Crossing the Line: Ordinary People Commi ...

Unlike many corporate fraudsters, Harold was unwittingly corralled into committing crimes. Harold did not live a lavish lifestyle, nor did he intend to mislead investors. His boss asked him to create a spreadsheet showing investors a group of promissory notes had been paid; when in fact, those notes had not been paid in full.  Upon doing this, Harold found himself in the middle of one of the nation's largest Ponzi schemes. The government viewed Harold's spreadsheet as the key document that helped to perpetuate the fraud and mislead investors.

As Harold attempts to rebuild his life after being released from Fort Dix Federal Prison, he is still impacted by the stigma of being a convicted white-collar felon.  Harold believed he was fulfilling his responsibilities as the vice president of finance for his company by following his boss's orders. But his case is yet another example of an employee committing a pro-organizational crime.

Harold's story serves as a reminder to accountants that following orders doesn't absolve you of criminal behavior. It's especially important for accountants to exhibit professional skepticism at all times.

Caption: Harold Katz explains how he got involved in fraud.