Asia Pacific Fraud Journal
Vol. 10 No. 2: 2nd Edition (July-December 2025)

The Failure of Internal Audit in Detecting Corporate Fraud Through Global Cases Study

Fitri Setiabudi (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
12 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the reasons internal audit functions frequently fail to detect corporate fraud by examining fifteen global fraud cases through qualitative content analysis. It draws on a range of secondary materials, including academic literature, regulatory reports, investigative documents, and publications from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, to identify patterns that consistently emerge across cases. The results reveal enduring weaknesses such as limited independence, excessive reliance on management information, inadequate fraud risk assessment, insufficient professional skepticism, and the use of outdated audit techniques. These patterns are interpreted using the Fraud Triangle, Agency Theory, and the COSO Internal Control Framework to explain the systemic nature of internal audit failure. The findings suggest that internal audit ineffectiveness stems primarily from structural, cultural, and governance-related constraints rather than from procedural deficiencies alone. Overall, the study offers a cross-case synthesis that integrates multiple theoretical perspectives and provides practical insights for strengthening internal audit practices and enhancing fraud detection within corporate organizations

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

apf

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance Social Sciences

Description

ASIA PACIFIC FRAUD JOURNAL (APFJ) firstly published by Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Indonesia Chapter in 2016. APFJ registered on CrossRef, then every article published di APFJ has Digital Object Identifier (DOI). APFJ published research and review articles. APFJ also published ...