud profession. Schedule a private  session to discuss career decisions like phasing into a new career, transitioning from the public to the private sector, elevating your role within your current organization, establishing yourself within your new role and defining your professional goals ($50 for 50 minutes). There will also be two strategists on hand for quick walk-up appointments.
• Professional development-related presentations: 15-minute presentations focused on pitfalls to avoid in your career, negotiating a salary without leaving money on the table and more.
• Opportunity to win a free Comprehensive Résumé and Cover Letter Review ($75 value). Veteran hiring manager Donn LeVie Jr., who has helped thousands of job-seekers create attention-getting cover letters and résumés, will provide you with an annotated résumé and cover letter evaluation that includes detailed suggestions for improvement. Stop by the Career Connection booth to enter the drawing. 

 We look forward to seeing you in Orlando. Whether you are searching for a new job, a career change or just looking for some advice, be sure to stop by the Career Connection in the Exhibit Hall.