While auditing the financial statements of Petty Corporation, the certified public accounting firm of Trueblue and Smith discovered that its client’s legal expense account was abnormally high. Further investigation of the records indicated the following: Since the beginning of the year, several disbursements totaling $15,000 had been made to the law firm of Swindle, Fox, and Kreip. Swindle, Fox, and Kreip were not Petty Corporation’s attorneys. A review of the canceled checks showed that they had been written and approved by Mary Boghas, the cash disbursements clerk. Boghas’s other duties included performing the end of-month bank reconciliation. Subsequent investigation revealed that Swindle, Fox, and Kreip are representing Mary Boghas in an unrelated embezzlement case in which she is the defendant. The checks had been written in payment of her personal legal fees. Required:  a. What control procedures could Petty Corporation have employed to prevent this unauthorized use of cash? Classify each control procedure in accordance with the COSO framework (authorization, segregation of functions, supervision, and so on). b. Comment on the ethical issues in this case.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
10th Edition
ISBN:9781259964947
Author:Libby
Publisher:Libby
Chapter1: Financial Statements And Business Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1Q
icon
Related questions
Question
100%

While auditing the financial statements of Petty Corporation, the certified public accounting firm of Trueblue and Smith discovered that its client’s legal expense account was abnormally high. Further investigation of the records indicated the following:

  • Since the beginning of the year, several disbursements totaling $15,000 had been made to the law firm of Swindle, Fox, and Kreip.
  • Swindle, Fox, and Kreip were not Petty Corporation’s attorneys.
  • A review of the canceled checks showed that they had been written and approved by Mary Boghas, the cash disbursements clerk.
  • Boghas’s other duties included performing the end of-month bank reconciliation.
  • Subsequent investigation revealed that Swindle, Fox, and Kreip are representing Mary Boghas in an unrelated embezzlement case in which she is the defendant. The checks had been written in payment of her personal legal fees.

Required: 

a. What control procedures could Petty Corporation have employed to prevent this unauthorized use of cash? Classify each control procedure in accordance with the COSO framework (authorization, segregation of functions, supervision, and so on).

b. Comment on the ethical issues in this case.

Expert Solution
trending now

Trending now

This is a popular solution!

steps

Step by step

Solved in 3 steps with 3 images

Blurred answer
Knowledge Booster
Frauds in Accounting information system (AIS)
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.
Similar questions
  • SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259964947
Author:
Libby
Publisher:
MCG
Accounting
Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337272094
Author:
WARREN, Carl S., Reeve, James M., Duchac, Jonathan E.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting Information Systems
Accounting
ISBN:
9781337619202
Author:
Hall, James A.
Publisher:
Cengage Learning,
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Horngren's Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis…
Accounting
ISBN:
9780134475585
Author:
Srikant M. Datar, Madhav V. Rajan
Publisher:
PEARSON
Intermediate Accounting
Intermediate Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259722660
Author:
J. David Spiceland, Mark W. Nelson, Wayne M Thomas
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Accounting
ISBN:
9781259726705
Author:
John J Wild, Ken W. Shaw, Barbara Chiappetta Fundamental Accounting Principles
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill Education