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Fraudish is a podcast to help those working in fraud. Hosted by Kelly Paxton, Certified Fraud Examiner, Ex-Private Investigator, and Pink Collar Crime Expert. Kelly is a former special agent turned investigator specializing in embezzlement and workplace dishonesty cases. Fraudish interviews outstanding fraud professionals so you can continue to move forward in your career. Origin stories, tips, resources are just some of the amazing fraud content you will hear each Tuesday.
198 Episodes
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Buckle up, Fraudish! Jeff Grant gives "career pivot" a whole new meaning in this episode: from lawyer to opioid addict to federal inmate to ordained minister to practicing attorney again. Talk about a LinkedIn profile that raises eyebrows! Jeff and his wife Lynn created the White Collar Support Group (therapy for people who've traded corner offices for prison cells) and now he's fighting for a Federal Expungement Initiative. As someone who investigates fraud for a living, I was fascinated by ...
I'm back with a conversation that connects dots I never saw coming! Robin Johnson brings the ultimate career combo - fraud prevention expert AND positive psychology guru. We dive into why that perfectly nice Karen from accounting suddenly "borrows" $250K, how toxic workplace culture practically invites fraud, and my favorite revelation: positive psychology might prevent fraud better than another policy manual (sorry, corporate writers!). Robin's journey from MBA to Safe Checks fraud specialis...
"My location holds no boundaries!" - Yin Johnson, whose 37-year investigative career spans continents and countless fraud cases. In this episode, we explore how Yin built her global investigation practice and leverages her extensive network to solve complex cases. Yin shares her journey from sports instructor to renowned international investigator, offering insights on financial and intellectual property fraud across different cultures. We discuss how technology has transformed her work and t...
After 30 years in Jewish education, Rabbi Yonason Goldson became an ethics expert and speaker. As I discovered, it's not as big a leap as you might think! In this episode, we explore whether today's world is actually less ethical or if we just see more wrongdoing due to social media and the 24 hours news cycle. We also dive into how AI is reshaping our ethical landscape and what ancient wisdom can teach us about modern dilemmas. Yonason brings unique perspectives as a prolific content creator...
"I'm grateful she scammed me... at the end of the day I'm better for it" Can fraud actually lead to positive outcomes? That's the provocative question at the heart of this week's episode, where I sit down with Johnathan Walton – a man who turned his own devastating scam experience into a mission that's helped countless victims reclaim their power. Johnathan shares the shocking story of how he was manipulated by a con artist posing as an Irish heiress, and the unexpected silver lining that tra...
I'm back with renewed Fraudish energy! In this captivating return episode, I welcome Lou Schachter, the investigative mind behind True Crime Road Trip and recent New York Times featured writer. Lou shares his remarkable journey recovering stolen paintings and documenting historical crimes from his home base in Palm Springs. Don't miss his incredible story of connecting the dots that led to the recovery of two paintings stolen 40 years ago from the Harwood Museum in Taos, New Mexico, a case th...
Scam calls. Scam texts. Scam everything. This week on Fraudish, I’m talking with Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, and let me tell you—we cover it all. From robocalls to text scams to the rise of "romance baiting" (yes, we’re rebranding “pig butchering”), Alex breaks down what’s really going on behind that unknown number blowing up your phone. We also dig into: Why younger people fall for scams more often than you'd thinkEasy ways to protect your privacy (hint: secondary numbers are your friend)H...
This week, I’m joined by my friend and audit pro Elizabeth McCormick. We chat about her unexpected path into internal audit, starting her own company Audit Forward, and how tools like Power Query and AI are changing the game. Elizabeth also gets real about growing up with congenital hearing loss and how it’s fueled her push for disability inclusion in the profession. We cover fraud, ethics, embracing failure, and why showing up as your full self matters more than ever. 🔗 Connect with Elizabet...
You know I love a good career plot twist, and this week’s episode has plenty! I’m joined by Dean Baratta, an intelligence analyst with a background that includes retail banking, WeWork, and more. (Yes, that WeWork.) We talk about Dean’s unconventional path into the world of intelligence and ethics, what he’s learned about fraud along the way, and how AI is shaking things up faster than you can say “ChatGPT.” In this episode: What his time at WeWork taught him about red flags, ethics, an...
Women can be criminals too! This episode of Fraudish I speak with Angie Gad of GadIntel all about why society are biased again women… in a good way? Or is it bad? Let’s get into it! Angie shares her journey from growing up in a post-9/11 era as a child of Arab immigrants in New Jersey to her impactful career in intelligence and counter-terrorism. She has a rather unexpected entry into intelligence and our discussion touches on the importance of creativity and critical thinking in intelligen...
In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with forensic accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner Candy Bellau, whose journey into the world of fraud is anything but typical. From never picturing herself as a forensic accountant to building a career in the field, Candy brings heart, humor, and a whole lot of real talk. We dive into the personal side of fraud—because let’s face it, there’s always more to the story. Candy opens up about her own family’s history with fraud (yes, it’s complicate...
Think OSINT is just glorified Googling? Think again. In this episode, I chat with Claudia Tietze, a creative technologist who went from film and theater to fraud-fighting. We dig into how OSINT actually works, why creativity matters in investigations, and how AI and ethics collide in this weird little world. Plus, Claudia shares her take on trend spotting and her work building a better OSINT community with Valor. Connect with Claudia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/supersecretsquirrel/ Claudia's...
In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with the one and only Matt Kelly to talk all things compliance… and trust us, it’s more than just rules and regulations! We kick things off with a big question: Do you need to be a lawyer to work in compliance? The answer? Well… it depends. (Yep, we said it.) But this convo goes far beyond JD requirements. Matt shares his take on how the evolving political landscape is quietly shaping the compliance profession—and why organizational culture matters...
In this episode, Kelly sits down with Blair Cohen, founder of AuthenticID, for a fascinating look into how fraud has evolved and how technology is fighting back. 💡 From his early days in employment screening to launching a cutting-edge identity verification company, Blair shares his unique journey and deep industry insights. 🔍 What You'll Learn: How fraud has shifted from solo grifters to organized global networksThe rising threat of synthetic identities, deepfakes, and AI-driven scamsWhy eth...
What happens when a true crime lover, travel industry insider, and ethical researcher combine forces? You get Vacations Can Be Murder - and in this episode, you’ll learn how it all came to life. Kelly sits down with journalist and author Dawn Barclay, whose latest book blends dark tourism with meticulous storytelling. From haunted hotels to infamous gravesites and real crime scenes across New England, Dawn unpacks how she curates travel experiences rooted in true crime - without sensationaliz...
How do fraudsters convince people to hand over their life savings? And why do so many scams go undetected until it’s too late? In this episode of Fraudish, we dive into the dark world of investment fraud with Stephen Kirk, Chief Internal Auditor for the Illinois Department of Transportation and author of A Betrayal of Trust. Steven has spent years unraveling Ponzi schemes, asset pooling scams, and securities fraud - cases where victims often lose everything. Stephen formerly led a team of com...
This week, Kelly sits down with Dana Timmerman, a seasoned private investigator and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) expert, to explore the critical thinking skills behind fraud investigations. Dana dives into cases and how deep social media and asset analysis can expose deception. He shares his personal journey into the world of investigations - fueled by a life-changing experience searching for his daughter. From ethical dilemmas to bias awareness, Dana breaks down the mindset investigators...
What if the word “whistleblower” conjured up something more powerful than a piercing whistle? This week’s guest thinks it should—and she’s leading the charge to reframe what it really means to blow the whistle. In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly speaks with Jackie Garrick, founder of Whistleblowers of America and author of Be a Giraffe. Jackie opens up about her own experience as a whistleblower and what it takes to stand tall in the face of retaliation. She shares the emotional toll of speak...
In this episode of Fraudish, Kelly sits down with Doug Cash, a seasoned forensic accountant and fraud investigator at EideBailly LLP, to explore the ins and outs of catching financial criminals. From his early days in law enforcement to handling complex embezzlement cases in the private sector, Doug shares the twists and turns of a career built on exposing the truth. You’ll hear: 💼 Doug’s path from cop to CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) 🔍 The emotional and ethical weight of fraud investi...
Do you have a personal brand? Yes, you. Yes... even investigators need brands! Luckily Kate Marston is on to help investigators develop their brands and get creative with their investigative careers. Key points discussed: The importance of branding for investigators Kate's career trajextory from the Metropolitan Police to Burberry (yes, like the jackets!) The need for proper training in investigations, especially for HR professionals The value of creativity and context in investigative work T...
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I like how she talks about the career transition in fraud investigations once you move up to becoming a manager. It's beneficial to hear someone else forgo that upward transition in favor of doing cases. Hearing that legitimized is helpful. Moving up to management often means you don't get to do cases anymore. If that's what you love, it's good to hear that it doesn't follow that because you don't become a manager, it doesn't mean you can't progress as an investigator. Love the podcasts- Thanks!
Another great podcast Kelly! I love a good check kite too. But investigating- not committing it. Always a good clarification to make!
As a fraud fighter in the banking/ consumer credit space, I almost never get to hear a fraudster's insights. Listened to every minute of this. Thank you!
This is a great podcast. They address how some investigators will actually help others now as opposed to holding their cards to their chest which was the environment when I started. Some things that make my anti-fraud life easier, actually came from tips I received from fellow investigators. I'm learning it's ok to share sometimes. I'd like to help other investigators if I can. I'm naturally curious and like learning new things. Compliance and fraud investigations often overlap, whether it's BSA, KYC, etc. Thanks for another great podcast Kelly.
This is my favorite episode so far! My dad is a retired professor of dentistry. He went to a dental conference where the speaker was an FBI agent. The agent's presentation was on the vulnerability of a dental practice with regards to embezzlement. A dentist is busy with patients. They don't have time to look at their books; they're busy with patients.The FBI agent showed the pitfalls of leaving the bookeeping to someone else. Most of the dentists leaving after the presentation looked pale, shocked and worried! They just never thought....
This hits home. I'm female, Gen X, laid off due to COVID and trying to redirect my career back into fraud. It's scary w/no income, but something good will happen. (I hope!) I was also told "Be a good girl and..." In my caeeer I've been told, "I wouldn't give your opinion in meetings if it's not what the boss wants" "You're negative, passive aggressive, etc." I've been thrown under the bus in front of my boss. No one is perfect. I may have been some of those things, but it's good to hear I can still succeed anyway.
I'm glad she mentioned "imposter syndrome." It happens to a lot of us at some point in our careers. It's good to hear from successful women who have pushed through that fear and succeeded.
I agree with her preference for flat fee vs. the six minute increments. I found it almost impossible to accurately track my time while working on different client cases in a fast paced environment with frequent interruptions.