forensic audit services - june 2021
Forensic Audit Services
Released June 2021
Download the audit report here
The City of Atlanta engaged Windham Brannon, LLC and its subcontractors to analyze events, transactions, and related internal controls relative to certain actions reportedly taken by Jimmie A. Beard (“Jim Beard”), while employed as the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the City of Atlanta (“the City”), from 2011 to 2018.
Released June 2021
Download the audit report here
The City of Atlanta engaged Windham Brannon, LLC and its subcontractors to analyze events, transactions, and related internal controls relative to certain actions reportedly taken by Jimmie A. Beard (“Jim Beard”), while employed as the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of the City of Atlanta (“the City”), from 2011 to 2018.
Windham Brannon found:
- Specific internal controls can be, and were, overridden. Collusion, including management overrides, can defeat internal control mechanisms in any organization. It appears, at the time these problems arose within the City, internal controls were overridden by management.
- Based upon analysis of financial data and findings in interviewing City personnel employed by the City at the time of the events, the City lacked a proper and effective Tone at the Top culture and underlying operating philosophy.
- The control atmosphere existing during this timeframe could be described as akin to “the wild west,” i.e., controls were routinely overridden by management.