ACFE Conference

This last week I was so excited to be attending the 22nd Annual Association of Certified Fraud Examiners conference. I think this is the perfect time to start the Pink Collar Crimes website and blog. I look forward to keeping my readers informed about Pink Collar Crime.

At the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 22nd Annual Conference a Pink Collar Criminal did the closing remarks. Annually at the conclusion of the conference a fraudster speaks. This year was Diann Cattani. Her story is a lesson for everyone. I have seen it in my career. One small mistake turns into a lifechanging story. One day while home sick Ms. Cattani hears an Oprah show about not being a whole person when your life is a lie. She had been becoming more and more physically ill while carrying out her lies. The very next day she goes to work and tells her boss she stole from him. As she put it everything tangible in her life was taken. Her 5month old son was taken in by her parents while she went to a federal prison for 18 months. Her life is now an asterisk. She can’t coach her daughter’s sports team due to her asterisk. She can’t become licensed even as a beautician due to her asterisk.

I am sure there were mixed feelings about her story but like the quote Cattani gave-water becomes different things at different temperatures. I believe everyone has a price or different temperature. Hopefully nothing will ever define your price. You don’t want your life to be followed by an asterisk.

What I took away from Ms. Cattani was that an innocuous first act can start a life of crime. While Ms. Cattani takes full ownership of her life she also talked about the Tone at the Top and the culture of a business. How many people have seen their bosses turn in an expense report that is padded? When does that become criminal?

I also just finished reading Stolen Without a Gun by Walt Pavlo Jr. and Neil Weinberg. Another story about a person who never thought they would do bad who gets caught up in the greed. Many people would question the culture at MCI where he worked. He is an MBA with an asterisk. He is now divorced and trying to do right.

There are stories out there everyday unfortunately. Ms. Cattani thinks the stories today are more about need than greed like in her case.