Senator Mark Koran, District 28
When I was growing up, I loved group projects in school. There was something satisfying about bringing people together around a shared goal, everyone pulling in the same direction. Sure, we sometimes had different ideas on how to get there, but talking through the strengths and weaknesses of each approach in good faith usually made the final product stronger. Often, we would blend the best parts into a hybrid solution better than any one of us could have created alone.
Government works a lot like those school projects. Back then, we wanted to get an A. As legislators, we’re working to improve the lives of Minnesotans. Right now, the big group project we all share, Democrats and Republicans, House and Senate, Governor’s office included, is protecting taxpayer dollars and the social service programs they fund. We have to ensure the vulnerable people who…
This category refers to crimes committed by employees or insiders against their own organizations. It is often the most damaging because the perpetrator has authorized access to systems.
- Asset Misappropriation: The most common form, involving the theft of company resources. This ranges from simple “skimming” (taking cash before it’s recorded) to complex schemes involving the theft of inventory or intellectual property.
- Payroll Fraud: Employees may create “ghost employees” on the system, falsify their own timesheets to claim unworked overtime, or divert salary payments to their own accounts.
- Financial Statement Fraud: Management deliberately misrepresents the company’s financial health by inflating revenue or hiding liabilities to attract investors or meet performance bonuses.