Course Description

This course examines the Wirecard fraud scandal, one of Europe's largest corporate frauds involving the 2020 collapse of a €24 billion financial technology company, to teach CPAs about professional ethics, cognitive biases, and professional skepticism. Through analysis of how Wirecard's fraudulent activities persisted for over two decades despite oversight from auditors, regulators, and governance bodies, participants will learn to identify organizational culture red flags, recognize cognitive biases that compromise professional judgment, and apply techniques to maintain professional skepticism when evaluating fraud risks.

Learning Objectives

Upon completing the course, the participant will be able to:

  1. Analyze the organizational culture and internal control failures that enabled Wirecard's fraud scheme to persist for over two decades
  2. Identify cognitive biases that compromise professional judgment and apply techniques to maintain professional skepticism when evaluating potential fraud risks
  3. Evaluate the ethical responsibilities of auditors, regulators, and governance bodies in fraud prevention and assess lessons learned from the Wirecard case

Course Information

Course Title: Professional Ethics: The Wirecard Fraud

Estimated Total CPD: 2.0

Field(s) of Study: Behavioral Ethics

Delivery Method: Self-Study

Program Level: Basic

Prerequisites/Advanced Preparation: None

Enrollment Period/Expiration Date: One year from date of purchase

Date of Last Program Review/Update: August 18, 2025

Refund Policy/Complaint Resolution Policy: Our policies can be found in our FAQ

Course curriculum

    1. Instructions for Self Study

    2. Course Overview

    1. The Cast of Characters and Wirecard's Origins

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. The Tech Bubble Era and Paul Bauer's Acquisition

    2. Review Question 1

    1. Banking License Acquisition and Early Warning Signs

    1. Intimidation Tactics and Cultural Deterioration

    2. Review Question 2

    1. The Rise and Escalating Fraud Schemes

    2. Review Question 3

About this course

  • $135.00
  • 19 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content

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