Ponzi Scheme & White Collar Crime Forensics, Anti-Money Laundering, Financial Fraud Forensics, and Litigation Support In Fresno, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, and Throughout California
The thought of falling victim to a financial crime can be distressing and unnerving. At Sugarman & Company LLP, we understand the importance and gravity of such fraudulent activities, which is why we offer financial fraud services as a consultant to legal counsel, forensic accounting, or as an expert witness to the court.
We specialize in delivering robust financial fraud forensics, litigation support, and expert witness services tailored to assist legal counsel and meet the needs of legal proceedings. With a focus on Ponzi scheme forensics, anti-money laundering, defalcation, and other white-collar crime forensics, we are your strategic partner throughout the western United States, including Fresno, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, California, and the surrounding states.
Ponzi Scheme Forensics, White Collar Crime Forensics, and Financial Fraud Forensics
Forensic Examination for Complex Financial Cases
- Ponzi Scheme – A Ponzi scheme is a type of investment scam where returns are paid to earlier investors using the capital of newer investors, rather than legitimate profits earned from the operation of a business or investment activity. Delving deep into financial records and transactions, our Ponzi scheme forensics meticulously reveal the signs of these fraudulent investment models, providing the necessary insights to legal teams or to the court as an expert witness.
- White Collar Crime – White-collar crime refers to non-violent, financially motivated criminal activities that are typically committed by individuals in business, professional, or government settings. With white collar crime forensics, we employ sophisticated investigative techniques to uncover financial crimes committed by trusted individuals within the organization, such as embezzlement, or bribery.
- Financial Fraud – Forensic accountants use a combination of accounting skills, data analysis techniques, legal knowledge, and investigative tools to examine financial records, identify anomalies, reconstruct transactions, and establish a clear picture of the fraudulent activities. Our financial fraud forensics service focuses on helping legal counsel as a consultant or acting as an expert witness in court.
- Defalcation & Embezzlement – Defalcation and embezzlement are both forms of financial misconduct involving the misappropriation of funds entrusted to an individual or entity. In complex financial cases involving defalcation or embezzlement, forensic examination plays a crucial role in uncovering evidence, quantifying losses, and supporting legal proceedings. Forensic examinations may involve collaborating with legal professionals, conducting interviews, and utilizing specialized tools to navigate intricate financial transactions.
Anti-Money Laundering
We also offer litigation support in California cases involving money laundering activities. Our skilled team will meticulously examine all forensic evidence in alignment with the most up-to-date Anti-Money Laundering (AML) standards. This thorough review will help courts determine if a business or other entity has been compliant with regulatory requirements or not.
Our firm specializes in litigation support for cases where a variety of financial crimes and money laundering activities may be involved. Contact us today to learn more about our financial fraud forensic services in San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, CA, and throughout all of the Western United States.
RANDY SUGARMAN, CPA, CFE, CFF & CIRA
- A Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of California who has been practicing more than fifty years.
- A Certified Fraud Examiner who has worked on some of the largest frauds and alleged Ponzi schemes in the western United States, including
- Technical Equities which involved more than $500 million, and
- The Berg Ponzi scheme in Seattle involving $1.3 billion.
- A Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor who was ultimately appointed the chief restructuring officer and chief operating officer of a sports equipment company, who discovered a $4 million inventory discrepancy, who was responsible for selling the inventory and intellectual property of the company for several million dollars, who had to litigate the collection of the sales proceeds, and who was able to negotiate through mediation a final settlement.
- The Crisis Manager, the Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of a $300 million New York Stock Exchange Company whose subsidiaries he restructured and sold. One of the subsidiaries was the largest HMO in Washington D.C. In addition, he dealt with a federal grand jury investigation involving the predecessor management.
- A federal bankruptcy trustee appointed at the request of four banks for an individual who owed the banks more than $20 million and who had fled the United States to avoid prosecution for fraud, among other things.
- A federal bankruptcy trustee, appointed by the Office of the United States Trustee in a case involving the disappearance of $125 million of cattle and land.
- Engaged as an expert to review and successfully refute a police report that accused the defendant of embezzling proceeds from a golf course and pro shop.
- Hired as a consultant to an attorney to analyze a case where the defendant was accused of money laundering and related crimes.
- A state court receiver appointed to supervise a water-proofing distributor, whose owners had fled California to avoid a prosecution by the California Franchise Tax Board.
- Appointed as an expert for various California courts including Contra Costa for various business disputes.
- Appointed as a referee by the superior court to resolve an accounting dispute.
- Appointed by a federal judge as a special master to resolve a ten year old accounting and related issues dispute.
- Expert for the City and County of San Francisco and other governmental jurisdictions involving a $3 billion claim against Bank of America and associated entities which was mediated and resolved based upon his analysis of the actual damages.
- As an assignee for a law firm who failed to pay substantial payroll taxes, negotiated a settlement that resolved the claim.
- Expert witness and fraud investigation for divorce cases, including:
- Engaged to analyze cash activity over 5 years, while the party was in prison and the spouse was managing the assets. Case is being heard in Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Mateo.
- Engaged as an expert in a divorce case where the defendant failed to pay millions of dollars of federal and state payroll and income taxes.
- Served as a rebuttal expert to a report prepared by a major forensic accounting firm in a claim against the management of a mortgage fund.
- Engaged by a major Washington D.C. law firm representing a large insurance company that was providing liability coverage to a company with a case before the SEC, and reduced by $4 million the bill by a well-known accounting company for its forensic accounting.
- Managing interim general partner of an EB-2 company that was under investigation by the SEC with major accounting and alleged embezzlement issues.
M.B.A.
Stanford University, Graduate School of Business
Accounting emphasis
Graduate Studies
Golden Gate University
Taxation
Bachelor of Arts
Stanford University
International Relations
RANDY SUGARMAN, CPA, CFE, CFF & CIRA
The following certifications: MBA, CPA, Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Turnaround Management Association, and the American Bankruptcy Institute. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum and the Tax Committee of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He also served as the public member of the California State Bar Association Advisory Committee.
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