Abu Dhabi - The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority (ADAA_, concluded the 2018 ACFE Fraud Conference Middle East in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, marking record attendance and high-level engagement on the growing challenges of combatting fraud in the region and around the world.

The three-day conference, held in Abu Dhabi for the first time, hosted leading experts in the areas of fraud prevention and investigation in both public and private sectors. They shared their expertise and experience in identifying the latest trends in fraud schemes, leading investigation techniques and developing effective anti-fraud programs. The conference included concurrent sessions focused on best practices for conducting investigations, as well as a range of sessions focused on cyber-fraud, conducting investigations online, ethics and cryptocurrencies. The conference was followed by a masterclass on behavioral analysis and body language, which detailed how fraud examiners can identify, read and react to behavioral cues that can denote deception during interviews.

H.E. Hamad Al Hurr Al Suwaidi, Chairman of ADAA, said, “The goal of this event was to come up with lasting solutions and recommendations to support all participant nations in addressing fraud and corruption challenges. Whether you are from the private sector or the public sector, from the UAE or from around the world, together we can work to devise strategies to mitigate these risks.”

ACFE President and CEO Bruce Dorris, J.D., CFE, CPA said, “We are pleased to have worked with ADAA in hosting this immensely successful conference. It is clear that the government of Abu Dhabi is invested in promoting transparency and accountability. We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with ADAA and the dedicated anti-fraud professionals we have met in the region.”

Attendees heard from a variety of keynote speakers. Corporate governance expert Alexandra Wrage, a former member of the FIFA Independent Governance Committee, discussed her experiences in investigating fraud allegations within FIFA in 2015. Roomy Khan, a one-time executive with the Galleon hedge fund who was convicted of fraud, outlined her experiences of serving as an informant with the U.S. federal government, and discussed the mechanics of the financial services industry and how insider-trading and related fraud occur. Other subjects included sessions on why audits fail, analysis of financial statement fraud from the region, as well as the relationship between an organization’s compliance assurance environment and the opportunity for fraud.

“We are happy to declare the 2018 ACFE Fraud Conference Middle East an incredibly successful event for the anti-fraud industry in the region. Although the fight against fraud is never over, the number of attendees and officials that came out in support of fraud prevention illustrates how important anti-fraud education is,” Mr. Dorris said.

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About ADAA

The Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority is charged with enhancing and promoting transparency and accountability across the Abu Dhabi government and semi-government entities, ensuring they are able to manage and utilize their resources and funds efficiently, effectively, economically, ethically and in keeping with the overall Abu Dhabi Vision.

About the ACFE

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. Together with more than 80,000 members, the ACFE is reducing business fraud worldwide and inspiring public confidence in the integrity and objectivity within the profession. To learn more about the ACFE, visit ACFE.com.

© Press Release 2018