Justice for Fraud Victims Project

A silver version of the scales of justice female character

Leveraging higher education, accounting professionals, and law enforcement to assist victims of crime 

The SUNY Old Westbury Justice for Fraud Victims Project (JFVP) offers victims of fraud across Long Island support in their pursuit of restitution while also providing vital skill-building experience for SUNY Old Westbury students. 

JFVP’s goal is to assist victims of suspected financial fraud in cases where forensic investigative services are limited or too costly. With the assistance and oversight of Certified Fraud Examiners and other professionals, our students are a force multiplier as they establish the method by which the fraud was perpetrated and help quantify damages so the case can be prosecuted -- all while getting valuable real-world experience in the field of forensic accounting. 

CASES AND MENTORS NEEDED

The SUNY Old Westbury School of Business and the AFCE Long Island Chapter are developing a network of professionals from the accounting, law enforcement, legal and fraud examination fields to both refer cases for action and to serve as mentors for students engaged in  forensic reviews. 

Case Criteria 

Criteria that may be used for JFVP case selection include, but are not limited to, demonstrated financial need (i.e. inability to afford a full certified fraud examination), victim and witness cooperation with the investigation, and whether or not the crime occurred within the statute of limitations for prosecution.

benefits of working with the JFVP

Benefits for Victims 

The cost of obtaining a fraud examination by a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) is often prohibitive for victims. JFVP can help them obtain justice where fraud occurred and they suffered financial harm. Without this project, the large volume of financial fraud cases confronting scarce law enforcement resources might leave the victims of financial fraud without the resources and  assistance  needed to pursue the perpetrators of the fraud through  forensic accounting.  

Benefits for Students 

JFVP will provide invaluable real-world experience in forensic accounting for students enrolled in the School of Business’ Master of Science in Forensic Accounting program. Opportunities to allow students to work in “real world” environments do not come along often.  JFVP will take students out of a standard classroom environment to perform as forensic accountants. Through this experience, students will not just talk about how forensic accounting is done, but they will confront real world complications in investigating white collar crime. This experience simply cannot be replicated anywhere. Whether or not a student is interested in forensic accounting as a career, the techniques and the mindset necessary to perform a successful investigation will serve them well throughout their career. 

JFVP In the News

Local cable and online broadcaster News 12 recently covered the work of SUNY Old Westbury's Justice for Fraud Victims project, where students of the M.S. in Forensic Accounting program are affecting change off-campus by rooting out fraud experienced by small business owners, families and more.