Fraudish

Fraud, Mentoring, and AI: Serena Morones on Transforming Forensic Accounting

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0:00 | 42:21

Serena Morones on Forensic Accounting, Mentoring, and Using AI to Find Fraud Faster


Podcast host Kelly interviews Serena Morones of Morones Analytics about fraud, forensic accounting, and her career path. In a speed round, Morones says she’d most like to have a meal with Robert Jesenick, the CEO behind Oregon’s largest Ponzi scheme (Aequitas), to understand how rationalization and the “slippery slope” begin. 

They discuss gender patterns in fraud: women more often in classic embezzlement/bookkeeper cases, men more often in complex multi-entity schemes and investment fraud with larger dollar amounts. Morones recounts shifting from plans for law school to forensic accounting after seeing litigation-support work at Pricewaterhouse, emphasizing creativity, communication, and courage. She describes monthly group mentoring sessions and her focus on credibility and truth-telling among expert witnesses. Morones also shares her sports photography hobby and explains how AI is improving investigations by speeding document analysis and visualization, with a staff member dedicated to tool development. She notes she most enjoys investment fraud cases, recommends “Mr. Bates vs the Post Office” and “The Big Short,” and encourages young professionals to pursue the field for justice while staying committed to truth in court.

00:00 Welcome Serena Morones

00:45 Meal With a Fraudster

04:14 Men vs Women Theft

08:29 Building Morones Analytics

13:24 Creativity in Forensics

17:33 Mentoring the Next Gen

20:59 Sports Photography Outlet

22:39 AI in Forensic Accounting

32:47 Favorite Case Types

34:54 Fraud in Pop Culture

38:07 Gerry Spence Truth Lesson

40:13 Career Advice and Wrap


Connect with Serena:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenamorones/

https://moronesanalytics.com/team/serena-morones/