ENRONÂ’S SHERRON WATKINS TO HEADLINE 13th ANNUAL FRAUD CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW
Sherron Watkins will address attendees of the 13th Annual Fraud Conference & Trade Show (August 4-9, Hollywood, CA) hosted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
(PRWEB) May 11, 2002
AUSTIN, Texas — For accountants, it’s all about the numbers. And from her position as vice president of corporate development at Enron, Sherron Watkins realized that the numbers just weren’t adding up. Two letters to Chairman Kenneth Lay revealed her awareness of fishy goings-on at the Houston energy giant, in which she pointed out that the accounting methods governing certain accounts were not only unsound, but potentially illegal. Less than four months later, the company was bankrupt, involved in one of the worst financial disasters in history. By coming forward, Watkins, who still works at Enron, has become a reluctant hero.
Sherron Watkins will address attendees of the 13th Annual Fraud Conference & Trade Show (August 4-9, Hollywood, CA) hosted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. She will share her story with conference guests and the press in a presentation entitled “Enron: An Insider’s View” at the working lunch on Monday, Aug. 5.
Association Chairman Joseph T. Wells, who invited Ms. Watkins to address the conference, said, “The shocking discovery of widespread fraud at Enron was made possible only because employees like Ms. Watkins were brave enough to accept the fact that ¾ by coming forward ¾ they might be forever tarred as “whistleblowers.” Concerned citizens are not whistleblowers. In fact, at this particular moment in American history, there is no more critical message than this: people have both the right and the responsibility to report wrongdoing.”
On the other side of the fraud fence, former white-collar criminal John Everroad, Jr. will discuss his past misdeeds at the working lunch on Tuesday, Aug. 6. Everroad was convicted in 1999 of embezzling nearly $300,000 from his Nebraska employer and spent 20 months in prison. Also on Tuesday, fraud examiners will learn about the legal trends and new laws that will affect their investigations, in a session presented by the assistant U. S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. J. Scott Newton, J. D., CFE, is also a member of the AssociationÂ’s Board of Regents.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 13th Annual Fraud Conference & Trade Show will be held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, CA, August 4-9. Nearly 1,200 anti-fraud professionals from around the world will be in attendance. The Pre-Conference (Aug. 4) is an executive roundtable entitled “The Face of Identity Fraud”. The Main Conference (Aug. 5-7) includes classes on cyberfraud, banking and health care fraud, financial statement fraud, current issues, and other timely topics. The Post-Conference teaches introductory fraud examination techniques to the entry-level auditor or investigator. Registered members of the media are invited to cover any part of this event. Contact the Association for a press pass and visit www. fraudconference. com for details.
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The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is an international, 25,000-member professional organization dedicated to deterring fraud and white-collar crime. Since 1988, the Association has been a major resource for fraud information, products, and services. The Certified Fraud Examiner program is an internationally recognized accrediting process for individuals who possess the specialized skills required to detect, investigate, and deter fraud. Identified as “the premier financial sleuthing organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the Association has been cited for its efforts against white-collar crime by media such as U. S. News & World Report, The New York Times, Fortune, ABC-TV’s Nightline and 20/20, and CBS News’ 60 Minutes.