Fraudish

Kelly Paxton
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Fraudish is a podcast to help those working in fraud. Hosted by Kelly Paxton, Certified Fraud Examiner, Ex-Private Investigator, and Pink Collar Crime Expert. Kelly is a former special agent turned investigator specializing in embezzlement and workplace dishonesty cases. Fraudish interviews outstanding fraud professionals so you can continue to move forward in your career. Origin stories, tips, resources are just some of the amazing fraud content you will hear each Tuesday. 

  1. 23 HR AGO

    Fraud is a Culture Issue? The Financial Consenquences of Turning a Blind Eye with Evie Wentink

    You may think fraud is a financial issue. And you would be wrong! According to my guest, “Fraud is a culture issue with financial consequences.” And I tend to agree.  Everything in an organization — good or bad — begins and ends with culture. When leaders look the other way (as illustrated by Tom Hardin's first fraudulent trade going unchallenged by his boss), a culture of permissiveness takes root. Kelly welcomes back Evie Wentink for her return appearance on Fraudish. Evie is a compliance professional with 20+ years of experience, founder of the Integrity Playbook program, and a passionate advocate for ethics and compliance in both enterprise and small business settings. 📚 Books & References Mentioned Tom Hardin — insider trader turned ethics speaker; his book is a recurring touchstone throughout the episode. Evie is co-organizing a Compliance Professionals Meetup in Morristown, NJ featuring Tom Hardin (with book signing)."London Falling" by Patrick Radden Keefe — Kelly's current read; a true story about a young British boy whose fascination with Wolf of Wall Street shapes his path."Wolf of Wall Street" — used as a cultural reference point for how organizational culture can normalize extreme behavior."Friends & Neighbors" (Apple TV/HBO Max) — Kelly recommends this Jon Hamm series about a hedge fund manager turned thief for Evie.The Better Way Podcast — hosted by Hui Chen and Zach Coseglia; their company is called Culture Data Ethics.Evie's Final Word for the Audience: "Relationships are the key to success — not only in business, but in compliance." If you're in ethics or compliance, make it your goal to meet people across your organization before they ever have to come to you with a problem. Build those relationships proactively. It will become your biggest asset!  Thanks for listening to Fraudish. Please leave us a good review if you enjoyed! Connect with Evie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eviewentink/ Ethical Edge Experts: https://www.ethicaledgeexperts.com/ Ethical Edge Substack: https://ethicaledge.substack.com/p/ai-is-everywherebut-understanding?r=52e047&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%2Bviewer&triedRedirect=true https://substack.com/@ethicaledgebyevie/note/p-195888058?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=52e047

    37 min

  2. 14 APR

    Insurance Fraud, Personal Branding, and 37 Years of Solving Riddles with Kelly Riddle

    When your last name is Riddle, solving problems kind of feels inevitable. In this episode, Kelly sits down with Kelly Riddle, founder and CEO of Kelmar Global, to unpack a 37-year career in fraud investigation — from insurance fraud and corporate theft to how the field has evolved in the digital age. They dive into what actually makes someone commit fraud, the differences between male and female embezzlers, and why no one committing fraud thinks they’re the bad guy. Kelly Riddle also shares his go-to interview techniques for getting people to confess — without ever leading with accusations. Plus: why committing insurance fraud is a terrible idea (they know more than you think), how technology has changed investigations, and the surprisingly strategic side of naming and branding a business. 🔍 In this episode: Why insurance fraud is harder to get away with than everThe psychology of fraud: rationalization, guilt, and opportunityMale vs. female embezzlers — who actually gets away with more?Interview techniques that get people talking (and confessing)How fraud investigation has evolved over nearly four decadesThe role of social media and digital footprints in modern casesWhy you should never name your business after yourselfHow strong branding shapes your reputation in an industryConnect with Kelly Riddle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyriddle/ Kelmar Global:https://www.kelmarglobal.com/About-Us PI Insitute: https://piinstitute.com/

    44 min

  3. 8 APR

    The Fraud Red Flags You Should Pay Attention To with Michael Blevins

    She knew she would get caught one day but kept stealing… Every day at work: "Is this the day?" and when FBI showed up with her boss, she knew immediately. This is Michael's choice for any fraudster to interview: Sue Sachdeva (Koss Corporation).  Michael Blevins, a fraud prevention consultant based in Palm Springs, California, about his 35+ year career in mortgage banking and fraud prevention. We discuss Sue Sachdeva's shopping addiction embezzlement case, the evolution from consumer fraud to business fraud, the fraud triangle, red flags in employees, and Michael's transition to consulting after a corporate career. Connect with Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelblevins7118/ Blevin Associates: https://www.blevinsassociates.com/

    47 min

  4. 24 MAR

    “Just Go Do the Thing”: Inside Forensic Accounting and Fraud Minds with Justin Burns, CPA, CFE

    What does it actually take to build a career catching fraudsters? In this episode, Kelly sits down with Justin Burns, CPA, CFE and founder of Space Coast Forensics, to talk about his journey into forensic accounting — and why success in this field (and honestly, any field) comes down to one simple mindset: just go do the thing. From cold-emailing his way onto podcasts to building his own practice, Justin shares how taking initiative — even before feeling “ready” — shaped his career. They also dig into the psychology of fraud, including which fraudsters Justin would most want to interview, why the first time someone steals matters more than anything else, and the truth about gender differences in embezzlement. Plus: what forensic accountants actually do day-to-day, how to break into the field, and why the community is more supportive than you’d expect. 🔍 In this episode: Why asking about the first theft reveals everythingThe truth about gender differences in embezzlementHow Justin found forensic accounting (and knew it was the right fit)What forensic accountants actually do: fraud investigations, litigation support, and moreThe power of cold emails, networking, and taking initiativeStarting your own practice: exciting, terrifying… and worth itWhy most people never take the leap — and how to be the exceptionThe surprisingly supportive world of forensic accounting💡 Key Takeaway Most people wait until they feel ready.  The ones who succeed? They start before that. 👤 About Justin Burns Justin Burns, CPA, CFE, is the founder of Space Coast Forensics, where he specializes in fraud investigations, litigation support, and economic damages. He’s also the host of the Data Sleuth Podcast, where he explores real-world fraud cases and forensic accounting insights. Connect with Justin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-burns-cpa-cfe-215506155/ Space Coast Forensics 🎧 Resources & Mentions Data Sleuth PodcastCrime JunkieSwindledCriminal with Phoebe JudgeDead Money by Jacob KerrWired on Wall Street by Tom Hardin (Tipper X)

    42 min

  5. 17 MAR

    Tipper X Returns: Cold Emails, Insider Trading Lessons, and Turning Scars into Service with Tom Hardin

    Tipper X is back. Tom Hardin, former Wall Street analyst, convicted insider trader, and author,  returns to Fraudish to talk about what happens after the scandal. Most people in Tom’s position would disappear. Instead, he’s chosen to do the opposite: speak openly about his mistakes and turn his scars into service. Tom joins Kelly to discuss his new book and the real story behind his insider trading conviction — including the pressures of Wall Street, accountability, redemption, and what the justice system gets right (and wrong). They also dive into the mental health toll of public scandal, the gray areas of ethics in finance, and what Tom now teaches organizations about compliance, culture, and decision-making. In this episode: What actually happened in the insider trading case that made Tom “Tipper X”The personal and professional fallout after the convictionProsecutorial overreach and the complexities of white-collar justiceThe mental health side of scandal and rebuilding a lifeWhy Tom now speaks to companies about ethics and complianceAbout Tom Hardin Tom Hardin (aka Tipper X) is a former Wall Street analyst who became one of the most well-known insider trading cooperators in U.S. history. Today he is a public speaker on ethics, compliance, and decision-making in high-pressure environments — and the author of a new book about his experience and redemption. Connect with Tom:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tipperx/ 📘 Get the book: https://www.tipperx.com/book 🎧 Listen to Tom’s first Fraudish appearance: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-33-tom-hardin-aka-tipper-x/id1530413097?i=1000523021597

    54 min

  6. 11 MAR

    Following the Money: An Inside Look at IRS Criminal Investigations with Carla Blake

    Before launching her own forensic accounting firm, Carla Blake CPA, CFE spent 15+ years with the IRS tracking down fraudsters. In this episode, she joins Kelly to break down how investigators actually follow the money—and the surprisingly simple red flags that expose embezzlement. From ghost employees to Ponzi schemes, Carla breaks down how fraud really happens, how investigators catch it, and why understanding human behavior matters just as much as understanding numbers. Spoiler: sometimes the biggest fraud control is simply not trusting the nicest person in the office with all the passwords. What You’ll Learn Why women and men commit different types of fraudThe red flags that signal embezzlement in small businessesHow forensic accountants follow the moneyWhy most fraud is discovered by accidentThe skills every future fraud fighter actually needsResources Mentioned Association of Certified Fraud ExaminersAmerican Institute of Certified Public AccountantsData Sleuth PodcastCarla Blake  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakefiles/ Website: https://www.blakefiles.com/

    57 min

  7. 3 MAR

    Behavioral Similarities Between Fraudsters and Murderers with Julia Cowley of The Consult: Real FBI Profilers

    Julia Cowley is a retired FBI agent/profiler, who hosts The Consult: Real FBI Profilers podcast. The one on the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist was fantastic!  Cowley traces her path from chemistry and a forensic science master’s to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, then the FBI, where she was assigned to bank fraud and later public corruption/civil rights in Boston while serving on the Evidence Response Team, before applying to and joining the Behavioral Analysis Unit during research into high-level white-collar offenders. They found some interesting similarities between serious violent offenders and white-collar criminals. Listen to The Consult: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/

    56 min

  8. 24 FEB

    Going Undercover to Recover Priceless Art with FBI Art Crime Senior Investigator Robert Wittman

    Art crime isn't like other crime. They aren't just stealing from one person or organization, when they steal a masterpiece from a museum,  they're stealing from all of us.  A lot of former law enforcement officials write books. Not a lot of them write page turners. I found Robert Wittman after reading about him in the news and reached out cold—because his book Priceless is just that good. We're talking kept-me-up-until-2-AM good. Art crime is fascinating, but it doesn't always grab me like this one did. Robert was instrumental in the creation of the FBI’s rapid deployment Art Crime Team and spent his career going undercover to recover stolen masterpieces worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In this conversation, we get into what it's actually like to work art fraud cases, what differentiates it from other fraud, and how he turned those wild stories into a book that reads like a thriller. Connect with Robert: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-wittman-74347a16/Website: https://www.robertwittmaninc.com/aboutBooks: https://www.robertwittmaninc.com/booksMore from Robert: BBC Interview: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5p64Podcast Appearances: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/robert-wittman-107aNDpttk/appearances

    37 min
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About

Fraudish is a podcast to help those working in fraud. Hosted by Kelly Paxton, Certified Fraud Examiner, Ex-Private Investigator, and Pink Collar Crime Expert. Kelly is a former special agent turned investigator specializing in embezzlement and workplace dishonesty cases. Fraudish interviews outstanding fraud professionals so you can continue to move forward in your career. Origin stories, tips, resources are just some of the amazing fraud content you will hear each Tuesday. 

Information

  • Creator
    Kelly Paxton
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Fraudish
  • Show Website
    Fraudish

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