Gordon & Moore, CPAS, were the auditors of Fox & Company, a brokerage firm. Gordon & Moore examined and reported on the financial statements of Fox, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several of Fox's customers were swindled by a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by two key officers of the company. The facts establish that Gordon & Moore were negligent, but not reckless or grossly negligent, in the conduct of the audit, and neither participated in the fraudulent scheme nor knew of its existence. The customers are suing Gordon & Moore under the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for alding and abetting the fraudulent scheme of the officers. The customers' sult for fraud is predicated exclusively on the negligence of the auditors in falling to conduct a proper audit, thereby failing to discover the fraudulent scheme. Required: Answer the following, setting forth reasons for any conclusions stated. a. What is the probable outcome of the lawsuit? Explain. b. What other theory of liability might the customers have asserted?
Gordon & Moore, CPAS, were the auditors of Fox & Company, a brokerage firm. Gordon & Moore examined and reported on the financial statements of Fox, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several of Fox's customers were swindled by a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by two key officers of the company. The facts establish that Gordon & Moore were negligent, but not reckless or grossly negligent, in the conduct of the audit, and neither participated in the fraudulent scheme nor knew of its existence. The customers are suing Gordon & Moore under the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for alding and abetting the fraudulent scheme of the officers. The customers' sult for fraud is predicated exclusively on the negligence of the auditors in falling to conduct a proper audit, thereby failing to discover the fraudulent scheme. Required: Answer the following, setting forth reasons for any conclusions stated. a. What is the probable outcome of the lawsuit? Explain. b. What other theory of liability might the customers have asserted?
Chapter1: Financial Statements And Business Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1Q
Related questions
Question

Transcribed Image Text:Gordon & Moore, CPAS, were the auditors of Fox & Company, a brokerage firm. Gordon & Moore examined and reported on the
financial statements of Fox, which were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Several of Fox's customers were swindled
by a fraudulent scheme perpetrated by two key officers of the company. The facts establish that Gordon & Moore were negligent, but
not reckless or grossly negligent, in the conduct of the audit, and neither participated in the fraudulent scheme nor knew of Its
existence. The customers are suing Gordon & Moore under the antifraud provisions of Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 for alding and abetting the fraudulent scheme of the officers. The customers' sult for fraud is predicated
exclusively on the negligence of the auditors in falling to conduct a proper audit, thereby failing to discover the fraudulent scheme.
Required:
Answer the following, setting forth reasons for any conclusions stated.
a. What is the probable outcome of the lawsult? Explain.
b. What other theory of liability might the customers have asserted?
Expert Solution

This question has been solved!
Explore an expertly crafted, step-by-step solution for a thorough understanding of key concepts.
This is a popular solution!
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 4 steps

Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, accounting and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Recommended textbooks for you


Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337272094
Author:
WARREN, Carl S., Reeve, James M., Duchac, Jonathan E.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,

Accounting Information Systems
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337619202
Author:
Hall, James A.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,


Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337272094
Author:
WARREN, Carl S., Reeve, James M., Duchac, Jonathan E.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,

Accounting Information Systems
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337619202
Author:
Hall, James A.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,

Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Accounting
ISBN:
9780134475585
Author:
Srikant M. Datar, Madhav V. Rajan
Publisher:
PEARSON

Intermediate Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259722660
Author:
J. David Spiceland, Mark W. Nelson, Wayne M Thomas
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education

Financial and Managerial Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259726705
Author:
John J Wild, Ken W. Shaw, Barbara Chiappetta Fundamental Accounting Principles
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education