Fraudish

Julia Cowley is a retired FBI agent/profiler, who hosts The Consult: Real FBI Profilers podcast. The one on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist was fantastic!  Cowley traces her path from chemistry and a forensic science master’s to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, then the FBI, where she was assigned to bank fraud and later public corruption/civil rights in Boston while serving on the...

Art crime isn't like other crime. They aren't just stealing from one person or organization, when they steal a masterpiece from a museum,  they're stealing from all of us.  A lot of former law enforcement officials write books. Not a lot of them write page turners. I found Robert Wittman after reading about him in the news and reached out cold—because his book Priceless is just that...

A return guest on Fraudish who is a LAWYER? Shock & awe.  Rob Gardner is back, and technically he just went to law school (we'll let it slide). This time we're tackling something every investigator is bumping up against: the limitations of AI in research and the paywalls that keep getting in the way. We dig into how public records access varies wildly from state to state—and why that...

What happens when someone needs a forensic accountant but can't afford one? This week Kelly speaks with Austin Parris, forensic manager at IAG Forensics and Valuation, to talk about something that doesn't get nearly enough attention in our industry: access. Not everyone who needs forensic work can pay for it, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve it. Austin shares his career...

What if AI could make you a better fraud investigator? This week I sit down with JR Kunkle, an IT professional with over three decades of experience in IT risk and project management. JR isn't just talking theory—he's actually using AI tools like Claude and Gemini in his daily work, and he shares his hands-on approach to leveraging these tools for professional writing and analysis. We di...

Does technology make fraud easier to commit OR easier to catch? Brian Levine has some strong opinions, and trust me, you'll want to hear them. In this episode, I sit down with Brian, an attorney, former DOJ cybercrime prosecutor, entrepreneur, and #CyberYenta for one of the most entertaining conversations I've had on this show. We dive into his fascinating career journey from commercial...

What does it look like going from a massive international company to working with your husband on a family-owned business? Liz Briggson, CPA joins Fraudish to discuss her career in the fraud world as a CPA and shares a lot about the differences between working for a big org and starting your own thing. No matter which side you are on, you will learn something! Encoursa is a platform that provides...

Why do so many fraud victims choose to quietly move on rather than pursue criminal charges? In this episode, I explore this frustrating reality with Natalie Lewis, CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, as we unpack why victims often choose the path of least resistance — and what this means for fraud prevention on a larger scale. Natalie brings her forensic accounting expertise to our conversation, sha...

Who makes the better embezzler: men or women? According to this week's guest, it's impossible to know because the truly great embezzlers never get caught. I'm excited to welcome my longtime friend and colleague Eli Rosenblatt to Fraudish. Eli takes us through his wonderfully "squiggly" career path in fraud investigation, reminding us that there's no single route to su...

You can't have good business in a rotten society — and when your company is unethical, your employees feel it. Ethics is like a muscle: ignore it, and it atrophies. I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Bettina Palazzo to discuss the real cost of business ethics (or the lack thereof). Fun fact: This marks a Fraudish first—I've now had both halves of a power couple on the show! Bettina met her...

For Fraud Awareness Week, I sit down with Tamás Kádár, CEO of SEON, for an in-depth look at how fraud detection has evolved into the systems we see today. We dig specifically into the topic of FRICTION and it’s role in the fraud world.  Whether you're running a business, working in fraud prevention, or just curious about how companies stay one step ahead of fraudsters, this conversation deliv...

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization providing anti-fraud training and education.  With over 30 years in the anti-fraud trenches, John Gill, President of the ACFE, talks us through his unlikely start as a legal writer to becoming a key fraud-fighting leader. His journey proves there's no single path into this field (good news for f...

Fraudish, a favorite reformed fraudster is back! Craig Stanland returns to Fraudish to share his continued journey of reinvention. And let me tell you, this conversation goes places I never expected! Craig opens up about how stoicism became his unlikely lifeline after incarceration, offering practical wisdom for anyone facing life's tough moments (fraud-related or otherwise). We dive into the...

Litigator turned a peacemaker? Well Doug Noll is no usual lawyer, and you won't want to miss his Despite Kelly’s aversion to lawyers, she has invited Doug Noll on to discuss why he isn’t a typical lawyer anymore and how he got involved in the fraud world. Doug Noll is a former trial lawyer turned mediator who is known for his work in alternative dispute resolution and emotional competency. Do...

Toxic leadership + unhappy employees = ethics disasters waiting to happen! Sound familiar? This week, I'm thrilled to chat with Evie Wentink from Ethical Edge Experts who's revolutionizing compliance programs by putting people first. She shares why those mind-numbing checkbox approaches fail and how integrating employee wellbeing into ethics actually prevents misconduct. If you're l...

Fraudish fans, I've brought an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) powerhouse Becki LaPorte to share the fraud lessons and career pivots that keep you coming back. Becki breaks down her fascinating evolution from therapist to Anti-Money Laundering specialist, revealing how her psychology background became her secret weapon in understanding financial crime patterns. For those of you navigating career...

Fraudish fans, we made it to 200 episodes! To celebrate, I'm diving into the ultimate fraud – death fraud – with death investigator Dean Beers. And yes, "death investigator" is absolutely as fascinating a job as it sounds! Dean's been poking around suspicious deaths since 1987 (before some of you were born!) and shares some jaw-dropping stories that would make even your favorit...

This episode with Prof. Guido Palazzo blew my mind about how normal people turn into corporate criminals. Turns out it's less about bad apples and more about toxic orchards! We dish about all your favorite corporate disasters: Theranos, Wells Fargo, and France Telecom. Guido explains how fear and impossible targets are basically Fraud Fertilizer™. My favorite part? Learning that having a care...

Buckle up, Fraudish! Jeff Grant gives "career pivot" a whole new meaning in this episode: from lawyer to opioid addict to federal inmate to ordained minister to practicing attorney again. Talk about a LinkedIn profile that raises eyebrows! Jeff and his wife Lynn created the White Collar Support Group (therapy for people who've traded corner offices for prison cells) and now he'...

I'm back with a conversation that connects dots I never saw coming! Robin Johnson brings the ultimate career combo - fraud prevention expert AND positive psychology guru. We dive into why that perfectly nice Karen from accounting suddenly "borrows" $250K, how toxic workplace culture practically invites fraud, and my favorite revelation: positive psychology might prevent fraud better...

"My location holds no boundaries!" - Yin Johnson, whose 37-year investigative career spans continents and countless fraud cases. In this episode, we explore how Yin built her global investigation practice and leverages her extensive network to solve complex cases. Yin shares her journey from sports instructor to renowned international investigator, offering insights on financial and inte...

After 30 years in Jewish education, Rabbi Yonason Goldson became an ethics expert and speaker. As I discovered, it's not as big a leap as you might think! In this episode, we explore whether today's world is actually less ethical or if we just see more wrongdoing due to social media and the 24 hours news cycle. We also dive into how AI is reshaping our ethical landscape and what ancient...

"I'm grateful she scammed me... at the end of the day I'm better for it" Can fraud actually lead to positive outcomes? That's the provocative question at the heart of this week's episode, where I sit down with Johnathan Walton – a man who turned his own devastating scam experience into a mission that's helped countless victims reclaim their power. Johnathan share...

I'm back with renewed Fraudish energy! In this captivating return episode, I welcome Lou Schachter, the investigative mind behind True Crime Road Trip and recent New York Times featured writer. Lou shares his remarkable journey recovering stolen paintings and documenting historical crimes from his home base in Palm Springs. Don't miss his incredible story of connecting the dots that led...

Scam calls. Scam texts. Scam everything. This week on Fraudish , I’m talking with Alex Quilici , CEO of YouMail , and let me tell you—we cover it all . From robocalls to text scams to the rise of "romance baiting" (yes, we’re rebranding “pig butchering”), Alex breaks down what’s really going on behind that unknown number blowing up your phone. We also dig into: Why younger people fall fo...