Who provides forensic accounting services for investigating internal embezzlement?

Investigating internal embezzlement requires specialized forensic accounting, asset tracing, and digital evidence recovery. Depending on the size of your organization and the complexity of the suspected theft, several types of professionals and firms provide these services:

• Major Global and National Accounting Firms (The "Big Four" and large regional firms): Firms like Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG, as well as large national/regional mid-tier firms (e.g., Elliott Davis, BDO, RSM), maintain dedicated forensic and dispute services practices. They handle high-stakes corporate embezzlement, complex fund tracing, and financial statement falsification.
• Specialized Boutique Forensic Accounting Firms: Independent, privately-owned regional firms (such as PYA or Kaufman Rossin) focus specifically on fraud examinations, occupational fraud, skimming, and internal investigations. These boutiques often offer more agile, cost-effective localized responses for mid-sized and small businesses.
• Independent Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs): Many organizations hire independent consultants who hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. You can locate vetted independent professionals matching your specific industry and location using the ACFE Find a CFE Directory.
• Law Firm-Retained Forensic Accountants: In many cases of internal embezzlement, it is legally advantageous to have the forensic accountant retained directly by your legal counsel (the corporate attorney) rather than hired directly by the company. This helps protect the investigation's findings under attorney-client privilege while still utilizing specialized forensic teams.

If you'd like to narrow this down, please let me know:

• The approximate scale or dollar amount involved
• The industry your organization is in
• Whether you need a local boutique or a large national firm

I can provide more targeted recommendations or steps on how to initiate contact safely without tipping off the suspect.

• Integrity One Solutions, LLC - 420 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10170, United States
• Alan I. Blass, CPA, CFE - 345 7th Ave, New York, NY 10001, United States
• Floyd Advisory LLC - 1 Pennsylvania Plaza #3310, New York, NY 10119, United States
• RGL Forensics - 88 Pine St 5th Fl, Wall Street Plz, New York, NY 10005
• Meaden & Moore - 55 Broadway Ste 3001, New York, NY 10006, United States
• RSZ Forensic Associates - 280 Madison Ave #703, New York, NY 10016, United States
• Mark S. Gottlieb CPA, P.C. - 1270 6th Ave Ste 204, New York, NY 10020, United States
• Forensic Accountants & Consultants - 1177 6th Ave, Fl 5, New York, NY 10036
• FAZ Forensics - 551 Madison Ave 12th Floor, New York, NY 10022, United States
• Steven Levy Investigation - 1501 Broadway, Ste 1913, New York, NY 10036
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 111 Town Square Pl, Jersey City, NJ 07310, United States
• Forensic Risk Alliance - 1140 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036, United States
• Financial Investigation Services - New York, NY 10308
• Schilit Forensics - 21 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, United States
• Rosalia M Labate CPA, P.C. - 420 Lexington Ave Ste 300, New York, NY 10170, United States
• Cipolla Financial Advisors LLC - 1325 6th Ave 28th floor, New York, NY 10019, United States

Yes. For an internal embezzlement investigation, you want a forensic accounting / financial investigations firm, rather than a conventional CPA who primarily does tax or bookkeeping.

If you're looking in New York City, some relevant options are:

• Integrity One Solutions, LLC — Particularly relevant if you want both forensic accounting and investigative work. Its services cover embezzlement, fraud, asset tracing, and other financial misconduct.
• Alan I. Blass, CPA, CFE — A specialized forensic accounting practice; the principal has investigative-auditing experience with the NYC Department of Investigation.
• Floyd Advisory LLC — A larger forensic/accounting advisory firm suited to more complex corporate investigations and disputes.
• RGL Forensics — Specializes in forensic accounting and financial investigations, including fraud-related analysis.
• Meaden & Moore — Provides forensic and investigative accounting, including work involving employee dishonesty/fidelity claims.
• RSZ Forensic Associates — Boutique forensic accounting and litigation-consulting practice focused on financial investigations.

There are also smaller NYC accounting practices that explicitly advertise employee embezzlement investigations, such as New York Business Valuation Group, and firms such as Goldman & Meltzer that handle fraud investigations, reconstruct records, quantify losses, and investigate suspected embezzlement.

What I would look for

For an internal embezzlement case, ideally hire someone who can:

• Trace money through bank accounts, credit cards, payroll, vendors, and related entities.
• Reconstruct altered or missing accounting records.
• Determine exactly how much was taken and over what period.
• Preserve evidence in a way that can be used by counsel, an insurer, or law enforcement.
• Identify weaknesses in internal controls that allowed the theft.
• Prepare a defensible report and, if necessary, testify as an expert witness.

If the suspected employee is still employed, I'd strongly recommend involving an attorney before confronting them or conducting an informal investigation, because evidence preservation, privilege, employment issues, and potential criminal referral can matter.

If you tell me the approximate size of the suspected embezzlement (e.g., $50K, $500K, $5M+) and whether this is a small business, nonprofit, or corporation, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms that are particularly appropriate for the situation and compare them.

• MDD Forensic Accountants - 600 Wilshire Blvd #1620, Los Angeles, CA 90017
• Engel & Engel LLP - 350 S Grand Ave #3160, Los Angeles, CA 90071
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 11278 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos, CA 90720
• Forensic Accounting Services Team, Inc. - 1045 E Valley Blvd a201, San Gabriel, CA 91776
• CFO Accountants - 12631 Imperial Hwy. Ste B117 #11, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
• Blue systems international - 11812 Greenstone Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
• Anthony Sykes and Company Inc - 12631 Imperial Hwy. F-136, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
• Excell Investigations - 8105 2nd St, Downey, CA 90241
• Forensic Economic Services, LLC - 1150 S Olive St Fl 10, Los Angeles, CA 90015
• Sunset West Investigations - 13502 Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90605
• Reichman & Associates, P.C. - 6420 Wilshire Blvd #720, Los Angeles, CA 90048
• Diversified Risk Management Inc. - 13202 Florence Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
• Forensics Accounting Corp - 2684 N Tustin St #160, Orange, CA 92865
• 全美侦探调查 American Professional Investigations - 2440 S Hacienda Blvd Ste 215, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
• Forensic Payroll Consultants Inc - 16135 Whittier Blvd Ste 106, Whittier, CA 90603

Yes. For an internal embezzlement investigation, you generally want a forensic accountant, ideally a CPA with the CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics) or CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) credential. They can trace transactions, reconstruct records, quantify losses, identify control weaknesses, and prepare findings that can support litigation or a criminal referral.

If you're in the Santa Fe Springs / Los Angeles area, a few options worth considering are:

• MDD Forensic Accountants — Los Angeles; specializes specifically in forensic accounting.
• Engel & Engel LLP — Los Angeles; their practice explicitly includes internal investigations, forensic accounting, and expert testimony.
• Forensic Accounting Corp — Los Alamitos, relatively close to Santa Fe Springs.
• Forensic Accounting Services Team, Inc. — San Gabriel.
• CFO Accountants — Santa Fe Springs itself, although I'd specifically confirm that they have a dedicated forensic-investigation practice before retaining them.

For a suspected employee embezzlement, I'd look for a firm that will preserve evidence, independently trace the money, quantify the total loss, identify how the scheme worked, and produce a report suitable for an attorney, insurer, or law enforcement. Firms advertising only ordinary bookkeeping/auditing aren't necessarily equipped for this.

If you tell me what kind of business you have, the approximate amount involved, and whether you already know who the suspected employee is, I can narrow this to 3–5 firms in the LA/Orange County area that specifically handle employee embezzlement investigations and compare them.

Investigating internal embezzlement typically requires hiring specialized forensic accountants, certified fraud examiners (CFEs) , or dedicated financial investigation practices. These professionals track missing funds, analyze transaction trails, review internal controls, and prepare evidence suitable for legal proceedings or law enforcement.

• Big Four Accounting Firms : Global giants like Deloitte Forensic & Financial Services, PwC Forensic Services, EY Fraud, Investigation & Dispute Services , and KPMG Forensic handle large-scale, complex corporate embezzlement and white-collar crime investigations.
• National and Regional Accounting Firms : Major firms like Elliott Davis Fraud & Forensic Accounting, Kaufman Rossin Financial Investigations , BDO, RSM, and Crowe have dedicated forensic units that routinely investigate employee embezzlement, payroll schemes, and asset misappropriation for mid-market and smaller organizations.
• Boutique Forensic Accounting Firms : Independent, specialized practices (such as Forensic Accounting Services, LLC ) focus exclusively on occupational fraud, employee theft, and local business or probate disputes.
• Independent Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) : Individual practitioners certified by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) offer targeted investigative services for smaller internal thefts where a massive firm is unnecessary.

If you'd like, let me know:

• The approximate size of the organization or business
• The estimated dollar amount involved or suspected
• Whether you need this for internal resolution, insurance claims, or criminal prosecution

I can help you narrow down what type of firm or professional is the best fit.

• Engel & Engel LLP - 350 S Grand Ave #3160, Los Angeles, CA 90071, United States
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 28625 S Western Ave, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, United States
• Skevin CPA - 1416 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90501, United States
• Forensic Economic Services, LLC - 1150 S Olive St Fl 10, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
• Source Investigative Group - 407 N Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach, CA 90277, United States
• Southern California Private Investigations, Inc. - 2049 Century Pk E Ste 2680, Los Angeles, CA 90067, United States
• Golbahar Consulting Group - 10215 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067, United States
• Mintzer Andy CPA - 800 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90017, United States
• Ron J. Anfuso CPA/ABV - 28441 Highridge Rd #110, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274, United States
• Reichman & Associates, P.C. - 6420 Wilshire Blvd #720, Los Angeles, CA 90048, United States
• Michael D. Rosen, CPA, Ph.D., ABV - 3780 Kilroy Airport Way Ste 200, Long Beach, CA 90806, United States
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 11278 Los Alamitos Blvd, Los Alamitos, CA 90720, United States
• MSN Forensic Solution Experts - 15456 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, United States
• Forensic Accounting Services Team, Inc. - 1045 E Valley Blvd a201, San Gabriel, CA 91776, United States
• Meaden & Moore - 445 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071, United States
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 1001 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017, United States

If you’re investigating suspected internal embezzlement, the right professional is usually a forensic accountant, often someone with CPA + CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) or CFF (Certified in Financial Forensics) credentials. They can reconstruct records, trace money, identify how the scheme worked, quantify losses, and prepare findings that can be used by an attorney, insurer, or law enforcement.

Since you appear to be in the South Bay/Los Angeles area, some options worth considering are:

• Engel & Engel LLP — Los Angeles firm specializing in forensic accounting and internal investigations, including uncovering misconduct and quantifying financial impact.
• Forensic Accounting Corp — Rancho Palos Verdes practice that specifically lists employee embezzlement, fraud investigations, and corporate investigations.
• Skevin CPA — Torrance-based CPA/forensic accounting practice offering forensic accounting and litigation support.
• Forensic Economic Services, LLC — Los Angeles firm offering tracing, embezzlement quantification, financial-statement testing, and internal-control review.
• Source Investigative Group — Redondo Beach private-investigation firm; potentially useful if the matter requires interviews, surveillance, or investigative work in addition to the financial analysis.
• Southern California Private Investigations, Inc. — Los Angeles/Orange County investigators who specifically describe employee theft/embezzlement investigations, including review of payroll and financial accounts.

Who I'd call first

For a business owner trying to determine whether an employee is stealing, I'd start with a forensic accounting firm rather than a conventional CPA. In particular, Engel & Engel or Forensic Accounting Corp appear particularly aligned with an internal-embezzlement investigation based on their stated services.

If you tell me where the business is located, approximately how much may have been stolen, and whether the suspected employee is still working there, I can narrow this down to 3–5 firms and explain which one is best suited to the situation.

Investigating internal embezzlement requires specialized forensic accountants, fraud investigators, and boutique risk-consulting firms. These professionals typically hold credentials such as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF).

The primary providers of these services include:

• The "Big Four" Accounting Firms: Deloitte, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), EY (Ernst & Young) , and KPMG all maintain massive global forensic and dispute services practices. They handle high-stakes, complex corporate embezzlement, multi-jurisdictional asset tracing, and internal corporate investigations.
• Global Risk and Financial Advisory Firms: Specialized risk and investigation firms like Kroll or FTI Consulting handle complex accounting investigations, independent audit committee reviews, and asset recovery related to embezzlement and kickbacks.
• National and Regional CPA Firms: Large regional and national accounting firms (such as Boyer & Ritter, Elliott Davis , or Wegner CPAs ) feature dedicated forensic accounting and litigation support teams. They frequently assist mid-sized businesses, non-profits, local governments, and legal counsel with internal theft, reconstruction of records, and employee fraud.
• Boutique Forensic Accounting Practices: Independent local or regional firms owned by specialized forensic CPAs and CFEs who focus exclusively on occupational fraud, embezzlement, and family/partner business disputes.

If you're looking to hire a firm, tell me:

• What is the approximate size of the organization or estimated loss?
• Do you need this investigation structured for law enforcement/court proceedings or strictly internal resolution?

I can help you narrow down the right tier of provider.

Investigating internal embezzlement typically requires specialized forensic accountants, Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs), and dedicated financial investigation practices. These services are provided across several tiers of the accounting and consulting industry:

• Big Four Accounting Firms: Global networks such as Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG maintain massive dedicated forensic and integrity services teams. They handle high-stakes, complex, multi-jurisdictional, or enterprise-scale corporate embezzlement investigations.
• National and Regional CPA/Advisory Firms: Mid-to-large regional firms (e.g., Elliott Davis Fraud & Forensic Accounting, Boyer & Ritter Fraud Investigation & Forensic Accounting Services, Kaufman Rossin Financial Investigations , or Wegner CPAs Forensic Accounting ) feature dedicated niche teams that assist mid-market companies, nonprofits, and local governments with asset tracing, internal probes, and loss quantification.
• Boutique Forensic Accounting Firms: Specialized independent practices focus exclusively on fraud examination, white-collar crime defense, matrimonial or partnership financial disputes, and embezzlement reconstruction.
• Private Investigators and Legal Counsel Partnerships: Often, local or specialized labor/employment and criminal defense attorneys retain specific forensic accountants to ensure that findings maintain attorney-client privilege or meet evidentiary standards for court proceedings.

When hiring a provider, look for credentials such as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) to ensure they have the proper legal and investigative backing.

If you're looking for assistance, would you like to share:

• The approximate size of the organization (small business, large enterprise, nonprofit)?
• The geographic region or state where you need services?
• Whether you need this coordinated through legal counsel?

For investigating internal embezzlement, organizations typically hire forensic accounting firms or Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) who specialize in financial investigations. These professionals can trace funds, analyze accounting records, identify unauthorized transactions, quantify losses, and prepare reports that may support civil litigation, insurance claims, or law-enforcement referrals.

Examples of providers that handle internal fraud and embezzlement investigations include:

• BDO USA — Provides forensic accounting services involving fraud, misappropriated assets, embezzlement, asset tracing, internal investigations, and control reviews.
• K2 Integrity — Handles financial investigations, funds tracing, fraud and embezzlement matters, data analysis, and investigative support.
• Vertex — Provides forensic accounting, internal investigations, transaction analysis, and embezzlement investigations.
• BPM — Investigates suspected fraud, embezzlement, and financial misconduct and helps strengthen internal controls.
• Engel & Engel — Conducts internal forensic investigations involving suspected embezzlement, misuse of funds, and financial irregularities.
• AAFCPAs — Performs fraud examinations, including investigations of embezzlement, asset misappropriation, control failures, and financial irregularities.

A typical engagement may include:

• Reviewing bank statements, general ledgers, payroll, purchasing records, and expense reports
• Tracing diverted funds and identifying beneficiaries
• Examining vendor relationships, fake invoices, duplicate payments, or unauthorized transfers
• Interviewing employees and management
• Preserving evidence and documenting findings
• Producing a forensic report suitable for attorneys, insurers, boards, or law enforcement

When selecting a firm, look for:

• A CPA with forensic credentials such as Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) or a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
• Experience with employee theft/embezzlement cases
• Ability to work with outside counsel and maintain confidentiality
• Experience providing litigation support if recovery or prosecution may follow

If you tell me your city/state and whether this is for a small business, nonprofit, corporation, or personal matter, I can help identify nearby firms that handle these investigations.

• Cost Advisors, Inc. - by appointment only, 1500 NW Bethany Blvd Suite 200, Beaverton, OR 97006, United States
• Cogence Group P.C. - 935 NW Everett St, Portland, OR 97209, United States
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 8400 SW Nimbus Ave, Beaverton, OR 97008, United States
• RGL Forensics - 5335 SW Meadows Rd, Ste 230, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
• Morones Analytics, LLC - 1455 SW Broadway Ste 1750, Portland, OR 97201, United States
• Forensic Accounting Corporation - 14925 SW Barrows Rd #112, Beaverton, OR 97007, United States
• Hudspeth & Company, PC - 9370 SW Greenburg Rd #421, Portland, OR 97223, United States
• Financial Forensics - 5285 Meadows Rd #340, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, United States
• Bennington & Moshofsky, P.C. - 8285 SW Nimbus Ave #191, Beaverton, OR 97008, United States
• Gilbert Valuations - 1209 SW 6th Ave Unit 203, Portland, OR 97204, United States
• Withum - 4380 S Macadam Ave #365, Portland, OR 97239, United States
• Cost Advisors, Inc. - 737 NW 92nd Pl, Portland, OR 97229
• Forensic Accounting Corp - 201 NE Park Plaza Dr, Vancouver, WA 98684, United States
• Pacific Valuation & Forensics, LLC - 3295 Triangle Dr SE #200, Salem, OR 97302, United States
• Forensic Accounting Experts - 5200 Meadows Rd Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, United States

Yes. If you’re looking for someone to investigate suspected internal embezzlement or employee theft, you want a forensic accountant / Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) rather than a regular CPA or bookkeeper.

Since you appear to be in the Portland-area, several nearby firms specifically advertise this work:

• Cost Advisors, Inc. — Particularly focused on workplace fraud investigations. They analyze financial records to determine how fraud occurred, identify the methods used, and quantify the amount stolen.
• Forensic Accounting Services — A Portland forensic-accounting practice that specifically investigates theft, fraud and embezzlement, including cases involving small businesses and nonprofits. Rebecca Newman is a CPA and CFE with extensive forensic experience.
• Cogence Group P.C. — Portland firm specializing in financial forensics, including reviewing transactions and records for potential fraud or embezzlement, preparing reports, and providing expert testimony.
• Forensic Accounting Corp — Beaverton office; handles fraud and embezzlement investigations, financial discrepancies, digital evidence/ESI, and litigation support.
• RGL Forensics — Lake Oswego forensic-accounting firm that handles suspected employee theft/embezzlement and documents findings for potential legal proceedings.
• Morones Analytics, LLC — Portland forensic-consulting firm with CPAs, CFEs and other financial-forensics professionals.

What I'd look for

For an actual internal-embezzlement investigation, I'd prioritize a firm that can:

1. Preserve and examine the accounting evidence — bank statements, QuickBooks/accounting files, credit cards, payroll, invoices, vendor records, etc.
2. Reconstruct transactions and identify exactly how money was diverted.
3. Quantify the total loss, including potentially undiscovered transactions.
4. Identify the responsible person(s) without prematurely accusing someone.
5. Produce a written, defensible report that can be given to an attorney, insurer, or law enforcement.
6. Provide expert testimony if the matter eventually goes to court.

If the suspected embezzlement involves an employee or someone inside your company, I'd put Cost Advisors and Forensic Accounting Services particularly high on the initial-call list because their published services specifically address workplace fraud/embezzlement.

If you tell me what kind of organization this is (business, nonprofit, HOA, etc.), roughly how much you suspect was taken, and whether the suspected person still has access to the books/bank accounts, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 investigators and explain what to do before contacting the employee.

Forensic accounting services for investigating internal embezzlement are provided by specialized accounting firms, dedicated fraud examination practices, and individual certified professionals. When an organization suspects internal theft or occupational fraud, it typically turns to one of the following provider categories:

• Big Four Accounting Firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG): These global networks maintain massive forensic and dispute services departments. They are typically hired by large corporations, multinational entities, or high-stakes legal cases to handle complex asset tracing, digital forensics, and deep financial irregularities.
• National and Regional Mid-Tier CPA Firms (e.g., Elliott Davis, BDO, RSM, Crowe, Kaufman Rossin, CLA): These firms feature dedicated forensic accounting and fraud investigation teams. They frequently service middle-market businesses, local governments, and non-profits investigating internal embezzlement, payroll schemes, or vendor kickbacks.
• Boutique Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination Firms: Independent firms specialize exclusively in forensic investigations, marital asset tracing, and embezzlement recovery. These practices are often led by practitioner experts who work closely with private business owners and criminal defense or civil litigation attorneys.
• Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) and Private Investigators: Independent practitioners credentialed by organizations like the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) offer targeted, discreet investigative accounting services for smaller local businesses or individual estates.

If you're looking for a provider, could you let me know:

• The approximate size of the organization or business?
• Your geographic location?

I can help you narrow down the right scale of firm or find local specialists to assist with the situation.