PwC to host conference on Economic Crime

PricewaterhouseCoopers will be hosting its second African Conference on Economic Crime. Louis Strydom, PwC Southern Africa Leader of Forensic Services, says that despite heightened efforts at regulation and significant corporate investment in controls and other preventative measures, fraud remains a major threat to companies around the world. “From simple theft to more complex schemes involving management and corruption, the threat continues regardless of a company's size, location or industry.Now, more than ever before, there is an unequivocal expectation that members of both the governmental and corporate spheres address the ever growing threat of economic crime.”

Strydom says the conference, through a panel of experts with years of collective expertise and knowledge, will address many of the aspects of economic crime that can lead to enormous losses for both public and private sector organisations.

The conference will consider issues such as the 419 advance fee scams, identity fraud, corruption and employee infiltration, the roles of forensic experts, the police and the prosecuting authorities, intellectual property, money-laundering and anti-terrorism legislation.

Keynote speakers include Mervyn King of the King Reports on corporate governance, Advocate Billy Downer – Deputy Director Public Prosecutions, and Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe – Acting Head of the National Prosecuting Authority.

There will be workshops that address fraud risk identification, policies and procedures, forensic technology solutions and investigation methodologies such as asset tracing and evidence gathering.

The 2008 conference follows on the success of the first conference in 2006 and will be held at The Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, 28-30 May.