RKA Worldwide Group, LLC global chairs, Alan Siegfried, MBA, CPA, CIA, CISA, CRMA, CBA, CFSA and Dr Frank Holder, in collaboration with Mavins International, announce the launch of a new investigation and forensic practice.
The expert client delivery platform, named “Construction and Capital Project Forensics & Investigations”, combines engineering, data analytics, forensic accounting and legal principles, to investigate what went wrong when a construction project suffers a failure or is out of budget.
Concurrently with its launch, we are thrilled to announce the promotion of Consulting Director, mechanical and nuclear engineer, Fernando Aragao, to Senior Director and to serve as Global Practice leader, based out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
CEO Ariel Ramirez MBA, CFE, CIA, CFSA, CRMA, CGAP, CCSA, stated: “When these projects suffer budget overruns, structural failures, multi-year delays, or corporate fraud, RKA forensic investigators and internal auditors will be called upon to investigate and reconstruct exactly what happened and help assign responsibility. And, assist in resolving legal disputes, or to help a client or law enforcement agency prosecute the offender civilly or criminally, a major expert undertaking under the leadership of luminary construction forensic investigations expert, Fernando Aragao. We are lucky to have Fernando promoted to our senior management team, and never imagined when we formed our little firm that someone of Fernando’s breadth of execution and testifying experience, and advanced education as a nuclear and mechanical engineer, will be with us, and that the firm will launch a capital project investigations and forensics team capable of worldwide execution and delivery. We are fortune to have Fernando and his new practice and welcome!”
The practice will mainly involve work around: FINANCIAL AND FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS; ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL FAILURE FORENSICS; AND SCHEDULE DELAY AND CLAIM ANALYSIS, amongst others. Fernando joins current RKA construction forensic accounting, internal audit and financial investigations expert Director Sam Ponniah, CPA, CIA, CFE, who himself was a construction controller for a $3.5B project at Gilbane Building.
These investigations are typically launched by insurance companies evaluating high-value defect claims, corporate owners, government bodies targeted by severe budget overruns, or legal teams preparing for complex, multi-party litigation. And, law enforcement/prosecutors for example in cases of bribery and corruption in obtaining contracts, or evaluating inferior products and quality. In those cases, RKA experts will be hired to conduct the work and provide expert witness testimony in court or arbitrations, or support internal or law enforcement investigations.
Welcome Fernando Aragao and his new global team!!!