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Courses/Audit & Assurance/Fraud

Financial Statements Forensics Lab

Master practical investigative techniques to uncover hidden fraud, expose accounting manipulation, and detect complex financial anomalies in real-world corporate records.

Created byAlessio Facciaworkspace_premium
5.0
(7 reviews)
BeginnerUpdated May 18, 2026
Financial Statements Forensics Lab

What You'll Learn

check_circleIdentify key warning signals of manipulation affecting revenue recognition, margin quality, operating performance, and cash conversion.
check_circleBuild structured Excel tests to assess cut-off issues, reserve adjustments, unusual journal activity, receivable inflation, and inventory irregularities.
check_circleLink movements across the three primary financial statements to detect inconsistencies beyond standard ratio analysis.
check_circleApply model-based variance and exception analysis to prioritise accounts, transactions, and periods for further investigation.
check_circleTranslate analytical findings into clear working papers, management questions, and follow-up procedures suitable for audit and forensic contexts.

About This Course

One overlooked detail in a financial statement can cost your organization or client millions—or lead to devastating regulatory and reputational fallout. From hidden liabilities and aggressive revenue recognition to complex related-party transactions, routine oversight often fails to spot the subtle warning signs of financial manipulation, fraud, or misstated health.

This practical masterclass arms reviewers, auditors, and decision-makers with the forensic insights and tools needed to look past standard accounting numbers and interrogate corporate disclosures. Led by an expert in financial investigation, this session teaches you how to systematically spot operational bias, dismantle weak governance, and build defensible trails of evidence—before the hidden risks become a catastrophic reality.

Key Topics Discussed:

  • Forensic lens vs. routine financial review
  • The role of financial statements as management claims to be tested
  • Scope of forensic review (manipulation and bias, weak governance, abnormal behavior, technical areas)
  • The Fraud Triangle framework (Pressure, Opportunity, and Rationalization)
  • The impact of corporate culture ("tone at the top") on fraudulent behavior
  • Mapping and reconciling financial statement intersections (Income, Financial Position, Equity, and Cash Flow)
  • Warning signs in receivables and Day Sales Outstanding (DSO)
  • Risks associated with related party balances and transactions
  • Improper fixed asset valuation and aggressive useful life assumptions
  • Ignoring impairment triggers and discretionality in calculating recoverable amounts
  • Understated liabilities, missing accruals, and off-balance sheet risks
  • Cash flow forensics (Operating Cash Flow vs. Net Income disparities)
  • Classification and window-dressing tricks in working capital and supplier financing
  • Identifying AI-generated or synthetic financial files using metadata inspection

Your Instructor

Alessio Faccia
Alessio Faccia

Assistant Professor in Finance | University of Birmingham Dubai

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star137 reviews

Dr. Alessio Faccia, an accomplished academic and corporate trainer, has a distinguished finance, accounting, and business background. His expertise spans over 16 years, during which he has notably contributed to finance and accounting through his roles as an assistant professor, auditor, chartered accountant, CFO advisor, and corporate trainer. Dr. Faccia’sacademic journey includes prestigious roles at several universities, including the University of Birmingham and Coventry University, where he taught various finance and accounting modules. His extensive involvement in corporate training further enriches Dr. Faccia’s professional experience. He has provided training in diverse areas such as finance and accounting, management and HR, technology, oil and gas, and legal matters to many organizations. These organization encompass various sectors, including government bodies, financial institutions, energy companies, and real estate firms.. These organizations encompass various sectors, including government bodies, financial institutions, energy companies, and real estate firms. His proficiency is further demonstrated by his numerous publications, research contributions, and a strong academic record, underscoring his commitment to advancing knowledge in his field. Dr. Faccia’s work is a testament to his dedication to enhancing the skills and knowledge of professionals across various industries globally.

Credit Information

Is this course eligible for my CPD requirements as a Canadian CPA?

Provincial regulators of CPAs in Canada do not require that independent providers of CPD be approved to offer courses. Instead, individual CPAs are responsible for assessing whether a CPD activity meets their requirements, and may take activities from any source provided those requirements are met.

Every course offered on LearnFormula is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, and advances learning objectives that are relevant to the responsibilities or professional competencies of Canadian CPAs. All activities on LearnFormula are quantifiable in terms of hours, and are also verifiable, in that users receive documented evidence of their attendance via a certificate of completion after finishing a course (and this certificate is stored by LearnFormula indefinitely). Nearly 100,000 Canadian CPAs successfully satisfy their CPD requirements via LearnFormula on an annual basis.

What Students Are Saying

5.0
Student's Choice
7 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.