The Fraud Guy

A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation

The Industry-Standard Reference for Fraud Investigators

Tom Golden literally wrote the book on investigating fraud.

When Wiley—the world’s largest business book publisher—needed to create the definitive guide to fraud investigation, they called Tom Golden. In the wake of the WorldCom and Enron disasters, the business world needed expert guidance on detecting and preventing corporate fraud. Golden, with his decades of experience investigating financial crimes for the FBI, IRS, and PwC, was the natural choice to lead this critical project.

The Comprehensive Reference for Fraud Detection

This book is the most comprehensive resource available for fraud investigators, financial crime professionals, and corporate security teams. It covers every aspect of fraud detection and investigation through 28 detailed chapters written by nearly 50 expert authors from across the globe.

What makes this reference guide unique:

  • 500+ pages of expert guidance on fraud investigation techniques
  • 28 chapters covering everything from fraud detection to courtroom testimony
  • 50 contributing authors representing the world’s leading fraud investigation experts
  • Second edition with updated methodologies
  • Used as a textbook in university programs worldwide
  • 30,000 copies purchased by PwC in the first printing alone

Tom proposed the vision for this comprehensive work to PwC leadership following the massive corporate frauds at WorldCom and Enron, where billions of dollars in fraud went undetected until economic conditions exposed the deception. PwC enthusiastically agreed to support the project, recognizing the urgent need for a definitive guide to investigating financial crimes.

Expert Guidance for Preventing Financial Fraud

Corporate fraud costs businesses billions of dollars annually. The collapse of Enron and WorldCom demonstrated that even the largest corporations can fall victim to massive accounting schemes. This guide provides the expert advice needed to avert the next financial catastrophe.

This reference equips investigators with:

  • Proven fraud detection methodologies used by experts worldwide
  • Corporate investigation techniques developed through decades of real-world cases
  • Red flags and warning signs of financial statement fraud
  • Interview and interrogation strategies for complex cases
  • Digital forensics and data analysis for detecting financial crimes
  • Expert witness testimony and litigation support guidance
  • Asset tracing and recovery in fraud cases

The project took three years to complete, but the result was well worth the effort. This publication has become the go-to training manual for professionals worldwide.

The Go-To Resource for Fraud Professionals

A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation serves as the essential reference for professionals who investigate, detect, and prevent fraud:

Fraud Examiners & Financial Investigators

CPAs and CFEs use this guide as their primary reference when conducting fraud examinations, financial investigations, and litigation support engagements.

Corporate Investigators

Internal audit teams and corporate security professionals rely on the investigation techniques outlined here to detect and prevent fraud within their organizations.

Law Enforcement

FBI agents, IRS criminal investigators, and state law enforcement use the fraud detection methodologies when investigating financial crimes.

Legal Professionals

Attorneys and legal teams reference this book when preparing fraud cases, understanding financial evidence, and working with expert witnesses.

University Students

Programs worldwide use this as a required textbook, introducing students to the discipline of fraud investigation and financial crime examination.

Written by a Fraud Investigation Expert

Tom Golden, CFE, assembled and edited this comprehensive guide, bringing together the world’s leading experts to create the most complete resource available for fraud investigators.

Golden’s qualifications to lead this project:

  • 30+ years investigating fraud for FBI, IRS, and PwC
  • Former PwC forensic partner leading complex investigations globally
  • Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with extensive expert witness experience
  • First forensics professor at DePaul University, pioneering fraud investigation education
  • Featured investigator in “All The Queen’s Horses” documentary about the $53M Rita Crundwell fraud case

As the Chicago Tribune reporter observed when covering Tom’s first class at DePaul: “I had never heard the terms forensic and accounting included in the same sentence.” Today, thanks in part to this groundbreaking reference, the field is a well-established discipline taught at universities worldwide.

Introducing Fraud Investigation to Academia

One of Tom Golden’s primary objectives in creating this comprehensive guide was to introduce the formal study of fraud investigation into academic settings. Before his pioneering class at DePaul University, such courses were virtually non-existent.

Today, this book is used as a textbook in programs across the globe, helping train the next generation of fraud investigators and financial crime examiners. The guide provides students with real-world investigation techniques developed by practitioners who have spent decades detecting and investigating financial crimes.

Get Your Copy of the Industry-Standard Guide

Whether you’re a practicing fraud examiner, preparing for the CFE exam, a corporate investigator, or a student studying fraud detection, A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation is the essential reference for your professional library.

Available from:

Download the Wiley Book Flyer for detailed information about the book’s contents and contributing authors.

From Professional Reference to Crime Fiction

While this guide represents Tom Golden’s academic and professional contribution to the field, his Sam Halloran thriller series brings fraud investigation to life through gripping stories based on real cases he investigated during his 30-year career.

Explore Tom’s fiction:

Book Tom Golden for Fraud Prevention Training

As the author of the industry-standard guide, Tom Golden brings unparalleled expertise to fraud prevention training, investigative workshops, and keynote presentations on corporate fraud detection.

Book Tom to speak at your conference, training event, or university.

About Tom Golden, CFE

Tom Golden is a Certified Fraud Examiner with 30+ years investigating fraud globally. As a former FBI analyst, IRS criminal investigator, and PwC forensic partner, Golden has led some of the most complex investigations in corporate history. He pioneered fraud investigation education as the first forensics professor at DePaul University and assembled the world’s leading experts to create this comprehensive guide.

Learn more about Tom’s career investigating fraud

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best book on forensic accounting investigation?

A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation by Tom Golden is widely considered the industry-standard reference for fraud investigators. Published by Wiley in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals, it was written by Tom Golden and nearly 50 expert authors from around the world. PwC purchased 30,000 copies in the first printing alone, and the book is used as a required textbook in university forensic accounting programs globally. It is now in its Second Edition.

What is A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation?

A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation is the industry-standard reference and textbook for fraud investigators, published by Wiley. Written by Tom Golden, CFE, and 50 expert authors globally, it covers every aspect of fraud detection, investigation techniques, and financial crime examination across 28 detailed chapters and 500+ pages. It is used by fraud examiners, corporate investigators, law enforcement, legal professionals, and university programs worldwide.

What is forensic accounting investigation?

Forensic accounting investigation is the practice of using accounting, auditing, and investigative skills to examine financial records for evidence of fraud, embezzlement, or other financial crimes. Forensic accountants work with corporations, law enforcement agencies like the FBI and IRS, and legal teams to detect financial misconduct, trace assets, and provide expert witness testimony in court. Tom Golden, CFE, spent 30+ years as a forensic accounting investigator for the FBI, IRS, and PwC before writing the field’s definitive reference guide.

How is forensic accounting used to detect fraud?

Forensic accountants detect fraud by analyzing financial records for irregularities, tracing transactions, identifying red flags in financial statements, and interviewing key individuals. Techniques include data analysis, digital forensics, asset tracing, and review of internal controls. A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation covers all of these methodologies across 28 chapters written by the world’s leading fraud investigation experts, making it the go-to resource for professionals learning how to detect and investigate financial crimes.

Who should read A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation?

This guide is essential reading for Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), forensic accountants, corporate investigators, internal auditors, FBI and IRS criminal investigators, attorneys handling financial fraud cases, compliance professionals, and university students studying fraud examination. It is particularly valuable for anyone preparing for the CFE exam, conducting a fraud investigation, or building an internal fraud prevention program.

What topics does the guide cover?

The guide covers 28 chapters including fraud detection methodologies, corporate investigation techniques, financial statement fraud, interview and interrogation strategies, digital forensics, data analysis, asset tracing, expert witness testimony, litigation support, and fraud prevention. It provides comprehensive coverage of every aspect of investigating financial crimes, from the first red flag through courtroom testimony.

Is A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation used as a university textbook?

Yes. One of Tom Golden’s primary goals in creating this guide was to introduce the formal study of fraud investigation into academic settings. Before his pioneering forensics class at DePaul University, such courses were virtually non-existent. Today the guide is used as a required textbook in forensic accounting and fraud examination programs at universities around the world, helping train the next generation of fraud investigators.

Who is Tom Golden, CFE?

Tom Golden, CFE, is a fraud investigation expert with 30+ years investigating financial crimes for the FBI, IRS, and PwC. As a former PwC forensic partner, he led some of the most complex fraud investigations in corporate history. Golden was the first forensics professor at DePaul University, pioneering fraud investigation as an academic discipline. He assembled nearly 50 of the world’s leading experts to create A Guide to Forensic Accounting Investigation, and was featured as an investigator in the documentary “All The Queen’s Horses” about the $53 million Rita Crundwell municipal fraud case.