How fraud affects value — and valuation

Description

Abstract: Businesses lose an average of 7% of their annual revenues to fraud, according to the 2008 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud & Abuse issued by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. This article discusses what fraud consists of, how it may affect value, and how appraisers take fraud risk into account when valuing companies. The article points out, however, that appraisers need to beware of double-counting the effect of fraud risk on value, which may cause them to undervalue business interests.