Can Accounting Fraud Be Accidental?

April 10, 2019

Accounting fraud is a very serious charge that can be levied against companies or individuals. Many businesses and accountants may not even be aware that they are acting fraudulently. Yet the government will still seek to incarcerate and fine those who are convicted of accounting fraud. Can you commit accounting fraud accidentally? And if so, can you be held accountable?

Types of Accounting Fraud

Accounting fraud can take on many forms, and some of them can be unintentional. Some of the charges you might face in accounting fraud include:

  • Recording more sales revenue than occurred
  • Not recording expenses or income appropriately
  • Misdirecting funds
  • Failing to report investments
  • Failing to report assets in a way that affects taxes
  • General falsification of accounting records

Any of these charges could occur from honest mistakes on the part of an accountant or accounting team member. When you are charged with accounting fraud for one of these reasons, the government will seek to prove that you knew that the mistake was made, and did so intentionally. They may also seek to prove that you did so to the benefit of yourself or the company.

What to Do

If you are charged with accounting fraud, you need to get legal representation right away. Even if you believe fully that you are innocent of any wrongdoing, it is important to have a lawyer fighting on your side. An experienced attorney can evaluate your case and accounting records to discover why you are being charged, if a mistake was in fact made, and mount a defense on your behalf. If you have been charged with accounting fraud, contact us today for a consultation.

Our Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

I was referred to Robert by Ruge Law Group when they were actually KRG Law Group. They handled a car accident I was involved in. This was a business debt collection levied against our company by an employee’s debt collector. He and his colleagues handled it flawlessly. He and his staff are beyond impressive and do everything they can to take the cases brought before them. I came back to them with a very big case. I don’t want to dox anyone in the office other than the name on the business. However, they handled it in the most professional, respectful, and caring way possible. J, you did an amazing job and due diligence! Robert, I wanted to personally thank you for representing us in the past and in the future. You and your paralegals are above Top Shelf. This firm is straight Louis XIII.

I hired Drew to assist with a business dispute that I encountered with a fellow member of the Florida Bar. Drew was very professional and was able to negotiate a positive settlement for me.

I hired Mr. Patterson (due to another attorney's referral) to handle what I viewed as a complex case. Because of Mr. Patterson's knowledge of the applicable laws and forethought of opposing counsel's strategy, I'm happy to say the outcome was "excellent." I generally do not post but Mr. Patterson absolutely deserves a well appreciated applause for his legal performance. That said, I also referred him to my sister which also had successful results. Thank you, Mr. Patterson.

As always, you (and BK) are rockstars! I couldn't be more grateful to have you both on my side. I appreciate all that you both do.

You are amazing! Thank you so much! I’ll give you a 5-star review, you’re the best!

view all testimonials
Stay Connected

Get Updates About Our Firm

Our Attorneys encourage client input to customize a strategy to provide the legal services you deserve. We provide experienced representation for those in Florida and now Texas.