The fraud, drama, and massive failure of FTX is a story of unethical leadership, inadequate governance, and organizational culture with low psychological safety. As with many frauds, the primary media focus is on the sensational details. In this case, the spectacular rise and downfall of the wunderkind entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried combined with the industry in which the fraud occurred: Blockchain and cryptocurrency.
But hidden beneath the surface of the enigmatic leader and the FOMO (fear of missing out) inherent in cryptocurrency are critical lessons in ethical decision-making, governance, and organizational culture.
Who Should Attend
This course would be appropriate for, CPAs, CMAs, CGMAs, CIAs, CFEs, CFOs, CEOs, employees, staff accountants, managers, and anyone who is interested in understanding the behavioral ethical implications and learning outcomes from the FTX fraud.
Topics Covered
- FTX fraud case
- Fraud risk triangle
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency
- Pillars of ethical leadership
- Organizational culture
- Ethical decision making
Learning Objectives
- Summarize what happened in the FTX fraud case
- Explain why Bitcoin was invented
- Describe how blockchain transactions work
- Describe the pillars of ethical leadership
- Discuss how organizational culture affects decision making
Level
Basic
Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based
NASBA Field of Study
Behavioral Ethics (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites
None
Advance Preparation
None
Instructor
Garth Sheriff
Garth Sheriff is the founder of Sheriff Consulting. We specialize in designing and delivering leadership, ethics, and technology courses for accounting and finance professionals. Sheriff Consulting’s mission is to provide an engaging approach to your continuing professional education. Sheriff Consulting is a NASBA-approved CPE sponsor.
Our content is designed for maximum engagement using the latest developments in adult learning pedagogy. The learning objectives in our courses will help you:
1. Navigate our engagement and communication challenges across all levels of experience in our current work environment
2. Exploring how to maintain and uphold our ethical responsibilities by examining organizational failures such as FTX, Theranos, and Boeing.
3. Prepare for how transformative technology such as blockchain and artificial intelligence will impact our profession.
Garth has worked as an assurance professional and learning provider for over 20 years. He has prepared and trained CPAs for key changes to the profession, including the adaption to the hybrid workplace and understanding the risks and rewards of the artificial intelligence boom we are currently experiencing.
He earned a Master of Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours – Accounting) from the University of Waterloo, Canada. He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPAO), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
Garth has also acted in various stage and film productions. He is a graduate in improvisation from The Second City and a member of ACTRA (the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists.