Partnering to Protect: APS’s Forensic Accounting Collaboration

Financial exploitation impacts the lives of vulnerable adults on multiple levels and is one of the most common reports to APS. Due to the complexity of analyzing bank records and other financial documents as part of a financial exploitation investigation, APS partnered with both public and private community partners to improve financial exploitation investigations and client services by incorporating forensic accounting services into APS’ investigative practices. Between September 2021 - August 2023, over 100 APS cases of suspected financial exploitation were referred for forensic accounting analysis. Forensic examiners reviewed multiple years of financial records which included over 101,000 transactions, totaling over $213,000,000.00 in finances, and identified over $8,000,000 in questionable activity. The results of this grant-funded collaboration support the continued partnership between APS and forensic accountants to help combat the financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.