The West Virginia University Institute for Fraud Prevention has awarded two doctoral research scholarships in honor of the internationally known fraud fighter, Gilbert Geis.

The Gilbert Geis Memorial Scholarship supports students during the dissertation phase of their PhD studies and the applications are accepted from students across the nation.

Recipients of the award receive $10,000 each to help fund research related to detecting and deterring fraud. This year’s recipients were selected from a long list of well-qualified applicants.

The recipients are:

• Amy Genson Sheneman, an accounting student at Indiana University Bloomington. In addition to fraud, her research interests include corporate governance and auditing, and financial reporting standards.
• Eric Condie, University of Wisconsin Madison is researching why and how fraud occurs and what happens after fraud is discovered.

The Gilbert Geis Memorial Scholarship was established in 2016 with contributions totaling a little over $50,000. The scholarship fund gives awards that further the legacy of Gilbert Geis, one of the most prominent fraud scholars in the nation. Mr. Geis had a strong history of assisting PhD students during both the research and publication phases of their dissertations.

The funds were donated to The IFP, an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center housed at WVU and co-led by LaRue Williams, executive director, and Dr. Richard Riley, director of research. The IFP is dedicated to actionable multidisciplinary research in the detection and deterrence of fraud and corruption. It currently works with 13 other research institutions and two industry members, Grant Thornton LLP and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. It is through the generosity of its members that the IFP is able to fund such research.

It is estimated that 5 per cent of all revenues of privately held companies are lost each year due to fraud, with 22 percent involving losses of at least $1 million. Fraudulent activities are on the rise and are exponentially increasing in cost. The IFP chooses and directs research projects that will most benefit the fight against fraud.

For more information, contact Williams at 304.293.8274 or email her at larue.williams@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

lr/05/16/16

CONTACT: LaRue Williams; Institute for Fraud Prevention
304.293.8274; Larue.williams@mail.wvu.edu

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.