The Fraud Examiner

Author and CFE Emphasizes the Importance of Educating Your Community

December 2018

ACFE Member Profile
Dr. Tonisha Pinckney, CFE
Founder
Revelatus Specialized Accounting & Consulting, LLC

Dr. Tonisha Pinckney, CFE, is not only the founder of Revelatus Specialized Accounting & Consulting, LLC, but is also a lecturer, adjunct instructor, a former director of criminal justice undergraduate and graduate programs, assistant dean and a published author. Dr. Pinckney’s extensive work volunteering in her community and spreading fraud awareness education bolsters her core philosophies. “I feel it is my duty and purpose to mitigate the impact of victimization in communities. With education comes responsibility,” she said. “As CFEs, we are empowered by our education and must responsibly use it to educate those who would not ordinarily have access to our services.”

How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

My passion for fighting fraud is connected to my passion for fighting injustice, protecting potential victims, helping survivors/victims, learning more about offender typologies and helping to “set things right.” I have always been the “you can’t do that to people” type of person. I learned that fraud, though I did not know what it was called at first, is just another form of injustice.

When I was in my late teens and early 20s, my identity was stolen at least twice. Having someone steal your identity when you are just learning you have an identity is earth shattering. But luckily the individuals and agencies who helped me straighten up the situation and regain control of my life and identity did a phenomenal job. Those experiences stayed in the back of my mind, causing me to question how the perpetrators gained access to my identity and why I was deemed a suitable target — or whether it was all arbitrary. Identity theft also hit me harder than many victims because I was already a survivor of two sexual assaults. The anger of someone stealing my identity after having my body violated created an anger in me that I cannot describe. I can say that it also ignited a passion.