Experts & Advisors
Jean-Michel Ferat
Senior Managing Director
2000 K Street NW, 12th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
+1.202.507.5529 Direct
+1.301.642.4811 Mobile
Jean-Michel Ferat is a Senior Managing Director at Ankura with over 25 years of experience in the specialized fields of forensic accounting, fraud detection, and data analytics. He has applied his skills in a variety of cases involving corruption, kickbacks, collusive bidding rings, money laundering, embezzlement, asset misappropriation, terrorist financing, and financial statement fraud. He has led or participated in reactive investigations and proactive compliance engagements, including Foreign Corrupt Practices Act monitorships, across the United States and in over 25 countries around the world. Jean-Michel served two terms as the forensic accounting expert on the audit and finance committee of the board of directors of the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. He is based in Washington, DC.
Experience
Jean-Michel has led or participated in numerous high-profile and complex projects across the United States and in international locations including Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Djibouti, Guinea, Holland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
Jean-Michel’s project experience includes the following:
Investigations
- Leads a team of forensic accountants and technologies in tracing billions of dollars of funds across hundreds of entities in dozens of jurisdictions as part of a Middle-east based shareholder dispute.
- Led the forensic accounting investigation of 12 Dubai-based private equity funds exceeding $5 billion in assets managed by the Abraaj group.
- Engaged as the lead forensic accountant in the investigation of bribes and kickbacks within the $64 billion United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme.
- Led a team of forensic accountants and data analytics specialists (engaged by Special Master Louis Freeh) to identify and help mitigate fraud in the $10 billion BP Deepwater Horizon claims process.
- Engaged by outside counsel for the Kyrgyzstan government to assist in the potential recovery of funds allegedly embezzled by a former regime.
- Co-led a high-profile forensic investigation in Islamabad for the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, into the sudden rise and collapse of the Karachi Stock Exchange index.
- Engaged to help defend the author of the book “Terrorist Hunter” against two libel suits and one constitutional tort action arising out of her investigation of Muslim charities’ alleged funding of terrorism (Mar-Jac Poultry v. Katz).
- Engaged by the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria as an external forensic accounting expert for over five years to assist the inspector general in his investigations of fraud and corruption around the world.
- Engaged by the World Bank as an external forensic accounting expert for over four years to assist the Integrity Vice Presidency in its investigations of fraud and corruption around the world.
- Managed various aspects of the multiyear forensic accounting investigation of a large Swiss bank to uncover dormant accounts owned by Holocaust victims.
Expert Witness
- Engaged as an expert in a civil dispute arising out of a declination from the US Department of Justice following its investigation into FCPA violations.
FCPA Monitorships
- Leads a team of forensic accountants in support of Department of Justice and Securities Exchange Commission FCPA monitorship of a multi-national regulated waste company.
- Led a team of forensic accountants in support of a Department of Justice and Securities Exchange Commission FCPA monitorship of a multi-national medical device manufacturer.
- Led a team of forensic accountants in support of a Department of Justice FCPA monitorship of a multi-national engineering company.
- Led a team of forensic accounts in assisting a multi-national medical device manufacturer and services provider in enhancing its compliance program and internal controls throughout the course of a FCPA monitorship.
Proactive Compliance and Controls Assessments
- Led team of forensic accountants in a worldwide review of the anti-corruption compliance program of one of the world’s largest ride-sharing services.
- Led a team of forensic accountants and internal controls specialists in a worldwide review of the anti-corruption compliance program of one of the world’s largest oil and gas corporations.
- Performed review of a large European medical device manufacturer and services provider’s FCPA compliance program and related internal controls in advance of settlement negotiations with regulators.
- Led a team of forensic accountants and data specialists to undertake fraud reviews and risk assessments of various international program locations of a large nonprofit organization.
- Led a review of the Dow Corning Trust claims settlement facility’s quality management and fraud detection procedures for this $1 billion settlement fund.
- Assisted in the design of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund claims processing system as well as the establishment of claims review procedures for the U.S. Department of Justice’s September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
- Education
- BA, University of Maryland
- Honors & Awards
- Who’s Who Legal says: “Jean-Michel Ferat is a ‘deserved inclusion’, say sources. He is well versed at handling a plethora of matters concerning corruption and fraud.”
- Certifications
- Certified Public Accountant
- Certified in Financial Forensics
- Languages
- French