AIC students join IRS agents for Project Adrian
Special Agents from the Internal Revenue Service swarmed the campus of American International College on Monday, Oct. 26 to investigate fraud. No, not actual fraud on the campus, but a hands-on learning experience for some 25 AIC accounting and criminal justice majors. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division teamed up with AIC students to help solve hypothetical financial crimes.
The event, known as the "Adrian Project," allowed a total of 25 students to work with 20 IRS Special Agents or retirees in many investigations such as drug traffickers and multi-filer tax schemes.
AIC was chosen over hundreds of other schools across the country. "This seminar is only the 3rd in Massachusetts, and the first in Western Massachusetts. The IRS Criminal Investigators are doing five schools per year and have accumulated a two-year waiting list," according to Carol Sitterly, director of the AIC Center for Academic Success.
This interactive experience referred to as the "Adrian Project" Student Fraud Conference involves a partnership between the IRS CI and a college or university. Building on the increasing interest of students in investigating fraud through forensic accounting, the "Adrian Project" is a unique program that places college students into groups, assigning them to solve one of five hypothetical financial crimes.
Some of the hypothetical investigations involved business owners skimming funds from their company, a bar owner who keeps two sets of books, a multi-filer tax scheme, and a drug trafficker, among others. Each group of students had an experienced IRS Special Agent or retiree who coaches them and provides learning points during the exercise, but it was up to the students as "Honorary Agents" to follow the paper trial and expose the fraud.
The students selected their steps in gathering evidence, usually taking them to potential witnesses, played by seasoned IRS Special Agents and other volunteers. Some of the students utilized the tools available to federal law enforcement officers, including use of undercover operations, surveillances, subpoenas, and search warrants. At the end of their scenarios, the students meet as a group to discuss their investigation, while receiving an evaluation from their coaches.
Another part of the training included a session with the Firearms Simulation Training System (FATS). The students had a chance to test their reactions when put in dangerous situations.
Special Agent Dukes
Susan Dukes, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Boston Field Office, said the purpose of the project is to expose students, through an interactive learning experience, to the inner workings of a fraud investigation through the eyes of an IRS Special Agent, and to present forensic career opportunities to students with an accounting degree.
"The IRS proposes the Adrian Project to increase awareness of forensic accounting by providing a realistic and hands-on approach to the field. The conference will open students' eyes to a different type of career available in the accounting profession - and they'll learn the specific skills necessary to be successful in forensic accounting. The conference will assist students in making informed career decisions," she said.
The project is also open to criminal justice majors. Dukes also mentioned that the seminar could possibly change the minds of some of the criminal justice majors to become accounting majors.
"I think our job is to expose them to new accounting careers," she said.
