Forensic Audit

When numbers do not add up, you need answers fast and quietly. Our forensic team helps investors, employers and parties in disputes establish what happened, where the money went and how much was lost — then hands you findings you can act on, whether that means recovery, settlement, litigation or simply fixing the controls that failed.

When You Need a Forensic Audit

Typical triggers include suspected employee, payroll or supplier fraud; unexplained cash or stock losses; director and shareholder disputes over drawings, dividends or asset use; concerns raised by whistleblowers, banks or investors; disputes over completion accounts or earn-outs; and irregularities discovered during a statutory audit or due diligence. Early scoping matters — acting quickly preserves evidence, protects recovery routes and limits further loss.

What a Forensic Investigation Involves

Every engagement is scoped to the question you need answered. Core techniques include extraction and interrogation of accounting data from your ERP or ledger systems, funds-flow analysis tracing money and assets to their destination, reconstruction of incomplete or manipulated records, review of contracts, correspondence and approvals, structured interviews where appropriate, and quantification of loss. Our familiarity with diverse accounting and ERP systems means we work in your data quickly, without tipping off subjects of the investigation.

Evidence for Legal Proceedings

Findings are documented to a standard suitable for use in legal proceedings, regulatory action or insurance claims, and we work alongside your solicitors throughout — from initial scoping through disclosure to settlement discussions. Where an independent expert accounting view is needed on quantum or accounting treatment, our senior team provides clear, defensible analysis in plain English.

Fixing What Failed

Recovery is only half the job. Every forensic engagement concludes with practical recommendations on the control weaknesses that allowed the problem to occur — segregation of duties, payment authorisation, supplier onboarding, reconciliation discipline — so the same loss cannot happen twice. Because we are a full-service firm, our audit and advisory teams can implement those improvements with you afterwards.

Our Forensic Audit Team

Acumon is a full-service, mid-tier London audit practice with a team of 70 professionals, combining the resources for complex requirements with personalised senior attention. More than half of our auditors previously worked at leading international accounting firms, and our experience spans company audits, charity audits and PIE audits — so we recognise both what good looks like and how fraud hides.

What You Get With Acumon

• Fraud investigation: employee, payroll, supplier and management fraud
• Asset tracing and funds-flow analysis to destination
• Loss quantification for disputes, insurance claims and recovery actions
• Support for director and shareholder disputes
• Findings documented for use in legal and regulatory proceedings
• Discreet operation preserving confidentiality throughout
• Control weakness diagnosis and practical remediation recommendations

Why Acumon for Forensic Audit?

• Team of 70 audit professionals, more than half from leading international accounting firms
• Full-service firm: audit, tax and advisory teams support recovery and remediation
• PIE audit licence holder
• Only £37k short of the top 100 in the Accountancy Age 50+50 list for 2024

Get a Fixed-Fee Quote

Tell us what you need and we'll come back within one business day with a clear scope and a fixed price — no hourly-rate surprises. Call 020 8567 3451 or use the form and we'll be in touch.