Reminder on the Use of Convicted Fraudsters for Training

In my newsletter last March, I reminded you of the policy regarding the granting of CPE for presentations by convicted fraudsters. Since that time, we have learned that some previously convicted fraudsters are contacting our chapters and offering to teach classes on fraud. However, they are not disclosing their convictions or criminal history in the communications.

While these convicted fraudsters may be good speakers, the ACFE does not give CPE credit to classes taught by fraudsters on subjects other than an explanation of their particular crime. The ACFE Board of Regents announced the following rule in 2012:

ACFE shall not award Participant, College Course, In-House Training, Instructor, or Meeting CPE Credit for any portion of a program in which the instructor, speaker, or presenter is a person who has been, within the past ten (10) years, convicted of a fraud-related felony or a fraud-related crime involving moral turpitude (as that term is defined by the ACFE Membership Bylaws). An exception will be granted (and CPE credit allowed) for any portions of a program that are specifically and exclusively devoted to the convicted person describing or explaining his or her crime. The President of ACFE, Inc. shall have the authority to determine whether CPE credit will be granted or disallowed according to this rule on a case by case basis.

If you receive speaking invitations from outside instructors, make sure that you do proper due diligence on those individuals before contracting with them. Otherwise, you may be contracting with a convicted felon, and you may be paying for training that is not acceptable by the ACFE toward continuing education requirements.