Convicted of Fraud? Expect More than a Slap on the Wrist

In Canada, millions of dollars are lost each year as a result of well-planned, sophisticated fraudulent schemes. These "white-collar crimes" make for great headlines; stories of ordinary people defrauding their employers or others, and absconding with millions of dollars before being caught. In the past, as these stories faded from the headlines, so too did the prospect of obtaining justice through the criminal sentencing process. Given that well-educated persons of previous good character commit most major frauds, the public, as well as the legal system, found it difficult to view and treat these individuals as criminals. These well-educated people, with stable family lives and good careers, hardly fit into society's traditional preconceived notions of a criminal. Published in the Fall 2007 edition of Fraud Report, the newsletter of the Association of Certified Forensic Investigators of Canada (ACFI).