Overview of Forensic Services

Businesses operate in an interconnected world with stakeholders such as customers, vendors, regulatory agencies and transactions take place on agreements and covenants, and channeled into business processes. Disagreements or questions, when arise, need to be addressed with or without external assistance. Spry Control, with expertise in internal control and digital information, can provide expertise not otherwise available with the clients.

We investigate unusual or irregular commercial activity and financial reports and perform electronic evidence discovery with a view to preserve evidence, and piece-by-piece build the whole flow of transaction and position. Our knowledge comes from a range of experience dealing with matters of fraud, corruption, accounting, information technology and regulatory compliance.

Our dedicated specialists provide independent, detached and confidential advice to the clients to help them find the best solution for their specific issues, including a shareholder dispute, contractual breach, failed acquisition or suspected fraud. The financial impact of business conflict is critical. We preserve and evaluate the evidence and accurately calculate damages or lost profits due to contract disputes, business interruption, insolvency and transactions. We also provide expert witness testimony as necessary to explain, substantiate and defend our findings.

We also provide our information systems and applications security, digital forensic, subject matter expertise on regulatory compliance, accounting forensic and internal control expertise for the lawyers and clients form a multidisciplinary team to investigate and pursue fraud allegations. Our team also works with our clients' internal or external legal teams to help the team unfold as to what happened, how much is at risk, who is involved and what opportunities exist for recovery. Our engagements are based on time and materials and responsive to the team and client's needs.

Criminal and Civil Investigations
Our Forensic Investigation team is capable of providing help in criminal investigations, following the standard disciplinary procedures, undertaking forensic accounting, providing financial and other regulation, participate in evidence discovery and fraud risk management work.

• Investigate financial reporting
• Examine financial and source documents for fraud - including false reporting, manipulated records, forgery, or electronic tampering
• Assist in financial restatements
• Investigate alleged fraud or illegal acts, including money laundering and corruption
• Regulatory compliance investigations
• Provide expert reports and testimony
• Conduct liquidation investigations
• Examine suspect vendor relationships or activities
• Investigate suspect financial performance by a unit, subsidiary, or joint venture
• Investigate compromises of intellectual property and trade secrets

Spry Control Forensic Accounting Methodology

Spry Control follows a phased engagement putting the client in the control of the scope and timeframe of each phase. Accordingly, each phase stands on its own and has its own methodology, value and deliverables.

• Phase 1: Exploration and Initial Evaluation
• Before any work can begin, the client and Spry Control define the problem, the issues involved, and the scope of the engagement. Then a projection of the timeframe, cost, and expected deliverables for each phase is determined.
• In identifying the areas to examine, consideration must be given to both the direct and the indirect cause-effect relationship. We identify what information is needed and then gather the information to perform an initial review to conclude whether there is a potential cause of action. The conclusion indicates if additional information and documents are needed, a recommendation on how to proceed, and the identification of any potential risks.

• Phase 2: Thorough Evaluation
• Client's approval is obtained for phase 2 including tracking and tracing and in-depth analysis of source documents, records, books and transactions. Also included is the verification of certain findings from third parties. Several approaches, or a combination of them, are used in the analysis of books and records to reconstruct a true cause-effect relationship:
• Specific account analysis;
• Specific time-period analysis, or a comparison of similar data for similar time periods;
• Account-by-account analysis;
• Interrelated account analysis; and
• Payee-by-payee analysis.
• Preparing the analysis. In preparing an analysis, it is important to trace transactions from beginning to end and from end to beginning, cross-check and review supporting documentation.
• With electronically generated books and records, a review of system controls, backups, and logs is critical, as it is much easier for one to alter information today than when transactions were recorded in separate physical books. The verification and documentation have become significantly more difficult.
• Reconstruction of books and records. At times, reconstruction of books and records, or specific transactions, from incomplete information is also required. Third-party verification and confirmation is also employed. Additionally, interviews with inside and outside persons are conducted to interpret or corroborate the available information. We look for information or evidence to support or reject the initial hypothesis.
• Third-party verification and confirmation. At times, the forensic accountant may need to obtain third-party verification to confirm matters that arise during the investigation. These third parties may include vendors, customers, and banks.
• Phase 2 concludes with the delivery of a report to the client. The report has detailed findings, any additional potential risks that we believe are present, any additional information that might still be needed, and a recommendation as to whether there is sufficient evidence or information for the process to continue.

Fraud Investigation             Digital Forensic          eDiscovery Services
Internal Control                  Governance            Information Security