Before launching her own forensic accounting firm, Carla Blake CPA, CFE spent 15+ years with the IRS tracking down fraudsters. In this episode, she joins Kelly to break down how investigators actually follow the money—and the surprisingly simple red flags that expose embezzlement.

From ghost employees to Ponzi schemes, Carla breaks down how fraud really happens, how investigators catch it, and why understanding human behavior matters just as much as understanding numbers.

Spoiler: sometimes the biggest fraud control is simply not trusting the nicest person in the office with all the passwords.

What You’ll Learn

Why women and men commit different types of fraud
The red flags that signal embezzlement in small businesses
How forensic accountants follow the money
Why most fraud is discovered by accident
The skills every future fraud fighter actually needs

Resources Mentioned

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Data Sleuth Podcast

Carla Blake
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakefiles/

Website: https://www.blakefiles.com/

Following the Money: An Inside Look at IRS Criminal Investigations with Carla Blake