What role do forensic accountants typically play in investigations?

Forensic accountants play a crucial role in investigations by utilizing their specialized knowledge of accounting and financial processes to uncover fraudulent activities and financial discrepancies. They are adept at examining financial statements, tracking assets, and interpreting complex financial records to detect irregularities that may indicate fraud, embezzlement, or other financial crimes. Their skills allow them to build a clear and factual timeline of financial transactions, often contributing essential insights to legal proceedings and helping to establish the financial aspects of a case.

While other roles mentioned can be important in various investigations—such as analyzing physical evidence, conducting witness interviews, or assessing psychological profiles—these tasks are generally outside the core focus of forensic accountants, whose expertise lies primarily in financial analysis and fraud detection.