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The purpose of this study is to examine whether executive compensation structure is a predictor of a value judgment shift facilitating fraud. The Raval (2018) disposition-based fraud model theorizes that in a fraud, a judgment shift occurs that results in an intentional action. Judgment shifts are influenced by intertemporal rewards, an executive compensation structure comprising salary (immediate reward) and delayed compensation in performance-based incentives.

Using an archival data set consisting of frauds identified through Securities and Exchange Commission Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases, the compensation structure of executives involved in frauds is compared against the compensation structure of executives in a peer control group.

There was a significant difference in the intertemporal rewards of the compensation structures between the two groups, indicating that compensation structure presents intertemporal choices leading to a judgment shift that influences the deliberate action of fraud.

This study represents the first empirical test of the disposition-based fraud model using intertemporal rewards leading to judgment shift.

Executive compensation structure should reduce intertemporal rewards for executives reducing judgment shifts that can result in risk of fraud.

This study addresses how executive compensation structure can result in fraud.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the adverse impact of a female executive’s fraudulent behaviour on other female employees working in the same organisation.

This developmental study uses a comprehensive literature review and a set of propositions to identify the consequences of a female’s fraudulent activity on other female employees working in the focal organisation. It develops a conceptual framework for the same. Propositions are further supported by five focus group interviews.

Leveraging stigma-by-association theory, the paper asserts that fraud committed by one female executive in an organisation enhances discriminatory practices against other female employees in the organisation. The level of adverse impact is contingent on the seniority of the female executive committing the fraud, severity of the fraud, gender of the other female employees’ managers and diversity in culture in the organisation.

This paper extends the stigma-by-association theory. In its original spirit, the theory describes how individuals who keep company with stigmatised individuals are also stigmatised. This study asserts that for this effect to take place, especially under fraudulent conditions, mere group affiliation, such as working in the same organisation, may cause an adverse effect on other women.

The paper is based on a rich conceptual and theoretical discussion that identifies the key consequences of a female executive’s fraudulent activity in an organisation. The study also conceptually establishes the moderating relationship between a female executive’s fraudulent activity and several key organisation-level variables.

Internal audit executives instruct the internal audit department to supervise corporate business management activities, evaluate internal controls and risks and provide recommendations for operating. Therefore, this paper aims to confirm whether and how the supervisory ability of the chief internal audit executive enhances the internal audit department’s function to prevent corporate fraud. Based on the results, this paper further researches the role of the supervisory board position in this relationship.

This paper examines 922 small and medium-sized listed enterprises in China from 2010 to 2017 and empirically investigates the influence of the internal audit executive’s supervisory ability (IAESA) on the occurrence of corporate fraud.

The results reveal that the IAESA is significantly negatively correlated with the occurrence of corporate fraud. This suppression effect is more pronounced when the internal audit executive is also the company’s supervisor. However, if the internal audit executive is the chairman of the board of supervisors, the suppression effect no longer exists. This paper therefore confirms that the IAESA curbs corporate fraud via the improvement of the internal corporate control level.

Because the sample data was limited by the information disclosure level of the included companies, the sample size was relatively small as compared with those of other studies.

This study not only expands the research perspective in the field of internal audit functions but also provides a decision-making reference for the prevention of corporate fraud.

This paper extends an approach that might be able to curb corporate fraud.

A comprehensive index was developed using data envelope analysis to quantify the supervisory ability of internal audit executives. Based on this, this research confirms that the internal audit department performs a “firewall function” to prevent corporate fraud.

This paper builds on the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) Report, which examined US Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases (AAERs). The purpose of this paper is to provide valuable insights into the characteristics and realities of financial statement fraud in the post‐Enron regulatory environment.

This paper analyses a sample of AAERs from 2002 to 2005. It also provides case studies of an additional five high‐profile case studies from that period.

This paper finds evidence of changes in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement activities since the COSO Report. Specifically, it is found that enforcement activities have increased substantially post‐Enron and the companies subject to AAERs are, on average, much larger, more profitable and the frauds are more substantial than those exhibited in the COSO Report. These findings suggest that the SEC has become more aggressive at pursuing larger companies for financial statement fraud in the post‐Enron environment.

This paper relies on AAERs as the source of analysis of financial statement fraud, its findings must be viewed in light of the limitations of using these documents. Specifically, the prevailing prosecutions agenda of the US SEC may be reflected in these results.

The study findings are of great practical relevance to accounting regulators and practitioners as they provide valuable insights into the nature and characteristics of financial statement fraud.

The paper provides empirical evidence concerning the changing face of financial statement fraud enforcement and provides a more in‐depth comparison of fraud than possible with most previous studies that have tended to focus on quantitative measures. This is possible because the present investigation utilises qualitative data from AAERs to supplement quantitative findings. Its originality is also due to the use of institutional theory which is not commonly applied in the corporate governance field.

Aligning interests of principals and agents is the most efficient way to reduce the agency conflict. Yet, the literature on executive compensation reveals inefficiencies in providing executives with legal ownership. Thus, the authors go beyond legal ownership and posit that executives' psychological ownership further aligns the interests of executives as agents and shareholders as principals.

The authors employ sophisticated methodology, including dynamic panel data regressions, static panel data regressions and propensity score matching. External validity is achieved through the large-scale sample of 22,179 firm-quarters spanning 24 quarters from 2013 to 2018 of the S&P 1500.

Psychological ownership aligns the interests of executives and shareholders since this mindset makes executives perceive the company as “theirs”. Executives' psychological ownership decreases firms' fraud and financial performance. The decrease in financial performance is related to an observed increase in executives' risk-aversion. Investors recognize this ownership mindset in executives and reward it with a positive market reaction.

The study is the first to consider psychological ownership of executives in relation to firm outcomes such as financial performance or fraud. The findings are of interest to scholars and practitioners, as this study establishes both theoretically and empirically a way to align the interests of principals and agents beyond executive compensation.

This paper examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and international accounting and auditing bodies in promulgating standards to deter and detect fraud, domestically and abroad. Specifically, it focuses on the role played by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the US Government Accounting Office (GAO), and other national and foreign professional associations, in promulgating auditing standards and procedures to prevent fraud in financial statements and other white‐collar crimes. It also examines several fraud cases and the impact of management and employee fraud on the various business sectors such as insurance, banking, health care, and manufacturing, as well as the role of management, the boards of directors, the audit committees, auditors, and fraud examiners and their liability in the fraud prevention and investigation.

This paper aims to analyze the attributes of Ponzi schemes (“Ponzis”) to determine whether they are a unique class of financial fraud.

The authors apply the disposition-based fraud model to classify and differentiate the attributes of Ponzis. This classification exercise helps comprehend the distinct drivers of Ponzis.

Fraud risk factors of Ponzis are different from those involved in other financial frauds. Four propositions about risk and risk mitigation measures are developed.

The research approach used is conceptual, not empirical. However, the insights from this exercise should inform how different Ponzis are from other financial frauds and why they should be treated as a separate class for prevention and enforcement. In turn, this may trigger an interest in empirical research focused on the unique risks of Ponzis.

Knowledge of risk factors unique to Ponzis will permit a consideration of customized risk mitigation measures to prevent or detect Ponzis. Enforcement actions can also become more effective because of a distinct risk-based classification of Ponzis.

The prevention of damage from Ponzis hinges upon how well prospective victims are educated to become aware of signs of Ponzis. This should lead to the more effective protection of investors from victimization from Ponzi schemes.

The implicit understanding that all financial frauds are alike and that the risk-factors involved are substantially the same across all classes of fraud is challenged. This revelation opens opportunities to add value through focused research on Ponzis as a distinct class of fraud.

The banking sector requires a major comeback with the series of bank frauds that has shook the nation. The rising non-performing assets (NPAs) and corporate frauds find their roots in the top-level management or executive levels. The purpose of this study to analyse the behavioural component with corporate governance lapses for creating a trail and to what extent it can contribute to forensic analysis to help reduce and prevent fraud in the future.

This study is investigative in nature. This study uses case study approach by taking into account the major Advance–NPA–Fraud cases over period of 2010–2022. RBI data for bank advances, NPAs and advances-relate frauds from 2005 to 2019 were studies and interpreted for creating a trend and pattern for the reduction and prevention of frauds.

The authors found that behavioural factors and personalities affect the systems and culture of the company, thereby giving a jolt to the corporate governance mechanisms along with various entities like depositors, consumers and shareholders.

Assessing the behavioural aspects for risk mitigation remains unexplored in the banking sector. The personality dimension can help in contributing to comprehending the mental aspects and the reasons behind the combination of dark triads with economic offences.

This study is beneficial to all the beneficiaries of the banking sector and the economy at large in understanding the implications of risks because of patterns formed by emotions and vulnerability towards economic and fugitive economic crimes.