SkyStem - podcast cover

SkyStem

SkyStem
The SkyStem Podcast is a place where we ponder topics around finance and accounting, including the people, process and technology that drive the back-office function. We explore ideas relating to process improvement, technology, corporate governance and fraud. SkyStem LLC is the maker of ART – a SaaS solution that helps CFOs and Controllers shorten the month-end close.
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Episodes

Fraud Diary - Kubient

This is the story of tech company, Kubient, and its former CFO and Audit Committee Chair, who fabricated information surrounding the company's nascent revenue scream and lied to its auditors as part of their scheme to conceal the fraud.

Dec 18, 20247 min

Fraud Story: IRL Social App

This is the story of IRL, an up and coming social app that was once valued at $1 Billion, until it was revealed that most of its users were fake.

Dec 13, 20244 min

Fraud Story: FTX / Prager Metis

This is the story of FTX's external auditor firm, Prager Metis, and the role it might have played in contributing to the spectacular collapse of FTX in November 2022.

Oct 10, 20245 min

How Milford Federal Streamlined Month-End Reconciliations and Saved Time During Audit

Milford Federal Bank is headquartered in Milford, MA, and has been serving its communities since 1887 for over 136 years. Today, it has roughly an asset size of $500 million and 4 locations. In this session, we’re thrilled to have Melissa Mestre, VP Finance at Milford Federal Bank, share her firsthand experience with SkyStem ART.

Sep 27, 202433 min

Fraud Diary - Janet Mello

This is the story of Janet Mello, a civilian who is accused of stealing $100 million from the Army.

Dec 08, 20236 min

Mastering Efficiency: How UWCU Elevated the Month-End Close Process Through Automation

University of Wisconsin Credit Union is a $5 Billion dollar institution headquartered in Madison, WI. With more than 300,000 members. UWCU is the third largest credit union in the state of Wisconsin and currently operates 29 full service branches throughout the Madison and Milwaukee metro areas. In this webinar, we will chat with Sandy O’Connor, the Director of Accounting Operations at UWCU, about her accounting team’s journey into the world of month-end close automation and how that made an imp...

Nov 27, 202350 min

Fraud Diary - Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

This is the story of Tom Stalf, Pete Fingerhut and Greg Bell, who were indicted this month and are charged with fraud and misuse of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's assets to the tune of $2 million.

Sep 21, 20236 min

Fraud Diary - John Nock

This is the story of John Nock, an Arkansas businessman convicted in $18 million investment fraud conspiracy this September 2023

Sep 07, 20235 min

Fraud Story: Aimee Boch

This is the story of Aimee Boch and her non-for-profit Feeding Our Future, along with 60 other individuals, orchestrated a $240 million scheme to defraud a federal program designed to feed underprivileged children.

Jul 24, 20239 min

Becoming a CEO With a Vision for Technology and Teamwork

Check out the latest episode of the CUES Podcast, "Becoming a CEO With a Vision for Technology and Teamwork," with guest Dana DeFilippis, CCE, CEO of Merck Sharp & Dohme Federal Credit Union . Now CEO at the credit union for two years, DeFilippis has leveraged the knowledge she gathered to help her use technology and teamwork to promote staff innovation and better serve members.

Jun 15, 202322 min

Chit Chat: Elevating the Month-End Close Process Through Automation -- Lancaster Leaf

Lancaster Leaf Tobacco Co., Inc., is a subsidiary of Universal Corporation, the leading global leaf tobacco supplier. Lancaster Leaf manages Universal’s dark air cured tobacco operations in all relevant traditional dark air-cured origins. Lancaster Leaf supplies virtually all of the major cigar manufacturers in the U.S. with filler, binder, and wrapper from the U.S. and other origins. In addition to domestic supply, Lancaster exports filler, binder, and wrapper to international cigar manufacture...

May 30, 202351 min

Fraud Diary - Ali and Yousef Jaafar

This is the story of Ali and Yousef Jaafar, a father and son who were sentenced to federal prison this month in connection with a massive "ten-percenting" scheme that resulted in over $20 million dollars in fraudulent lottery winnings.

May 26, 20234 min

Fraud Diary: George Constantine, Marc Elefant and Andrew Dowd

This is the story of George Constantine, Marc Elefant and Andrew Dowd. These three individuals, together with others, attempted to defraud their victims of more than $31,000,000 through "trip and fall" accidents in New York. Episode source: https://dailyvoice.com/new-york/mamaroneck/31m-trip-fall-fraud-scheme-attorneys-doctor-sentenced-for-defrauding-ny-businesses/

Apr 28, 20236 min

Fraud Diary - Guo Wengui

This is the story of Guo Wengui, who was arrested this week for allegedly orchestrating a complex $1 billion fraud scheme that duped online followers with promises of outsized investment returns.

Mar 17, 20235 min

Fraud Diary - Deloitte China

This is the story of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP ("Deloitte China"), who paid a $20 million penalty to the SEC for asking clients to perform their own audit testing, and presenting the results as its own.

Jan 09, 20234 min

Boost Month-End Efficiency by Going Paperless - Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc.

This Chit Chat session features Jonna Wall, Financial Analyst of Pinnacle Financial Partners, a ~$40 Billion (assets as of 06/30/2022) publicly traded financial institution based in Nashville, TN with locations in many markets throughout the southeast. Join us as we discuss the Bank’s journey to become more efficient during month-end close, at a time when it was also going through a period of tremendous growth.

Dec 14, 202243 min

Fraud Diary - German Nino

This is the story of German Nino, a former investment advisor as UBS, who allegedly Stole $5.8 Million from investors’ discretionary accounts.

Nov 01, 20224 min

Fraud Diary - Justin Costello

This is the story of Justin Costello, who allegedly defrauded victims out of $35 million based on the 'mirage' of being billionaire, Harvard MBA, Iraq veteran.

Oct 18, 20225 min

Fraud Story - Rosa Bonilla

This is the story of Rosa Bonilla, former First Lady of Honduras, who misappropriated $590,000 of public funds and spent it on real estate, credit card payments and her children's school fees.

Sep 23, 20225 min

Taking the Close Process From Good to Great - Machias Savings Bank

This episode features Tara Bartko, SVP Accounting and Finance, and Jody Dennison, VP Accounting of Machias Savings Bank. With nearly $2.2 billion in assets, 300 employees, and 16 locations stretching across Maine, the team at Machias Savings Bank believes that with every relationship there is a way to keep their customers moving forward, now and in the future. Founded in 1869, and a leader in customer experience and community, Machias makes an impact beyond products and services by donating near...

Aug 23, 202250 min

Fraud Diary - City of Cottage Grove MN

This is the story of the City of Cottage Grove, MN, which fell victim to a wire fraud scam to the tune of over $1.2 million in losses. The investigation is still ongoing as of August 2022.

Aug 22, 20227 min

Fraud Diary - Marc Sporn

This is the story of Marc Sporn, who committed healthcare fraud worth $20 million to fund a lavish lifestyle.

Jun 30, 20227 min

A New World Needs a New Way to Close (as Featured on the The Finance Executive Podcast)

A key responsibility for anyone in the finance function is closing the company books on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis. And although to a layperson that may seem like a straightforward process, anyone with an accounting or finance background knows it’s anything but. Filled with multiple stakeholders and dependencies, the financial close can be a complicated process for even a small organization. But that complexity can increase algorithmically with the size of the organization. In this ep...

Jun 28, 202229 min

Fraud Diary - Michael Kail

This is the story of Michael Kail, an ex-Netflix executive convicted of taking $500K+ in bribes and kickbacks from tech companies for approving streaming contracts with Netflix.

May 27, 20225 min

Slash Admin Work and Eradicate Paper for Month-End Close -- C&F Bank

This "Chit Chat" session features Matt Guth, VP and Assistant Controller of Citizens and Farmers Bank (C&F Bank), $2 Billion publicly traded financial institution based in Virginia. Join us as we discuss C&F Bank’s journey to build a month-end close process involving less administrative burden and no more paper.

May 18, 202246 min

Fraud Story - Paul Henri Marie Harleman

This is the story of Paul Henri Marie Harleman, an accountant who stole more than $1 Million from his clients through his bookkeeper business.

Apr 26, 20225 min
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