Jim Dipper was hired by Catch Me If You Can Inc. to operate its engineering department, which constructs bridges.
Dipper produced his engineering license, his college diploma from the California Institute of Technology, and references from the engineering company he previously worked for, Pan Am Engineering. The CEO of Pan Am Engineering is Chuck Finley, indicated as a reference on Dipper's résumé, and is well respected in the industry. John Ripley, the CEO of Catch Me if You Can, Inc., assumed that Human Resources checked Dipper's credentials and was happy to have him on board. Catch Me If You Can Inc. was working on a new bridge project for State Bridges, Inc., the general contractor (general contractors oversee projects for clients). State Bridges, Inc.'s client, Brooklyn Bridge, Inc., was working on the project in Brooklyn, New York. It was a very technical engineering project, and Ripley was convinced that Dipper was the man for the job. In addition to their engineering credentials, a common achievement was shared by Ripley and Dipper: Both had attained Eagle Scout status. Both were also foundational generation members. A few months had gone by, and Ripley was convinced that the Brooklyn Bridge project was making the company significant profit, since Dipper was getting an abundance of change orders and the cash was rolling in from the general contractor, State of Bridges. Dipper was working with Tim Two-Timer, the project manager for State of Bridges, Inc. 3.T One day Ripley's secretary received a call from Anthony Oversight, the CEO of State of Bridges, Inc., asking why the project was behind schedule based on a call he received from his client Brooklyn Bridges, Inc. Ripley called Dippel. who was on vacation with Two-Timer in the Bahamas. Ripley calls you, he forensic accountant, to look over the billing and the budgets to determine what the status of the project is and respond to Oversight's call.



Questions

1) What skills are needed to employ or develop the fact-finding aspects of the case?

2) What accounting principles and standards may have been violated?

3) Have any laws been broken?

4) What documentation is available to prove the case?

5) What are the potential deceptions between the people and the organization?

6) Where is there a clear division between the people and the organization?