Lorynn Demetriades

Lorynn’s practice often leverages advanced forensic data analytics, digital forensics, and business intelligence alongside her accounting expertise to contextualize risks and evidence problematic activities. She also has significant experience undertaking fraud and corruption risk assessments, forensic audits of internal controls, and forensic due diligence exercises on behalf of institutional investors. Lorynn’s engagements are often international in nature, and she has led investigations and compliance reviews in over 25 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Lorynn’s professional experience includes:

Forensic Accounting Investigations:

• Leading the forensic investigation into concerns raised by the statutory audit that senior management of a UK-listed technology firm was involved in falsifying audit evidence, manipulating revenues, and improperly valuing key balance sheet provisions.
• Investigating vast off-balance sheet activities at a U.S.-based retailer owned by a listed private equity firm; the investigation resulted in restated financials addressing fictitious revenues, inflated assets, and understated liabilities.
• Investigating allegations of financial fraud, including related party transactions, use of shell corporations, improper revenue recognition, and financial misstatements at a European payment processing firm.
• Investigating allegations against senior leaders in a Middle Eastern hub of a global professional services firm, which included abuse of position, conflicts of interest, and collusion with customers and suppliers.

Bribery and Corruption Investigations:

• Investigating allegations of bribery and corruption within the African arm of a listed global software solutions company, involving third-party resellers and introducers. Included forensic review of internal controls and advanced forensic data analytics to identify and quantify high-risk transactions in preparation for contemplated regulatory self-disclosure.
• Investigating allegations of corruption and influence peddling at a management consulting firm, including supporting external counsel in updates to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and reporting to the clients’ auditors.
• Investigating legacy bribery and corruption issues within the Middle East operations of a global aerospace and defense contractor in support of self-disclosure to U.S. authorities, including use of slush funds, which created revenue recognition concerns and financial restatements.
• Investigating allegations of bribery and corruption related to a U.S. oilfield services company as part of contemplated investment by a U.S.-listed financial institution.

Compliance Advisory:

• Leading the compliance auditing program of vendors, suppliers, and channel partners across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for a large multinational software company.
• Undertaking proactive compliance program maturity assessment for multinational medical conglomerate, including in-depth risk assessment, internal controls reviews, and recommendations for improvement.
• Conducting data-led risk assessment for a global information technology firm to target and prioritize remediation activities following internal bribery and corruption investigation.
• Advising a global pharmaceutical company on the design of its risk assessment and internal controls monitoring program in the wake of DOJ enforcement related to bribery and corruption.
• Overseeing reviews into use of funds by member associations of global international sports federation to ensure compliance with funding program requirements and to assess the risk of fraud, corruption, and misconduct by member association management.
• Leading anti-bribery and corruption compliance assessments across Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela for a leading automotive manufacturer.
• Undertaking bribery and corruption compliance audits in Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Japan on behalf of global aerospace and defense company.

Forensic M&A Advisory:

• Leading numerous bribery and corruption-related compliance reviews on behalf of institutional investors as part of contemplated mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity or as part of post-close integration processes.
• Undertaking a bribery and corruption risk assessment of the African assets of a European upstream oil and gas operation in line with the terms of the sales and purchase agreement, following its acquisition by a U.S.-based private equity fund.
• Assessing the corruption-related internal controls of a Turkish broker prior to acquisition by a UK-listed insurer.
• Reviewing the compliance framework, including the effectiveness of internal controls, of a Russia-based manufacturing company ahead of contemplated sale to a publicly listed buyer.
• Advising a global private equity firm in the design and execution of its portfolio compliance audit program. Advice included the risk rating of companies for priority review, scoping of the audits, and designing specific testing procedures.
• Investigating allegations of inappropriate disbursements to management ahead of a potential acquisition by an institutional investor.