Do you have a link for the bolded statement? It is not my understanding that a forensic audit is only done if money is stolen or tied to another case. My understanding is that a forensic audit may be done anytime it would be of benefit to the case and/or there is probable cause to look at the finances.
Thanks,
Salem
Sure.
Forensic accounting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Forensic accounting, forensic accountancy or financial forensics is the specialty practice area of accountancy that describes engagements that result from actual or anticipated disputes or litigation. "Forensic" means "suitable for use in a court of law", and it is to that standard and potential outcome that forensic accountants generally have to work. Forensic accountants, also referred to as forensic auditors or investigative auditors, often have to give expert evidence at the eventual trial.[1] All of the larger accounting firms, as well as many medium-sized and boutique firms, as well as various Police and Government agencies have specialist forensic accounting departments. Within these groups, there may be further sub-specializations: some forensic accountants may, for example, just specialize in insurance claims, personal injury claims, fraud, construction,[2] or royalty audits.[3]
Financial forensic engagements may fall into several categories. For examples:
Economic damages calculations, whether suffered through tort or breach of contract;
Post-acquisition disputes such as earnouts or breaches of warranties;
Bankruptcy, insolvency, and reorganization;
Securities fraud;
Business valuation; and
Computer forensics/e-discovery.
Forensic accountants often assist in professional negligence claims where they are assessing and commenting on the work of other professionals. Forensic accountants are also engaged in marital and family law of analyzing lifestyle for spousal support purposes, determining income available for child support and equitable distribution.
Engagements relating to criminal matters typically arise in the aftermath of fraud. They frequently involve the assessment of accounting systems and accounts presentation—in essence assessing if the numbers reflect reality.
Some forensic accountants specialize in forensic analytics which is the procurement and analysis of electronic data to reconstruct, detect, or otherwise support a claim of financial fraud. The main steps in forensic analytics are (a) data collection, (b) data preparation, (c) data analysis, and (d) reporting. For example, forensic analytics may be used to review an employee's purchasing card activity to assess whether any of the purchases were diverted or divertible for personal use.[4]"
As I said earlier there is no legal reason to preform a forensic audit on Gricar's finances. No fraud reported, no tax evasion, no cases against him, no claims against him.
IMO LE cannot go digging through someones finances to satisfy their curiosities or the public's. Its an invasion of privacy. Gricar's salary as a public official is public record and that is it. How he spent his money is of no business to anyone unless the aforementioned circumstances would arise.
