Serena Morones on Forensic Accounting, Mentoring, and Using AI to Find Fraud Faster
Podcast host Kelly interviews Serena Morones of Morones Analytics about fraud, forensic accounting, and her career path. In a speed round, Morones says she’d most like to have a meal with Robert Jesenick, the CEO behind Oregon’s largest Ponzi scheme (Aequitas), to understand how rationalization and the “slippery slope” begin.
They discuss gender patterns in fraud: women more often in classic embezzlement/bookkeeper cases, men more often in complex multi-entity schemes and investment fraud with larger dollar amounts. Morones recounts shifting from plans for law school to forensic accounting after seeing litigation-support work at Pricewaterhouse, emphasizing creativity, communication, and courage. She describes monthly group mentoring sessions and her focus on credibility and truth-telling among expert witnesses. Morones also shares her sports photography hobby and explains how AI is improving investigations by speeding document analysis and visualization, with a staff member dedicated to tool development. She notes she most enjoys investment fraud cases, recommends “Mr. Bates vs the Post Office” and “The Big Short,” and encourages young professionals to pursue the field for justice while staying committed to truth in court.
00:00 Welcome Serena Morones
00:45 Meal With a Fraudster
04:14 Men vs Women Theft
08:29 Building Morones Analytics
13:24 Creativity in Forensics
17:33 Mentoring the Next Gen
20:59 Sports Photography Outlet
22:39 AI in Forensic Accounting
32:47 Favorite Case Types
34:54 Fraud in Pop Culture
38:07 Gerry Spence Truth Lesson
40:13 Career Advice and Wrap
Connect with Serena:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenamorones/
https://moronesanalytics.com/team/serena-morones/
