The Fraud Complex

Garth and Josh revisit the case that launched The Fraud Complex — the 2023 Toronto Pearson Airport gold heist, the largest gold theft in Canadian history. To mark the occasion, they bring in the journalist who broke the story wide open: Steven D'Souza, co-host of CBC's The Fifth Estate. The conversation covers the mechan ics of a heist that stunned investigators — how a duplicate airway bi...

Garth and Josh dive into a wild true crime fraud case ripped from recent headlines: a $20 million insurance fraud scheme allegedly orchestrated on the slopes of Mount Everest (or as they learn —  Eve-rest ). Sherpas and rescue companies are accused of faking or exaggerating medical emergencies to airlift climbers off the mountain, then billing travel insurance companies for the inflated rescue cos...

A special crossover podcast with our friends, Jay and Amy, hosts of “The Sitcom Study”.   In this episode, we go through three classic sitcoms that centered on a fraud committed against or (in the case of Sunny) by the main cast. The sitcoms that will be discussed are: 1.      Seinfeld S3 E2 "The Truth" 2.      King of Queen S2 E22 "Soft Touch" 3.      It's Always Sunny in...

Josh and Garth talk about Office Space and the fraud that was inspired by it (or was it inspired by Superman 3???) Sources:https://screenrant.com/best-quotes-office- space/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/04/us/seattle-fraud-office-space.html Attention CPAs: Like our podcast and need credit hours to meet NASBA Guidelines? Meet your CPE requirements with on-demand learning by following this link:USA...

When Charlie breaks bad – and not Charlie Brown. This fraud story has it all – government forms (FAFSA), a charismatic fraudster, and, of course, pilates. Sources: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa https://fortune.com/2023/06/12/frank-founder-lawsuit-jpmorgan/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/opinion/fafsa-college-financial-aid.html https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/startup-ceo-cha...

There is a shame that comes with getting scammed or defrauded. Victims often don’t want to talk about it because of this shame which has another consequence of not educating people about the fraud, so it doesn’t happen to others. On this episode, Garth and Josh get into their personal stories of being scammed to educate, analyze and help remove that stigma of shame. Sources: https://nationalpost.c...

In season finale of The Fraud Complex hosts Garth Sheriff and Josh Seger discuss a recent cheating scandal involving CPAs in the Netherlands. They explore the broader implications of such misconduct and its relevance to the fraud risk triangle, emphasizing how motivation and rationalization play substantial roles in fraud. Source: https://pcaobus.org/news-events/news-releases/news-release-detail/p...

Uncover the sticky details of the world’s most Canadian crime, where thieves siphoned $18 million in liquid gold from the Global Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve and left nothing behind but water-filled barrels.  Sources: Netflix – Dirty Money: The Maple Syrup Heist  69 x 9: Liquidating the Forests (Global News) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adCQ9cwYA8o  Vanity Fair - Inside Quebec’s Great, Multi-M...

Join Garth and Josh as they welcome their very first guest, Kelly Paxton, known as the "Pink Collar Crime Lady" and host of the Fraudish podcast. Together, they unpack the massive fraud committed by Rita Crundwell (often referred to as the "Queen of Pink Collar Crime"), the Comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, who embezzled $53.7 million over nearly two decades. Sources: Documentary All the Queen’s Hor...

Garth Sheriff and Josh Sager discuss a recent high-profile heist at the Louvre, theorize an inside job, draw parallels with other heists, and analyze the implications for internal controls and vulnerabilities, wrapping up with thoughts on the admiration of heist stories and the potential for future episodes. Attention CPAs: Like our podcast and need credit hours to meet NASBA Guidelines? Meet your...

A bizarre case of suspect property fraud—or SPF—unravels after multiple luxury car owners file claims for their vehicles' interiors being destroyed by a bear in Lake Arrowhead, California. Attention CPAs: Like our podcast and need credit hours to meet NASBA Guidelines? Meet your CPE requirements with on-demand learning by following the links below. Use coupon code FRUITCAKE for a 25% disco...

They stole a lotto ticket, won big, then lost everything. A significant lottery fraud case in Ontario, Canada, centering on a $12.5 million Super 7 jackpot.   Sources: CBC Documentary Series The Fifth Estate - Lucky Seven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua738F874Ls   https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/mandel-family-sentenced-to-prison-for-12-5-m-lottery-scam   Attention CPAs: Like our podcast...

Garth and Josh discuss the elaborate Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Philip Elvin Riehl who stole $60 million from the Mennonite and Amish communities for Berks County, Pennsylvania. Two friends unpack wild true crime fraud stories without murders. Attention CPAs: Like our podcast and need credit hours to meet NASBA Guidelines? Meet your CPE requirements with on-demand learning by following this link:...

This week, Garth covers the “invisible” accountant who stole 17 million from a fruitcake fortune. Josh opens a “surprise” package. Attention CPAs: Like our podcast and need credit hours to meet NASBA Guidelines? Meet your CPE requirements with on-demand learning by following this link: https://onlinecpe.sheriffconsulting.com/courses/airport-gold-heist Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4TlYJPwTXq1TK0X...

In the inaugural episode of 'The Fraud Complex' podcast, hosts Garth Sheriff, a CPA and CIA, and Josh Sager, an actor and comedian, delve into the details of an astonishing gold heist that took place at Toronto Pearson Airport in April 2023. The heist involved the theft of 881 pounds of gold worth $15 million USD, facilitated by an insider at Air Canada who had unauthorized access to multi...