Rules governing the investment practices of individual certified public accountants prohibit them from investing in the stock of a company that their firm audits. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) became concerned that some accountants were violating this rule. In response to an SEC investigation, PricewaterhouseCoopers fired 10 people and spent $25 million educating employees about the investment rules and installing an investment tracking system. Why do you think PricewaterhouseCoopers took such extreme steps in response to the SEC investigation?

Rules governing the investment practices of individual certified public accountants prohibit them from investing in the stock of a company that their firm audits. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) became concerned that some accountants were violating this rule. In response to an SEC investigation, PricewaterhouseCoopers fired 10 people and spent $25 million educating employees about the investment rules and installing an investment tracking system. Why do you think PricewaterhouseCoopers took such extreme steps in response to the SEC investigation?

Contemporary Auditing

11th Edition

ISBN:9781337650380

Author:KNAPP

Publisher:KNAPP

Chapter1: Comprehensive Cases

Section1.8: Livent, Inc.

Problem 6Q

See similar textbooks

Similar questions

Upon hearing that you are enrolled in a fraud class, a manager of a local business asks, “I don’t understand what is happening with all these major scandals such as the Bernie Madoff scandal, the Goldman Sachs accusations, and the Enron fraud. There are billions of dollars being stolen and manipulated. How can any good auditornot notice when billions of dollars are missing?” How would you respond?
Lehman Brothers, as well as many other investment banks, failed as a result of an extremely risky business model. Auditors are required under PCAOB standards to evaluate internal controls surrounding financial reporting. In the wake of the banking failure, many commentators asked, “Where were the auditors?” and questioned why the auditors did not also evaluate risk management controls. Do you believe auditors should have responsibility for evaluating a client’s internal controls in areas not directly related to financial reporting?
A company is being investigated by the Securitites Exchange Commission (SEC). The chief executive officer (CFO) has been "cooking the books" for years to impress the CEO of the companies, showing bigger profits than they actually made. He provided investors and other government agencies with financials that reflect this discrepancy, which is very illegal, and most CFO's go to prision once investigators perform an extensive audit. He's not worried though, he's hidden the false transactions within line items that the SEC will never find. What type of bias is this? Authority bias Overconfidence bias Dunning-Krueger Effect I'm Indestructible Bias
accountant reviews the report from the internal audit function that ensures the company's internal controls and risk management policies are functioning properly. According to report, there were discrepancies in the internal controls that are not in conformance with the organizational policy and applicable law. The accountant suspects that the CEO is pezzling approximately $30,000 per quarter. What should the accountant do about this discrepancy? te accountant fails to act on this issue, what standard according to the IMA Statement of Ethical Professifal Practice does the accountant violate? the toolbar, press ALT + F10 (PC) or ALT + FN + F10 (Mac).
Waste Management Scandal (1998), is one of the top 10 accounting scandals of all times. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) found the company's owner and former CEO, Dean L Buntrock, guilty, along with several other top executives, and Waste Management's auditors, Arthur Andersen. How does this fact coordinates with the reasons that force an accountant to go for unethical practices?
As the engagement partner, you have reviewed the audit working papers of Royal Height Limited. The audit team has highlighted the following matters in the working papers: 1. Thirty percent of the company's recorded turnover (revenue) comprises of cash sales. Proper records of cash sales have not been maintained. Consequently, the audit team was unable to design audit procedures to verify the cash sales. 2. During the current year, the company changed the method of charging depreciation on its fixed assets from the straight line to the diminishing balance method. However, all the required disclosures have been included in the notes to the financial statements. Required: Discuss the impact of each of the above matters on your audit report Identify the basic types of audit reports other than a standard unqualified audit report and explain the circumstances under which each type of report is appropriate.
You are asked to be interviewed by a student newspaper regarding the nature of accounting fraud. The reporter says, “As I understand it, asset misappropriations are more likely to be found are more likely to be found in small organizations, but not in larger organizations. On the other hand, fraudulent financial reporting is more likely to be found in larger organizations.” How would you respond to the reporter’s observation?
You are asked to be interviewed by a student newspaper regarding the nature of accounting fraud. The reporter says, “As I understand it, asset misappropriations are more likely to be found are more likely to be found in small organizations, but not in larger organizations. On the other hand, fraudulent financial reporting is more likely to be found in larger organizations.” How would you respond to the reporter’s observations?
Why have there have been so many business scandals mentioned in the media over the past few years? Have companies simply gotten worse, or have people become more sophisticated in identifying improper activity? What is the role of the Accountant? Sarbanes-Oxley, for example, has placed much more responsibility on the CEO and corporate officers? Are there additional laws that should be considered to ensure these scandals do not continue to occur? Should non-executives be held liable for corporate wrongdoing? in 200 words, please.
Jane Ellerby and Sam Callison are discussing the recent fraud that occurred at LowRental Leasing, Inc. The fraud involved the improper reporting of revenue to ensure that the company would have income in excess of $1 million. What is fraudulent financial reporting, and how does it differ from an embezzlement of company funds?
Phillips CPA Firm is auditing the accounts of Tojo Enterprises, Inc., a national distributor of kitchen appliances. After reviewing the minutes of board of directors meetings as well as recent SEC filings, Phillips CPA firm have noted that key executives are extremely close to achieving a substantial bonus if the firm's stock price achieves a certain level in the market. Based on this finding, what might Phillips CPA Firm decide to do? O Phillips CPA Firm are likely to audit competing companies within the same industry as a basis for comparison. O Phillips CPA Firm are likely to assess control risk as low on the premise that management's desire to achieve stock price forecasts will increase fraud risk. O Phillips CPA Firm are likely to assume fraud risk is high, due to senior management's proximity to achieving certain desired stock prices. O None of these answer choices are correct.
Salim is the audit manager of a team engaged on the audit of a listed company. During his initial discussion with the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, he was informed that pandemic depressed economic conditions have badly affected the company and its liquidity. Due to uncertainty about the future of the company, certain key employees have left including several staff members of accounting and finance department. Consequently, the accounting records are in a bad shape and the management is making efforts to complete the draft accounts quickly. CEO therefore requested Salim to carry out necessary accounting work and to help prepare theannual financial statements at a fee to be agreed mutually.• Explain the extent of support that can be offered by the auditors, in the above situation in guidance of Professional Accountants’ code of ethics.