The Fraud Examiner

Proactive Prevention Is Key for Longtime CFE

January 2019

ACFE Member Profile
Keith Kauffman, CFE, CPA
CFO
Sunbelt Holdings

Keith Kauffman, CFE, CPA, has enjoyed a long tenure in the anti-fraud profession. Kauffman, the CFO for Sunbelt Holdings, has been a CFE since 2000 and has made it his mission to show organizations the importance of proactive fraud detection. His latest project, antigaap.com, is an effort to create a new financial reporting method and framework in order to help prevent fraud.

How did you become passionate about fighting fraud? 

It started early in my career. I had been a CPA for only a few years when I joined the ACFE as an associate member (I become a CFE in January 2000). I cannot remember how I heard of the ACFE or what prompted me to join but I wanted to help my clients detect and investigate fraud. I remember reading the first Report to the Nations — I prepared a PowerPoint presentation with a colleague who was more experienced in fraud investigation and we went around presenting it to whomever would listen. This was before the days of Enron and not many people were interested in discussing fraud. However, over the years I have read about, and seen, the proliferation of fraud to a pandemic level which has led me to become quite vocal about proactively hunting down fraud. I would say my passion about fighting fraud has only continued to increase.