A forensic accountant is someone who uses their expertise to aid in the investigation of financial crimes. An investigative accountant, a consultant, or an expert witness are other names for forensic accountants. The Latin origin of the word “forensic” means “about the courts.”
Independent contractors or larger companies with specialized forensic accounting divisions provide forensic accountants opportunities. They may work for law companies, public accounting firms, corporations, and government organizations.
Also, some forensic accountants work for insurance firms looking into theft or fraud claims. They decide whether to pay out on the claim or deny it because of possible fraud.
Defense attorneys may ask forensic accountants to review bank records or other documents submitted as evidence. They may also help analyze documents or information related to an individual’s finances, such as tax returns or corporate filings.
Forensic accountants are not just crunching numbers. They also provide criminal defense lawyers with financial crime cases and a different set of skills. A criminal defense lawyer may consider a forensic accountant to be a priceless asset when attempting to put out a convincing argument for his client.
Criminal defense lawyers assist clients in uncovering business fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, theft and embezzlement. They help businesses identify financial irregularities to prevent future losses. When working on financial crime cases, it is important for a criminal defense lawyer to find the best experts possible who will back up their claims with facts. In cases involving financial crime, forensic accountants can help in the following ways:
Forensic Accountant Expert Testimony
The most important aspect of forensic accounting is the ability to provide expert testimony in court.
Forensic accountants have the knowledge, skills, and experience to understand how businesses operate. They help understand how businesses should run, and how it is manipulated. They can explain these things in a way easily understood by jurors and judges alike.
There are various ways in which forensic accountants can offer expert testimony. They can testify about the accuracy of financial records and other documents. It includes documents that are relevant to the case they are handling. Criminal defense lawyers use this testimony to prove their clients’ innocence or guilt.
Financial Analysis and Investigation Services
In addition to providing expert testimony, forensic accountants are called upon to investigate potential fraud or criminal activity within a business in civil litigation proceedings. There could be product liability lawsuits or wrongful death suits brought against corporations for their negligent behavior that harmed others.
Forensic accountants can assist criminal defense lawyers by providing financial analysis and investigation services in various cases. It includes fraud and embezzlement, divorce and child custody disputes, personal injury claims, business disputes, and other matters. In some cases, forensic accountants may uncover hidden assets or income streams for use in a client’s case.
Forensic Accountants and Tax Law Cases
Tax evasion cases are among the most common issues that forensic accountants encounter. When someone is accused of tax evasion, it usually means that they’ve failed to pay taxes they owe to the government.
The IRS may bring formal charges against them if they think they’ve intentionally tried to avoid paying taxes on money earned through illegal means. However, if you were unaware you owed taxes on your income, it does not mean you’re automatically guilty of tax evasion.
It is crucial to have a solid understanding of the relevant accounting and tax law principles. The intricacy of circumstances involving tax evasion and fraud. Forensic accountants with expertise can audit financial statements and can assist defense attorneys.
Fraud Cases Involving Financial Transactions
In fraud cases, forensic accountants help establish the connection between two parties by reviewing their financial transactions.
Forensic accountant can determine whether there was any unauthorized access to the accounts. For example, suppose the defendant claims he did not make a particular transaction. In that case, the forensic accountant can examine bank records and determine whether it is true based on security logs, access logs, and other documents provided by banks.
For a case involving financial transactions, it is important to have an expert witness who can testify about the relevant transactions.
Auditing financial statements
When someone has been accused of committing financial crimes, it is common for lawyers to ask them for financial documents. It includes bank statements or other records showing how much money was involved in the alleged crime.
To prove that a person committed management fraud, a lawyer must show that there was an intent to deceive or defraud a company. The prosecution can use forensic accountants to help demonstrate that fraudulent activity occurred.
Forensic accountants can help criminal defense attorneys by confirming the correctness of the data offered as evidence in court. They may be able to refute that claim if a defendant swears he did not steal from his employer but cannot explain how he accumulated such wealth during this time. It can help you contradict the prosecution’s assertion and provide further evidence in favor of your position.
Final Thought
It is undoubtedly always difficult in a case filled with financial cases when a criminal defense lawyer representing a client entrusts the work of proving his innocence and finding guilty evidence to a forensic accountant.
However, there is no denying that it is necessary for every lawyer and client involved in such a case. So if you are representing a client in a financial crime case, make sure to have one of the best forensic accountants because your future and your clients’ whole life depend on it.