A trusted full-time office manager/bookkeeper for a small law firm (3 employees) embezzled $60,000 from its two attorneys over a two-year period. The attorneys trusted her to handle all the administrative functions of the office. They often chatted with her while they signed the checks. She produced good work over the last ten (10) years so it was never reviewed by the attorneys or an outside auditor. The fraud was uncovered by a temp employee covering the position while the bookkeeper was away on her first vacation since she was hired. Evaluate the possible schemes she may have used and the reasons how she was able to get away with it for so long.

Required:

a) Choose one possible scheme for embezzlement

b) List three (3) weaknesses explaining how she was able to get away with it and

c) For each weakness, describe what the attorneys could have done to prevent the loss