Chapter Meeting Announcement

 The Heartland Investigation and

Social Media & The Christmas Party

Course Description:  

Session 1: The Heartland Investigation: Data-Driven Detection of Multi-Layered Vendor Fraud

What began as a routine review of minor internal inconsistencies unraveled into a complex, multi-year scheme involving multiple internal employees and three external vendors. This session provides a deep dive into the investigative lifecycle of a high-profile case that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. We will explore how SQL and Data Warehouse queries were leveraged to identify anomalies in procurement patterns and how Tableau visualizations exposed the "web of deceit" connecting internal staff to complicit third-party vendors.

Session 2: Social Media & The Christmas Party: Cracking a Nationwide Employee-Contractor Conspiracy

In this case study, we examine how a single team event—a Christmas party—became the catalyst for uncovering a massive fraud network involving subordinate leaders, their families, and external contractors with ties to organized crime. This investigation led to a total restructuring of one of the organization's departments across the United States. This presentation focuses on the "forensic curiosity" required to bridge the gap between social behaviors and financial crimes. We will discuss the use of SQL for data scraping and analysis, and how Tableau was used to map relationships between disparate groups of bad actors.

·     Utilize data analytics tools (e.g., SQL and Tableau) to identify anomalies and detect patterns indicative of vendor fraud.

·     Apply forensic curiosity to connect social behaviors and digital evidence to potential fraud indicators.

Additional Information:

·     Delivery Method:  In Person

·     Field of Study:  Specialized Knowledge

·     Program Level: Beginner

·     Prerequisites:  None

·     Advanced Preparation: None

Who Should Attend: Certified Fraud Examiners and other anti-fraud specialists, investigators, risk managers, internal and independent auditors, CPAs, and other professionals or government employees interested in utilizing data analytics tools to identify anomalies and detect patterns indicative of vendor fraud and connecting social behaviors and digital evidence to potential fraud indicators.

Registration Fee: 

        ·     Members: $280

        ·   Non-Members: $320

Wendell Parker, CFE, is the founder of Windstorm-LLC, a Certified Fraud Examiner with over 18 years of investigative experience specializing in the intersection of traditional forensic inquiry and advanced data analytics. With a unique professional perspective shaped by 26 years in the transportation industry and a distinguished military career, Wendell excels at detecting and mitigating complex financial and operational risks.

He is a leader in leveraging technical tools—including SQL, Python, Power BI, and Tableau—to transform raw data into actionable investigative insights. His work has led to the successful resolution of high-profile cases involving multi-layer vendor fraud and organized criminal conspiracies. Wendell is recognized across the industry for his commitment to precision, integrity, and the continuous evolution of anti-fraud methodologies