Partner who led KPMG’s audit of Carillion leaves Big Four firm [Financial Times] The partner who led KPMG’s audit of Carillion, the collapsed government contractor, has left the Big Four firm as the UK accounting regulator’s investigation into the scandal reaches an advanced stage. IRS provides details on April 15 postponement [Journal of Accountancy] On […]

Wirecard ‘Criminals’ Had Us Duped, EY Auditor Tells Lawmakers [Bloomberg] An Ernst & Young LLP partner said his firm fell victim to “criminals” at Wirecard AG, rejecting allegations EY didn’t do enough to uncover wrongdoing at the now defunct payment processor. Deadline for certain single audits delayed because of pandemic [Journal of Accountancy] The due […]

Bonuses Are Targeted in U.K. Crackdown on Audit Scandals [Bloomberg] Top executives at companies hit by accounting scandals could lose their bonuses under U.K. proposals for beefed-up regulation after a wave of corporate collapses including Carillion Plc and travel firm Thomas Cook Group Plc. UK audit reform set to cost businesses more than £430m a […]

UK watchdog investigating Deloitte audits of Lookers [Reuters] Britain’s accounting watchdog said on Friday it had opened an investigation into audits conducted by Deloitte of car dealership operator Lookers. The investigation will look at financial statements for the years ended Dec. 31 2017 and 2018, the Financial Reporting Council said in a statement. Babcock parts […]

Deloitte to pay Malaysia $80 million to settle claims linked to 1MDB [Reuters] Audit firm Deloitte PLT will pay Malaysia’s government $80 million to resolve all claims related to its auditing of accounts of scandal-linked state fund 1MDB and its unit SRC International from 2011 to 2014, the finance ministry said on Wednesday. ‘There Is […]

No progress without a pandemic? [Accounting Today] Dan Hood asks the important question in AT. Federal accounting can be a more dynamic career than it sounds, industry group says [Federal News Network] LOL: “If you think federal accounting is dull and unchanging, think again. People who do federal accounting and finance say it’s a constantly […]

Black CPA Centennial celebrates first Black CPA [Journal of Accountancy] The first CPA law was passed in New York 1896. It would be another 25 years before a Black person joined the profession. The primary blockers that made licensure essentially impossible for many aspiring Black CPAs included education, experience, and exclusion. Art of Accounting: Work-life […]

China orders Deloitte to investigate whistleblower allegations [FT] China’s Ministry of Finance said in a statement that it “attached great importance” to the whistleblower report and that it had called a meeting with Deloitte’s management. Virtual accounting: How to succeed remotely [Journal of Accountancy] The coronavirus has changed the business landscape significantly. Many accounting firm […]

Deloitte in hot water in China after an employee makes a PPT exposing alleged accounting violations [Global Times] According to the PPT, which has been circulating on China’s twitter-like Weibo, when Deloitte was auditing the financial data of its client RYB Education in 2017, a member of the auditing project told the whistleblower “not to […]

PwC reports improvement in audit quality [Accounting Today] From last week, but big if true: During the recently completed PCAOB inspection, PwC anticipates that only one of the 52 engagements that were subject to inspection will be included in Part 1.A of the report, the section where audit deficiencies are highlighted. The report also discusses […]

Partner capital account reporting gets transition penalty relief [Journal of Accountancy] The IRS provided transition penalty relief Tuesday to partnerships in complying with new rules for reporting partners’ capital account balances. 7 Reasons Accounting Firms Should Embrace Cannabis Clients in a Post-COVID World [CPA Practice Advisor] Cannabis use is up, especially with more people at […]

A Glass or Two of Red Helps Square the Numbers [Bloomberg Opinion] Good long read on Deloitte and Autonomy: “The Deloitte partner leading the Autonomy work sent his client an email from his wife’s account saying that “after a glass or two of red wine” and a plate of her “medieval pasta” he’d drafted an […]

Can the Dolphins win this one? Former VP sues the team in federal court. [South Florida Sun Sentinel] A former accountant who says he served as vice president of the Miami Dolphins sued the football team in federal court Thursday, claiming the organization incorrectly classified him as a contract worker—not an employee—and owes him unpaid […]

Atlanta accountants plead guilty to $1.2B in fraudulent charitable deductions [Atlanta Journal-Constitution] Brothers Stein Agee and Corey Agee, partners at the Sandy Springs firm AgeeFisherBarrett, both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, an offense that carries up to five years in prison. A sentencing date has not been announced. […]

PwC’s UK partners to take 10% pay cut as profits fall [Financial Times] PwC’s UK partners are to take a 10 per cent cut in their pay following a move by the accountancy firm to protect jobs and bonuses for other staff during the coronavirus pandemic. The Big Four firm said on Thursday that revenue […]

BDO will not repay £4.5m furlough money despite paying partners £137m [The Guardian] BDO, one of the UK’s leading accountancy firms, is refusing to pay back £4.5m in furlough money it received from taxpayers despite paying its 264 partners an average of £518,000 each. In total the company paid its partners £137m. Tips for auditing […]

EY hits back at German audit watchdog over alleged misconduct [Financial Times] EY has lashed out at Germany’s audit watchdog for prematurely reporting suspected criminal misconduct by its partners to prosecutors in an escalating battle over the Big Four firm’s audit work at defunct payments company Wirecard. New Jersey Society of CPAs Announces 10 CPA […]

CPA Exam gets refresh after practice analysis [Journal of Accountancy] Emphasis on understanding business processes and data analytics is being expanded while other topics are being phased out as the CPA Exam undergoes a refresh designed to maintain its relevance to the evolving work that newly licensed CPAs perform. New CPA Exam Blueprints released Friday […]

Deloitte’s COVID ‘bonanza’: this is how much the British public has paid so far [openDemocracy] The Department of Health handed £38.8 million to accountancy firm Deloitte in July this year, for unspecified “services” relating to Test and Trace, new figures reveal. This is the first time we’ve known how much Deloitte is being paid for […]

Things to consider for companies preparing for 2020 year-end audits [Compliance Week] The end of 2020 is on the horizon, and auditors at calendar-year companies are already planning and beginning their audits. The usual annual challenges of implementation of new accounting standards and related internal controls persist, but this year-end is unlike any other, as […]

Tax Change Needed to Level the Playing Field for Small Businesses, Minorities and Women in Cannabis Marketplace [NJCPA] Deducting business expenses is a routine and integral part of operating a business and is critical for a company to be profitable. However, cannabis businesses do not have access to this tax benefit even though it is […]

Ed. note: Happy Halloween, y’all. Remember October 31st is the early application deadline to register for .cpa domains. Stay safe inside or out whatever you decide to do this weekend. BOO! Former New York City accountant convicted of aiding al Qaeda to be released from prison early [Jurist] A Manhattan federal judge on Tuesday ordered […]

Ed. note: Happy 10/23 to my fellow Fallout fans out there. Only 57 years to go! The Accounting Professional of Tomorrow [The CPA Journal] A long (but good) read that tries to answer the following questions: Is the accounting professional of tomorrow an endangered species? Supply and demand seems to be a key issue; why […]

String of Firms That Imploded Have Something in Common: Ernst & Young Audited Them [Wall Street Journal] This year, $2 billion is missing at a German fintech company, $300 million of sales has been found to be fabricated at a Chinese coffee chain and $5 billion in undisclosed debt has been uncovered at two related […]

KPMG bank auditor avoids prison for ‘regulatory corruption’ [Reuters] A Manhattan federal judge sentenced former KPMG audit partner David Britt to home confinement on Friday over his role in a scheme to get access to a regulator’s audit inspection plans, saying his deportation to Australia after living for decades in the United States was itself […]

FASB Further Delays Accounting Rule on Insurance Contracts [Wall Street Journal] The rule maker, which sets accounting standards for companies and nonprofits in the U.S., in June proposed a delay of another year for the new rule amid the economic harm caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The rule was first delayed by a year last […]

AICPA and CPA.com See Strong Initial Response to New .CPA Internet Domain [Business Wire] Thousands of CPA firms, including many of the nation’s largest, have moved quickly to reserve their existing branded domains under the new restricted Internet domain, .cpa, according to CPA.com. Well over half of the 100 biggest U.S. firms – as well […]

Ed. note: we are continuing to experience some intermittent website issues, so please be patient while these are addressed on our end. Even the server has a touch of the ‘rona mental breakdown going around, it happens.  EY chairman admits ‘regret’ over Wirecard failures in letter to clients [Financial Times] The global chairman of EY […]

2020 CPA CFE successful despite hotel room exam setting [Canadian Accountant] CPA candidates were not allowed to sleep in the rooms but could book the rooms in the same hotel. While they were anxious about this new format and possible technological problems, the three-day exam appears to be a success. “It was amazing, I got […]

Commerz, Deutsche Money Management Arm Fire Auditor In Case They Decide To Sue It [Dealbreaker] Commerzbank is on the lookout for a new auditor. Deutsche Bank’s asset management business, having already chosen one, has changed its mind. The loser in both cases is Ernst & Young, which has found itself with a bit of egg […]

More Workers Testing Positive for Drugs [CPA Practice Advisor] Relevant, maybe: The rate of workforce drug positivity hit a sixteen-year high in 2019, according to a new analysis released today by Quest Diagnostics, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services. Positivity rates in the combined U.S. workforce increased in urine drug tests, climbing to […]

AICPA Makes Recommendations on IRS Guidance Priority List [CPA Practice Advisor] AICPA’s high priority recommendations relate to guidance on regulations found in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA); the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act; and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. These recommendations address many significant tax […]

CPA Group Pushes for Clarity on Trump’s Payroll Tax Deferral [Bloomberg Tax] Treasury and the IRS should issue guidance on President Donald Trump’s order delaying collection of some payroll taxes to clear up confusion among accountants and businesses, the American Institute of CPAs said. The group said one of its biggest remaining questions is whether […]

Major League Baseball taps KPMG diversity exec to lead HR [The Business Journals] Major League Baseball has named Michele Meyer-Shipp to oversee all of MLB’s human resources activities, including talent processes and programs, workplace culture and diversity and inclusion. Meyer-Shipp joins MLB from KPMG LLP, where she served as chief diversity and inclusion officer. While at […]

As new pot licenses delayed indefinitely, global accounting firm pockets $7M from state to rank applicants [Chicago Sun-Times] KPMG was awarded nearly $7 million in no-bid contracts [in Illinois] to grade applications for new recreational pot licenses. State officials didn’t open the contracts up to competitive bidding to speed up the process. But as it […]

After Google, PwC India declares a company-wide holiday for its employees this Friday – offers time off for a ‘well-deserved’ break [Business Insider India] After Google, PwC India has introduced a ‘Pens down Day’ on Friday, turning into a Three-Day Weekend for its employees. With the ‘Pens down Day’, PwC has asked its employees to […]

AICPA Digital Assets Practice Aid Examines Client Acceptance and Continuance [CPA Practice Advisor The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) has updated its Practice Aid Accounting for and Auditing of Digital Assets, to include nonauthoritative guidance on how to audit digital assets. This new material will complement accounting guidance issued last year. It is based on […]

Strategies for CPAs to encourage positive changes in diversity [Journal of Accountancy] The racial injustice taking place throughout the United States has hit home hard for members of the AICPA National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, who spend much of their time developing strategies and resources for improving the diversity of the accounting profession. Commission […]

EY failed to ask for Wirecard bank statements for 3 years [Financial Times] EY failed for more than three years to request crucial account information from a Singapore bank where Wirecard claimed it had up to €1bn in cash — a routine audit procedure that could have uncovered the vast fraud at the German payments […]

EY faces an existential threat [Reaction] Let’s play guess which firm: “Auditing is little more than an entry ticket to the boardroom. Inevitably, there are many conflicts of interest, as one firm is brought in to investigate the failures of another, but one of the four seems particularly accident prone.” How to deliver the news […]

KPMG Gets Reprimand From U.K. Regulator Over Reserves Audits [Bloomberg] The U.K.’s accounting watchdog reprimanded KPMG after the firm admitted shortcomings in three years of work for a client, which had to restate its distributable reserves twice. The Financial Reporting Council said the accounting firm admitted problems in its reserves audits of Foresight 4 VCT […]

Executive at top U.S. accounting firm details plan to combat racism, says workers ‘want action’ [CNBC] Tim Ryan, the chair of PwC U.S., on Thursday released the company’s plans to combat racism, telling CNBC that employees are insisting real progress gets made. “People are angry. They’re upset. They’re exhausted, and they want action,” Ryan said […]

NASBA proposes changes in CPA requirements [Accounting Today] The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy has proposed a set of revisions to the Uniform Accountancy Act Model Rules for CPAs, including the addition of more course content on data analytics and digital acumen, and the ability to take courses outside a school of business. […]

AICPA Council supports advancement of new CPA licensure model [Journal of Accountancy] An effort to transform the CPA licensure model took a step forward Wednesday when the AICPA governing Council voted to support its advancement during its virtual spring meeting. Council voted to support the CPA Evolution initiative, which is being undertaken by the AICPA […]

KPMG LLP Introduces Dynamic, Risk-Based, Policy And Technical Framework To Help Organizations Safely Reopen Their Workplaces [PR Newswire] “Reopening organizations and bringing employees back on-site presents technical challenges complicated by the fluidity of the situation, public policy responses, and different challenges faced by businesses, their suppliers and their individual employees,” said Atif Zaim, Customer and […]

EY orders consultants to take time off as work slows [Financial Times] EY has ordered consultants whose work has dried up during the pandemic to take the last week of May as annual leave as it attempts to ease a “holiday backlog”. The Big Four accounting firm sent an internal email on Thursday saying consultants […]

What Should Your CPA (Really) Know About Blockchain? [Forbes] Taxation, financial reporting and disclosure, and helping to instill confidence, via audits, in valuations of cryptoassets, are at least partially dependent on accountants being able to handle the workload associated with blockchain. Simultaneously there has been debate about what blockchain, and what blockchain as it connects […]

The indirect impacts of COVID-19 on CPA firms [Journal of Accountancy] In this megapost from the JofA, CPAs in all areas of practice across the profession are offered some “what-ifs” related to COVID-19 they may not have considered. Recommended reading for firm leaders. IRS proposes rules for unrelated business income for tax-exempt groups [Accounting Today] […]

EY Must Pay $10.8 Million to Auditor Who Blew Whistle on Refiner [Bloomberg] Ernst & Young must pay $10.8 million to an auditor who blew the whistle on wrongdoing at a Dubai gold refiner in another black eye for the U.K. accounting industry. Former EY partner Amjad Rihan had told the court that the accounting firm […]

COVID-19 Turns CPAs into Emergency Workers [CPA Trendlines] Donny Shimamoto writes: “The impact of COVID-19 on many of our lives will be told for years or decades to come. Through social media, I saw a lot of accountants (because I’m friends with so many of them) express concern for their clients and communities as well. […]

Ernst & Young Says It First Found Accounting Issues at Luckin [Wall Street Journal] EY said it uncovered the problems at China’s Luckin Coffee Inc., which hammered the stock price of the upstart challenger to Starbucks Corp. in the country and cast doubt over a large part of its sales last year. Luckin’s Nasdaq-listed shares […]

EY Israel puts staff on unpaid leave [Globes] With the spread of the [coronavirus] and the new orders in the matter issued by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Health, management has decided on a number of additional steps, including a substantial cut in compensation for all of the firm’s partners and putting […]

CPA business executives worried about coronavirus [Accounting Today] CPAs who are also business executives are concerned about the potential global fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, although their outlook on the U.S. economy has risen in recent months, according to a new survey by the American Institute of CPAs. CPAs gather at State Capitol [Edmond Sun] […]

Coronavirus forces EY to go virtual with some student hiring [Financial News] EY, one of the UK’s Big Four accountancy firms, has gone virtual with parts of its student recruitment process in response to the spread of coronavirus. The group, which hired 918 graduates and apprentices in 2019, has switched its in-person EY Experience Days […]

Nearly Half Of CPA Advisors See Dementia In Some Clients [Financial Advisor] Nearly half of CPA financial planners report seeing a client with dementia for the first time ever in the past year, but only 17% of planners say they have created plans for dealing with client incapacitation, a new report says. The AICPA’s Personal […]

How Regulators and PwC Fooled Reporters—Again [Pro Market] Francine McKenna is on the war path, as usual. CPAs would be happy to help state government plot a strategy to finance education [Baltimore Sun] In which Maryland Association of CPAs CEO Tom Hood throws down in a letter to the editor: “Our opposition is not reactive […]

U.S. House Subcommittee Scrutinizes Accounting Rule Maker [Wall Street Journal] The new chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets is targeting U.S. accounting rules in a move to increase oversight of a U.S. accounting rule maker, despite a potential battle to enact legislation or alter its […]

Ed. note: Happy Valentine’s Day, kids! If no one loves you, remember I always will. Sort of. ~AG Botham Jean’s Colleagues Pledge To Combat Workplace Racial Violence [BET] “As chief executives and business leaders, we may not have the power to stop tragedies like what happened to Bo from happening again,” wrote PwC Chairman Tim […]

Deloitte Top Participant in H-1B Foreign Worker Program—By Far [Bloomberg Law] Deloitte’s use of skilled foreign workers under the H-1B program, which is largely associated with technology companies, is far greater than any other applicant, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis of fiscal year 2019 Department of Labor data. A total of 57,259 H-1B visa […]

As Tax Season Begins, Hackers Target Tax Pros and CPAs [CPA Practice Advisor] It’s not from the “mob” or street criminals. These criminals are likely sitting behind a desk, glued to computer monitors, chugging energy drinks and developing the most effective ways to steal today’s version of gold. As you know, this bounty is data […]

PwC under growing scrutiny as scandal engulfs Isabel dos Santos [The Guardian] PwC, the global accounting firm battling to distance itself from a financial scandal engulfing Africa’s richest woman, Isabel dos Santos, was auditing the books of Angola’s state oil company during a period that is now under criminal investigation. Critics say PwC’s work for […]

‘Friendly Competitors’ Merge To Form New Boutique CPA Firm [The Newtown Bee] Two local companies whose principles all trained at several of the nation’s most prestigious accounting firms — and who always described themselves as “friendly competitors” — recently merged to form a new and expanded boutique enterprise that local individuals, businesses, and nonprofits can […]

A Houston CPA felt a slow-burning burnout, so she traded skyscrapers for sled dogs [Houston Chronicle] It was time for Anastasia Gill to leave Houston. As a certified public accountant for two major accounting firms since her late-20s, she felt that creeping, desperate feeling of burnout settling in. “Both were really stressful jobs. I would […]

The Best Cities in America For Accountants [Blackline Magazine] Oof this intro graf tho: “Accounting jobs are typically classified as a safe option for those looking to enter an industry that will maintain a steady stream of demand and plenty of opportunities to grow. Right around tax season, everyone is looking for an accountant, and […]

Ed. note: Welcome to the final Friday Footnotes of the decade! We hope you enjoy these weekly wrap-ups of news around the profession we found noteworthy. As always, if you have a suggestion for a story you think we should share with the class, give us a shout. Happy New Year! -AG BYU is tops […]

Regarding CPA Exam Performance and the Accounting Curriculum [The CPA Journal] A letter to the editor from a professor at Iona College reads: “In the end, I think too much emphasis is placed on pass rates and average scores, rather than the simple question of whether the students pass the exam in a reasonable period. […]

Proposed CPA licensure model emphasizes core plus disciplines [Journal of Accountancy] A newly proposed CPA licensure model developed by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) and the AICPA is designed to help newly licensed CPAs learn the skills and competencies they will need in the workplace of the future. The draft licensure […]

Shh! Companies Are Fixing Accounting Errors Quietly [WSJ] Filed under: things y’all probably already know. BDO USA, LLP NAMES KELLY JOHNSON AS BOARD CHAIR; FOUR PARTNERS ELECTED TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS [BDO] WHY ARE YOU YELLING. PwC will consolidate as many as 1,700 jobs to DC [WTOP] Big professional services and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has […]

Ed. note: welcome to a special Black Friday edition of Friday Footnotes. Special because ain’t shit going on so this will be short. We’ll be back to your regularly-scheduled programming come Monday. From me, Bramwell, the silent TPTB and everyone else at the Going Concern team, Happy Thanksgiving! -AG FASB proposes changes aimed at improving […]

Security lapse exposes personal data of 6,500 Singapore accountants [ZDNet] A folder containing personal data of 6,541 accountants in Singapore was “inadvertently” sent to multiple parties, in a security lapse that was uncovered only months after, when it implemented an email protection tool as part of a government-wide deployment. The incident exposed personal details such […]

Calibre CPA Group, Notice of Data Privacy Event [PR Newswire] Clients of Bethesda-based Calibre CPA Group, consider yourselves warned that the haxz0rs may have your personal information. In Hong Kong, an accountant by day becomes street fighter by night [Washington Post] “We have started to realize we need to arm ourselves. We are in a […]

Maryland Association of CPAs CEO and Going Concern favorite Tom Hood has been chosen as one of Maryland’s most admired CEOs [Daily Record] Go Tom! Deloitte Private to be cut amid low profit, low growth [Financial Review] Big four consulting firm Deloitte is set to dissolve one of its six business units, Deloitte Private, an […]

KPMG duo who quit amid bullying fallout make senior hires at new firm [Financial News] Two ex-KPMG partners, who set up their own consultancy after leaving the Big Four accounting firm over its handling of complaints of bullying, have lured two former executives from their old employer to the new venture. Maggie Brereton and Ina […]

PwC and EY accused of complicity in Thomas Cook collapse [FT] MPs have accused two of the UK’s Big Four accounting groups of being “complicit” in the failure of Thomas Cook, slamming one, the travel group’s former auditor PwC, over an alleged conflict of interest in its pay advice to executives. Cases against EY and […]

Art of Accounting: Lessening compression oppression [Accounting Today] A big problem for almost every accounting practice is the tax season workload compression. It is what it is, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some suggestions on how to pull work out of tax season and push it into November and December to better […]

Warning Signs about the Future Supply of Accounting Graduates [The CPA Journal] At the ground level, something has gone wrong with student perceptions about the value of an accounting education. It may take a few years for this changed dynamic to show up in economy-wide reports, but that a new dynamic is underway is obvious […]

SBA settles for cents on the dollar with CPA who bankrolled City Hall deals that enriched Daley’s son [Chicago Sun Times] A venture capitalist who bankrolled City Hall deals that secretly benefited Patrick Daley while his father Richard M. Daley was mayor has agreed to a court settlement that will see him repay less than […]

KPMG switches 820 UK staff from advisory to audit [Financial Times] KPMG has moved 800 staff and about 20 partners from its advisory division into its audit department in preparation for a possible forced break-up. Any consultant who spends more than 10 per cent of their time advising auditors will now sit within the audit […]

AICPA’s new forensic standard expected to boost CPA credibility on witness stand [Accounting Today] The American Institute of CPAs has a new forensic accounting standard due to take effect at the beginning of next year, and it promises to give CPAs a leg up in terms of their credibility in providing litigation support as expert […]

EY analysis: Audit committees increasing their disclosures to shareholders [Compliance Week] Subscriber only content but I’m sure it’s interesting. KPMG has 50% women on board [economia] Uh, good job I guess? Google will pay over $1 billion after French investigation over dodged taxes [The Verge] Google has agreed to pay a nearly $550 million fine […]

How an Agency You’ve Never Heard of Is Leaving the Economy at Risk [Project On Government Oversight] POGO writes a hit piece on the PCAOB. Vic.ai, AI platform for accountants, gets $11.2M Series A funding [Accounting Today] Accelerating the robot takeover. De Blasio proposes ‘robot tax’ to counter job losses from automation [The Hill] Speaking […]

PwC accused of sharing confidential information [economia] Watchstone has accused PwC of “inducing breach of contract” and “unlawful means conspiracy” against the Big Four firm. The company claims that secret meetings with PwC, allegedly called for by Slater & Gordon, were arranged to share confidential information. Watchstone alleges that this was for the law firm […]

Accounting firm recovers Cryptopia records to help return funds to victims [Yahoo] Cryptopia hired the New Zealand-based arm of accounting firm Grant Thornton to sort out the mess. Today, the firm revealed that it got hold of the only remaining record of the funds held on the crypto exchange, which went into liquidation in May. […]

Here’s why Jeffrey Epstein likely paid little in the way of taxes [CNBC] Because rich people are usually smarter than the poors when it comes to that stuff? A Big Four Audit Firm Lost $1 Million In Bitcoin. Victims Are Losing Patience [CoinDesk] The blunder occurred in February, and at the time, the lost bitcoin […]

CannTrust says KPMG withdraws audit report [Reuters] Cannabis producer CannTrust Holdings Inc said on Friday its auditor KPMG LLP has withdrawn its report on the company’s financial statements for full-year 2018 and its interim report for the three month period ended March 31. KPMG’s decision was prompted after CannTrust cautioned against relying on its financial […]

Is Your Accountant a Wimp? [Entrepreneur] SLANDEROUS. Audit regulator fines PwC Mexico $100,000 for violating independence rules [MW] According to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, at least six of its partners had personal financial relationships with Banco Santander Mexico when PwC’s Mexico firm contracted to be the bank’s auditor for FY 2016. KPMG U.K. […]

Geeky accountant who stole £150,000 and blew it on cocaine and hookers told to pay back just £1 [The Sun] Carvill, 38, was jailed for 2½ years after admitting fraud. His sentencing hearing was told he’d been bullied for most of his life and suffers very low self-esteem. Accountants ordered to disclose information on personal […]

FASB to propose delaying effective dates for 4 major standards [Journal of Accountancy] FASB plans to propose delaying effective dates for four key standards for certain groups of financial statement preparers after a series of votes taken at a board meeting Wednesday. The plan to delay effective dates for certain companies for accounting for leases, […]

Where should you be looking for top accounting talent? [Accounting Today] Top accounting talent, like talent for many professional services, is in short supply these days. Accounting firms are competing ferociously to attract, land and retain the most talented and experienced employees to achieve and maintain a critical competitive edge in a highly competitive industry. […]

Ed. note: Friday already? Yay! Here’s what you may have missed from around the Internets. If you’ve got a story to share, give us a shout. Have a wonderful weekend, you little lovelies you. KPMG’s Head of Deal Advisory steps down amid ‘bullying’ storm [Consultancy.uk] KPMG’s UK Head of Deal Advisory has stepped down to […]

Ed. note: Hey look, Footnotes is back! Y’all old-timers may recall Footnotes as a wrap-up of industry news too boring or too esoteric to deserve its own post, but relevant none-the-less. In our ever-present desire to make sure you know the happenings of the profession despite your perpetual indifference, we’ve brought it back. Spot a […]