Fraud & White Collar Crime Practice Update

IAG Forensics & Valuation’ team members have been engaged by three metro-Atlanta district attorney’s offices to investigate high-profile suspected fraud and white collar crime matters.

DeKalb County – School District Matter

In November 2013, IAG’s Karen Fortune provided testimony in The State [of Georgia] v. Patricia Pope, aka: Patricia Reid and Anthony Vincent Pope. Ms. Reid, the former Chief Operating Officer of DeKalb County Schools and her ex-husband, Mr. Anthony Pope, were accused of using Ms. Reid’s position to direct over a million dollars in school district funds to her husband’s architecture business.

IAG Forensics & Valuation performed financial analyses and funds tracing of numerous bank accounts to demonstrate to the jury the sources and uses of the funds in question.  Jurors learned how funds flowed from the DeKalb County School System to the business and personal accounts of the parties.

Ms. Reid was found guilty of racketeering and theft charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.  Mr. Pope, Ms. Reid’s ex-husband, was found guilty of racketeering and sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Rabun County – Boggs Mountain Humane Shelter

IAG Forensics & Valuation has been engaged by Rabun County District Attorney, Mr. Brian Rickman, to assist in a financial investigation involving Ms. Lowanda “Peanut” Kilby, a woman indicted on numerous charges of theft and racketeering resulting from her alleged actions at the Boggs Mountain Humane Shelter.

Ms. Kilby, the former director of the Humane Shelter, promoted a program in which customers could pay funds guaranteeing that a “Lucky Dog” (or Cat) would not be euthanized.  Despite acceptance of funds and communications that the animals had been adopted, the Fox 5 I-Team, led by Mr. Randy Travis, discovered that the animals were euthanized.

Laurie Dyke, managing partner of IAG Forensics & Valuation, leads this financial investigation and will provide testimony of her findings if called upon to do so.

Cobb County – Alleged Defrauding of an Elderly Woman

IAG Forensics & Valuation has formed an alliance with Southern Polytechnic University’s (“SPU”) Fraud Accounting program, led by Professor William Beecken.  Professionals from the firm work closely each year with students of Professor Beecken’s fraud class to prepare for and participate in the SPU Annual Mock Trial.  As a result of this relationship, IAG has entered into a unique engagement with the Cobb County District Attorney’s office.

Laurie Dyke and IAG team members will provide pro bono financial investigative services with assistance from certain SPU fraud class students who are currently interning with the Cobb County District Attorney’s office, working on various fraud matters with alleged losses in the millions of dollars.

IAG Forensics & Valuation has specifically been engaged to assist in the racketeering case styled State of Georgia v. Jeffrey Carr, Joseph Carr and Amy Taylor.  This matter alleges that Messrs. Jeffrey Carr and Joseph Carr and Ms. Amy Taylor defrauded an elderly woman of millions of dollars for personal gain.  IAG and the SPU students are working under the direction of Mr. John Melvin, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney – White Collar, Public Integrity and Crimes Against Children Unit.

Laurie will provide testimony of her findings if called upon to do so.

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IAG Forensics

IAG Forensics & Valuation is a CPA firm that specializes in forensic accounting, fraud investigation, business valuation and litigation support.

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