A forensic audit finds what a standard audit was never built to find.
If you suspect theft, manipulated records, or hidden money, talk to a forensic CPA before evidence is lost. We will tell you quickly whether a forensic audit is the right next step and what it would involve.
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16+
Years auditing experience
AICPA
Peer-reviewed firm
50
States served nationwide
Why a Standard Audit Will Not Catch Fraud
A standard audit is designed to confirm that financial statements are materially accurate. It is not built to find fraud, and skilled concealment can sit underneath a clean opinion for years. A forensic audit is a different discipline: a financial investigation built to uncover evidence of fraud, misconduct, asset misappropriation, or accounting manipulation, with findings structured to hold up in legal proceedings and regulatory investigations.
The exposure is not rare. The ACFE estimates a typical organization loses about 5 percent of revenue to fraud each year, and the longer a scheme runs, the larger the loss and the weaker the surviving evidence.
Who a Forensic audit is for
A good fit if you:
Suspect employee theft, embezzlement, or skimming.
Have a partner, shareholder, or vendor dispute that turns on the numbers.
Received an anonymous tip about a specific individual.
Need findings that will hold up in litigation or a regulatory matter.
See financial results that no longer reconcile with operations.
- Request a confidential consultation
Whether the matter is internal, headed to litigation, or under regulatory review, the engagement is scoped to the outcome you need.
Warning signs
The warning signs of fraud
Unreconciled Shortfalls
Unexplained cash shortfalls or transactions that do not reconcile.One Person, No Oversight
A single employee controlling multiple financial functions with no independent review.Unrecognized Vendors
Vendors you do not recognize appearing on the accounts payable ledger.Duplicate Invoices
Duplicate invoices with slightly different details.The Employee Who Never Leaves
Someone who never takes leave and will not let anyone cover their role.Unexplained Decline
Profitability falling without a clear operational reason.Anonymous Tips
A tip about a specific individual. In our experience, these are almost always worth investigating.
Talk to a forensic CPA
If you have seen something that does not add up, trust that instinct.
Reach out and we will tell you confidentially whether it warrants a forensic audit. No obligation, and you are handled by a professional.
What we investigate
What a Forensic audit investigates
Employee Theft and Embezzlement
Diverted payments, skimming, and misappropriated funds.Vendor and Procurement Fraud
Ghost vendors and shell companies, the most common scheme we uncover.Payroll Fraud
Ghost employees, inflated hours, and unauthorized adjustments. Often paired with a payroll audit.Financial Statement Fraud
Fictitious revenue, concealed liabilities, and manipulated results.
Asset Tracing
Locating and following diverted funds and hidden assets.Digital Asset and Cryptocurrency Investigations
Tracing value moved through digital assets.Partner and Shareholder Disputes
Independent analysis when owners disagree on the numbers.Litigation Support and Expert Witness
Findings and testimony built for the courtroom.
- Step01
Consultation and Scoping
We establish what you have observed, what records exist, and whether the matter is internal, litigation-related, or regulatory.
- Step02
Document and Data Collection
Financial records, bank statements, journal entries, and transactional data are gathered.
- Step03
Transaction Testing and Pattern Analysis
We run detailed analysis for anomalies, duplicates, timing irregularities, and suspicious patterns.
- Step04
Investigative Procedures
Where appropriate, interviews, review of communications, and third-party records.
- Step05
Financial Reconstruction
Where records were altered or gaps exist, we reconstruct activity from available evidence.
- Step06
Reporting
Clear, defensible documentation of findings, structured for internal action, litigation, or regulatory submission.
Why a CPA firm
Why a Forensic audit needs a CPA firm
Findings that hold up
In fraud cases, sloppy documentation or procedural gaps can undermine an otherwise strong case. We document to a standard that survives scrutiny.Independent and credentialed
We are an AICPA peer-reviewed firm, so the work itself has been reviewed.Investigation and accounting together
Forensic work sits where financial analysis, investigation, and evidence handling meet.Representation
Where a matter reaches the IRS, a licensed CPA can represent you.
Why choose Dimov Audit
Why clients choose Dimov Audit for forensic work
Documentation that survives scrutiny, investigation built around the schemes that actually run, and findings structured for litigation, regulatory submission, or internal action.
500+
audit and attestation engagements
50
states served, nationwide coverage
CPA
licensed forensic accounting
5%
of revenue lost to fraud each year (ACFE)
Scoping
What drives the cost of a Forensic audit
Forensic work is priced by the engagement, not a flat rate.
We size the work against your situation and give you a clear quote before you commit.
Connect with Dimov Audit
Our dedicated team is ready to assist you on your path to financial success.
24 Mercer St, 2nd Floor, Suite 214
New York, NY 10013
United States
Forensic audit FAQs
What is a forensic audit?
A financial investigation built to uncover evidence of fraud, misconduct, asset misappropriation, or accounting manipulation — with findings structured to hold up in litigation, regulatory investigations, and disputes. It is a different discipline from a standard audit, which is built to confirm material accuracy, not to find concealed fraud.Why won't a standard audit catch employee theft or vendor fraud?
A standard audit is designed to confirm financial statements are materially accurate, not to detect concealment. Skilled fraud can sit underneath a clean audit opinion for years. A forensic engagement is built around the specific schemes — ghost vendors, payroll inflation, skimming, asset tracing — that a standard audit is not structured to find.Can a forensic CPA testify or support litigation?
Yes. Findings and reports are documented to a standard that holds up in legal proceedings, and we provide expert witness testimony where the matter reaches the courtroom. The work is built for the outcome — litigation, regulatory submission, internal action, or insurance claim.How confidential is a forensic engagement?
Confidential and handled directly by a professional. Engagements typically begin before evidence is preserved or anyone outside a small group knows the review is underway. Discretion is essential because premature disclosure can destroy evidence and tip off the subject.What drives the cost of a forensic audit?
The volume of transactions and records to analyze, whether records were altered and need reconstruction, the number of entities / accounts / systems involved, and whether the work must support litigation or a regulatory matter. We give you a clear quote against your situation before you commit.
Reviewed byGeorge Dimov, CPA.Founder of Dimov Audit, the firm behind 500+ audit and attestation engagements across all 50 states.
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