37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference keynotes guide the way in the fight against fraud

With more than 5,700 in-person and virtual anti-fraud professionals in attendance, the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference became the second-most attended event in ACFE history. The conference offered attendees more than 90 educational sessions, including prominent keynote speakers whose investigations, films and advocacy serve as beacons of light, guiding the way in the fight against fraud and corruption.

Boston Harbor, with its rocky landscape, narrow channels and shallow shoals, was notoriously difficult for ships to navigate in the U.S. colonial era. But Boston residents in the 1700s sought to stem the tide of shipwrecks by erecting lighthouses along the coast to serve as beacons, guiding ships into the harbor and warning them of danger. In July 2026, more than 5,700 anti-fraud professionals from across the globe navigated in person and virtually to the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, held in Boston, Massachusetts, to learn from and guide each other through the latest techniques and best practices in fraud detection and prevention.

With its rich history as the birthplace of U.S. independence — and where Charles Ponzi hatched his infamous investment scheme — Boston was a fitting locale for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ (ACFE) second-most attended conference in the global anti-fraud organization’s history.

“I really believe this year’s ACFE Global Fraud Conference was our best ever,” said John Warren, J.D., CFE, CEO, and president of the ACFE. “We got such great feedback and support from our attendees about the quality of the educational program and the sense of community and connectedness they felt in Boston.”

Conference attendees had more than 90 educational sessions, helmed by more than 100 anti-fraud experts, to choose from, including sessions on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into fraud examinations, interviewing fraud victims effectively, trade-based money laundering, financial tracing methodologies and emerging fraud risks. An essential element to every ACFE Global Fraud Conference is the keynote speakers featured during the conference general sessions. When ACFE keynote speakers discuss their experiences, expertise and knowledge, they can set the tone for the conference. “This year’s keynote speakers were not only educational but also inspirational,” said Warren. “As a group, they showed how important our members’ work is and how our profession can — and must — advance to meet new challenges.”

These keynote speakers, including actor and director Alex Winter, AI and deepfake detection expert Dr. Hany Farid, Malaysia’s Auditor General H.E. Dato’ Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi, whistleblower and author Noelle Webb, and investigative journalists Paul Radu and Drew Sullivan, demonstrated how they’re meeting the challenges posed by fraud and corruption. Through their experiences and expertise, these keynote speakers showed how anti-fraud professionals can meet the challenges posed by rapid advances in technology and increasingly complex fraud schemes that transcend international borders.

Visit Fraud Conference News for more coverage of the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference.  

Deciphering deepfakes: Dr. Hany Farid

Dr. Hany Farid, professor of computer science at Dartmouth University and an expert in digital forensics and deepfakes, opened his 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference keynote session with a wry warning about the rapid advancement of AI and deepfake technology: “Things are getting weird out there.” Farid said he hoped that his keynote session would “make things a little bit less weird.”

He was candid with attendees, saying that even he was grappling with advancements. “While we used to measure change in technology in 12 to 18 months, we now measure it in 12 to 18 days.”

Through images and video, Farid demonstrated how AI-generated files are increasingly becoming harder to detect and how he and his digital forensics company, GetReal Security, use mathematical models to verify them. Farid dispelled common myths about detecting AI and identified current threats and opportunities to beat those threats.

 

‘The day of six fingers is over’

As Farid explained, commercial open-source libraries allow anyone to enter any prompt they want to generate highly realistic images without the odd quirks generally associated with AI-generated content. He illustrated this with an image of a young woman making a heart with her hands. The image was generated with a commercial product, and Farid noted it was indistinguishable from reality. “The day of six fingers is over,” Farid said, referring to the way in which AI tools often produced strange details in images, like extra body parts.

According to Farid, we’re at a chilling turning point as AI lets users decide how a person moves and occupies space, which is ideal for “real-time identity theft.” All one needs to steal an identity is 15 seconds of a person’s voice and one image, Farid said.

But identity theft is just one of many nefarious uses for deepfake videos. As AI technology improves and becomes more accessible, bad actors will devise all sorts of uncannily real-looking content. Farid listed several troubling creations, including nonconsensual intimate imagery to embarrass or extort people, child sexual abuse images, national security breaches and intellectual property theft. Just as troubling, Farid noted, is that people aren’t good at identifying AI-generated content. His team runs perceptual studies in which participants review content — images, videos and voice — to determine whether something is real or fake. People are correct only approximately half the time. “There’s no correlation between their confidence and their accuracy, which is particularly dangerous,” Farid said of people’s ability to identify real versus AI content. “People who think they’re good at it are bad [at determining authenticity].”

We’re on the very steep part of AI. It will settle down. I’m almost sure of that. But right now, it is really, really noisy out there. I don’t think you can ignore it. I think something dramatic is happening.

Hany Farid, AI and Deepfake Detection Expert, Professor and Author

 

Perhaps most alarming is what’s known as the liar’s dividend, which allows bad actors to take advantage of the ubiquity of AI-generated content to insist that something real is fake. “You don’t just have to worry about fake content; you now have to worry about believing something that’s real is fake. How do we trust anything?” said Farid.

Authenticating with reactive and active techniques

Farid explained two approaches to verifying content: reactive and active authentication. With reactive authentication, his team receives a file to determine whether it’s genuine. Active authentication, by contrast, is built into content. As an example, Farid described an insurance company requiring customers to submit claims through its app, which can authenticate content at the point of creation.

Regarding reactive techniques, Farid presented a propaganda video about China circulating on TikTok, which is entirely made with AI. Farid can take four-second chunks of the audio and use a computational model that can distinguish between real voices, human voices and AI-generated voices. Another model looks specifically at faces. “It takes seconds to run, and we immediately know this is an AI-generated person,” Farid said.

With reactive techniques, “We’re trying to understand the physical process of taking a photograph or a video recording. You're in a three-dimensional world, and there’s a lot going on in that, which isn’t happening with AI. AI synthesizes things using statistics,” said Farid.

Farid identified watermarks, content credentials and digital signatures as the “three pillars of active authentication.” AI companies such as OpenAI can embed content credentials in a file’s metadata, indicating that the content was created using the company’s AI, when it was generated and that it’s been cryptographically signed by the organization. Visible watermarks have limited value because they can be cropped from an image. Invisible watermarks, however, are much harder to remove. The third pillar is the digital signature, or perceptual hash. When content is created, a unique digital fingerprint — akin to DNA — is generated and stored alongside its content credentials.

 

Foiling fraudsters in real time

Farid spoke about a growing wave of AI-enabled fraud, from North Korean spies using AI to pose as remote workers at major companies, to scammers cloning loved ones’ voices to steal money from victims. Unlike earlier schemes, these attacks are now perpetrated in real time. To counter them, Farid said his company is developing technology that can identify signs of inauthenticity within the first 10 seconds of a video call. “We’ve been building technology that can sit in the stream the way AI transcribers do when you join a call,” he said. This technology will be hard for adversaries to beat as Farid’s team can detect faster than fraudsters can generate fake videos and voices in real time.

Whether someone is using a VPN during a call can provide clues to a deepfake attack. “If I want to conceal my geolocation, I have to use a VPN, otherwise my IP is a giveaway,” said Farid. Organizations can look for signals such as virtual cameras, obscured geolocation data and biometric inconsistencies to detect deepfake attacks during video calls.

Farid concluded with some hope for the future and a message to fraud fighters to do all they can to keep up with advancing technology. “We’re on the very steep part of AI. It will settle down. I’m almost sure of that,” said Farid. “But right now, it is really, really noisy out there. I don’t think you can ignore it. I think something dramatic is happening.”

Understanding the systems behind the money: Drew Sullivan and Paul Radu

“We are in the Golden Age of crime and corruption,” Drew Sullivan, co-founder and publisher of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), said during his keynote session alongside OCCRP co-founder and head of innovation Paul Radu, at the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. He and Radu sat down with ACFE Research Director Mason Wilder, CFE, to talk about the essential role of collaboration as crime and corruption grow more complex and transnational. Sullivan and Radu received the ACFE’s Guardian Award, which honors journalists whose determination, perseverance and commitment to the truth have contributed significantly to the fight against fraud.

 

Taking on corrupt networks

For nearly two decades, OCCRP has built a reputation as one of the world’s most influential investigative journalism organizations. But according to Sullivan and Radu, their mission expands beyond journalism and focuses on building partnerships with people whose work turns revelations into results.

As Radu and Sullivan investigated criminal organizations across borders prior to founding OCCRP, they quickly discovered that crime and corruption were globalized businesses. Criminal networks collaborated internationally, shared resources and moved funds seamlessly across jurisdictions. “We realized this was a network. We needed a network to fight it,” Sullivan said.

That lesson remains highly relevant for fraud examiners today. Financial crime rarely exists in a vacuum. What appears to be a single fraud scheme may be part of a larger system involving shell companies, correspondent banks and multiple jurisdictions. “Individual cases are amazing entry points into systemic crime and corruption,” Radu said.

Individual cases are amazing entry points into systemic crime and corruption.

Paul Radu, OCCRP Co-Founder and Head of Innovation

 

That systemic perspective shapes OCCRP’s investigative methodology and offers a framework for anti-fraud professionals seeking to identify broader risks. Rather than focusing solely on individual transactions, Radu encouraged investigators to understand the infrastructure that makes fraud possible. Looking beyond one suspicious payment often reveals networks, intermediaries and recurring patterns that can expose much larger schemes.

Leveraging data in fraud investigations

For fraud examiners, the keynote provided a practical message about data. Sullivan emphasized that traditional transaction-by-transaction reviews are often inadequate against sophisticated laundering schemes that span multiple jurisdictions and institutions. “It’s all about data,” he said, adding that investigators must embrace large-scale analytical approaches capable of identifying networks rather than isolated anomalies. Modern money laundering operations commonly involve mirrored trades, multiple accounts and complex ownership structures that can only be understood through broader data analysis.

We realized this was a network. We needed a network to fight it.

Drew Sullivan, OCCRP Co-Founder and Publisher

Both founders stressed the importance of collaboration, persistence and storytelling in their investigative work. Fraud examiners, journalists, auditors and law enforcement agencies each possess pieces of the puzzle, but meaningful results occur when those groups work together.

By Crystal Zuzek, CFE

Protecting the public’s trust: H.E. Dato’ Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi

In the days following France’s win against Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, Her Excellency Dato’ Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi opened her address at the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference with a quip to attendees that “Boston is the place to be where people take red flags seriously.”

Wan Suraya, the 20th Auditor General of Malaysia, was the first keynote speaker of the conference, speaking candidly yet compellingly about the level of responsibility anti-fraud professionals have in their work. “Spotting a red flag is only the beginning,” she said. According to Wan Suraya, the role of fraud fighters, including good auditors, is to follow evidence wherever it leads and to take seriously the trust that’s placed in them.

For her dedication to following evidence and public trust, Wan Suraya received the 2026 Cressey Award, the ACFE’s highest honor for a lifetime of achievement in the detection and deterrence of fraud. She expressed “deep gratitude” for receiving the award, recognizing that it represents all “auditors who enter difficult engagements without fanfare.” She noted that receiving the Cressey Award is a “reminder that the work continues,” as Malaysia, alongside the ACFE, fights fraud with increased precision and intelligence with the help of advanced technology, as well as integrity. “Integrity ultimately begins with human choices,” she said, and those are the choices fraud fighters will continue to make as they protect the people they serve.

 

Upholding traditions of good governance

Wan Suraya and her team of auditors in the National Audit Department (NAD) protect Malaysia’s public funds, and in doing so, “dissect complex financial anomalies” as part of “Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to good governance.” NAD celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2026, and Wan Suraya noted the importance of upholding tradition and promoting good governance by anchoring assessments in core auditing principles and reforming national governance practices to identify red flags and address fraud issues before they escalate. “Response isn’t only about administration,” she said.

A commitment to public trust

Wan Suraya reflected on her study of criminology at the University of Sheffield in the U.K., where she earned a Bachelor of Laws degree. She was fascinated to consider why trust is broken and why people make unethical decisions, which shaped how she views accountability and created a “lifelong commitment to protect public trust.”

NAD demonstrates this commitment to public trust through its many recent reforms, including amendments that expand audit jurisdiction to government-linked companies (GLCs) that have never been audited before. NAD also has a mandate to conduct follow-up audits. “Public money may leave the government, but it shouldn’t leave the public eye,” Wan Suraya said.

By Anna Brahce, CFE

Drawn to stories at the intersection of technology, deception and society: Alex Winter

Actor, writer and award-winning director Alex Winter said that most audiences he speaks to need an introduction to the technologies behind his documentaries. At the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference he found something different.

Winter joked during his keynote session that he rarely gets to speak with people who already understand subjects like cryptocurrency, the dark web and AI. Instead of explaining the technology and its potential negative applications, Winter joined ACFE President and CEO John Warren, J.D., CFE, for a conversation about its broader impact on trust, accountability and public understanding.

A civic responsibility

Winter discussed how his work as a documentary filmmaker focused on stories involving technology, corruption and accountability. His family’s journalism background helped shape his belief that helping people understand the world is a form of civic responsibility.

That philosophy guided Winter’s documentaries examining the Panama Papers, the dark web, cryptocurrency and social platforms. Rather than simply documenting corruption or explaining emerging technology, Winter said he looks for people whose experiences help convey structures, risks and larger impacts. Discussing his documentary covering the Panama Papers, Winter explained that he intentionally centered the documentary on the international network of journalists responsible for investigating one of the largest financial leaks in history.

The work of a documentarian

Winter feels his role as a filmmaker is to help audiences understand complex subjects and the societal consequences of disruptive technologies. As he told Warren, “More people understanding the way the world works will make the world better.” He described filmmaking, especially his documentary work, as an investigative process built on curiosity, research and conversations with experts. Winter said the best documentaries leave audiences with more questions than answers and an investment in learning more.

More people understanding the way the world works will make the world better.

Alex Winter, Actor, Writer and Director

 

Although filmmakers, journalists and fraud examiners approach investigations from different perspectives, many of the themes discussed during the session applied directly to the work anti-fraud professionals encounter every day. Each profession demands curiosity, persistence and a willingness to follow evidence wherever it leads, and they all carry the responsibility of translating complex information into something others can understand and act upon.

Winter acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding rapidly evolving technology, including AI and deepfakes, but said growing public awareness is leading to more informed conversations about oversight and accountability.

By Kelsey Copeland

A whistleblower’s resilience: Noelle Webb

When Noelle Webb first blew the whistle on her employer for illegally marketing opioid pain medications, hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. were addicted to drugs very often prescribed to them by a doctor. Webb recognized her employer’s actions were wrong, and she decided to speak up. Despite facing severe retaliation and litigation, Webb found courage and healing by becoming a service-dog trainer. She’s the 2026 recipient of the ACFE’s Sentinel Award, which honors individuals who publicly disclose wrongdoing in business or government.

Webb, accompanied by Tully, the first dog she trained, recounted her experience to attendees of the 37th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. ACFE Chief Operating Officer Andi McNeal, CFE, CPA, interviewed Webb about the emotional and psychological effects of being a whistleblower and the powerful, healing connection between humans and canines.

 

Standing with the truth

According to Webb, moral integrity drove her decision to speak out. “That overrode every rational thing that I could possibly think of or every excuse that I could come up with — a deep sense of knowing right from wrong.”

Whistleblowers, Webb explained, are adept at recognizing patterns, especially when those patterns are fraught with suspected wrongdoing. “You understand when something’s just not right and something doesn’t fit,” said Webb. “I think a lot of people in my situation and many whistleblowers struggle with, ‘Am I seeing this correctly? Are these really the facts?’ And you sit with those for months, sometimes years, before you ever speak up.” The next step is having courage to “stand with the truth no matter how long it takes.” 

The mindset of a whistleblower

Webb studied neuroscience as part of her education to train service dogs. She quickly learned how the brain’s innerworkings aren’t only key to understanding the bond between humans and canines but also to understanding whistleblowers. She described the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG), a structure in the brain that connects “our primitive brain to our thinking brain. Basically, it’s a conflict detector.” Everybody has an ACG — even dogs, which is why, according to Webb, they become so emotionally attached to humans.

Webb’s ACG acted like a warning signal at work. “This anterior cingulate gyrus is flashing at me saying, ‘You need to do something’,” she said. “Because whistleblowers also have a profound sense of responsibility, especially to preventing harm to others. That anterior cingulate gyrus was saying, ‘Girl, you better take some action,’ and that’s exactly what happened … I was compelled to speak up.”

Having the courage to stand up is really what sustained me. I know that I did this, and I should be proud of that. But in the background was all the hurt and all the years that seemed lost. But it was all for standing up for the truth. And I will never regret standing up for my principles.

By 2011 Webb had noticed a troubling discrepancy: The disease incidence data she tracked through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t align with her employer’s aggressive sales targets. When she asked how those goals were calculated, she received what she described as a vague and evasive answer, raising concerns that something was wrong.

Facing retaliation

The retaliation against Webb began shortly after she asked about how the company’s sales goals were calculated, which she pointed out seemed like a valid question for any salesperson to ask. “The retaliation made me more resolute in wanting to speak the truth because they were trying to silence me.”

She filed two separate False Claims Act lawsuits in 2014, but the cases weren’t resolved until 2025. Unfortunately, her legal team failed to win the retaliation case on a technicality.

Webb described the disappointment she felt and what the decisions she made revealed about herself and the shared experience of whistleblowers everywhere. “Having the courage to stand up is really what sustained me. I know that I did this, and I should be proud of that. But in the background was all the hurt and all the years that seemed lost. But it was all for standing up for the truth. And I will never regret standing up for my principles.”

Finding another purpose

As Webb’s case journeyed through the U.S. court system, she received Tully as a birthday gift. “Tully came into my life at the most vulnerable time for me. And when I say she saved my life that’s not hyperbole, because I was literally drowning not only in retaliation, but I had some personal loss in my life,” said Webb.

Tully inspired Webb to pursue a master’s degree in human-canine life sciences, and she started training service dogs for people with disabilities and military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I could recognize their grief and their sorrow, and the calming effect that a dog had on these people and how the dogs could bring them and me out of isolation and back to a purposeful, meaningful life.”

Tully, who used most of the session to sleep on stage, woke up smiling to the applause from conference attendees. Webb returned to the personality traits that drive whistleblowers to come forward to conclude the session. “We’re hard to silence. We’re very stubborn. And most whistleblowers would say, despite the profound loss and the retaliation, they would do it again,” she said. “How could I not report fraud if I saw it? That’s inherent in me. And it would go against everything that I had stood for and all my ethical values if I did not report it.”

Jennifer Liebman, CFE, is the editor in chief of Fraud Magazine. Contact her at jliebman@ACFE.com.