MFAcc Proudly Presents
The First Lecture in the MFAcc Legends of Forensic Accounting Series
Bob Lindquist | Mr. Forensic Accounting
On March 27th, 2025 the MFAcc Alumni Academy hosted a unique online lecture series featuring Bob Lindquist, titled "The Path of a Pioneer in Forensic Accounting". Bob, who founded Lindquist, Holmes & Co., Canada’s first forensic accounting firm, has since made significant contributions to the field both in Canada and the US.
This session took us inside the mind of a pioneer who helped shape the field of forensic accounting, sharing insights from a remarkable career solving high-stakes cases, uncovering investor financial fraud, asset search, and setting industry standards. This interactive session concluded with an open Q&A.
Bio
Bob Lindquist is a seasoned financial investigator with over 50 years of domestic and international experience, specializing in fraud, corruption, and forensic accounting. His expertise blends strong analytical skills, intuition, and a deep understanding of business judgment, cultural sensitivities, and financial irregularities, which he applies to complex financial investigations.
Lindquist’s career spans numerous high-profile cases on behalf of corporations and governments in countries including the United States, Antigua, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Grenada, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Netherlands, Malawi, Trinidad, Romania, St. Lucia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. His extensive case experience includes notable investigations related to the World Bank, victims of the Holocaust, Bernie Madoff, and IBM.
Lindquist’s courtroom experience is vast, with over sixty instances of expert witness testimony and involvement with counsel in trials for both sides. His contributions to the field of forensic accounting are further demonstrated by his authorship of Accounting as an Investigative Aid and his co-authorship of two widely used textbooks on forensic accounting and commercial crime.
Previously a partner with KPMG in Toronto, and subsequently at Price Waterhouse in Washington, D.C., Lindquist re-established his practice after the 1998 merger with Coopers & Lybrand. His practice, now operating under the name Lindquist Forensics, continues to serve clients in the areas of forensic accounting and financial investigations.
Lindquist’s professional recognition includes being named a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario in 1991 and elected to the Board of Regents of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) in Austin, Texas. In 1993, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the ACFE. His professional reputation is further underscored by a tribute from Joe Wells, the Founder of the ACFE, who described him as "Mr. Forensic Accounting" in the Journal of Accountancy.
For a deeper dive into Bob Lindquist's legendary casework, to review his detailed speaker notes, or to watch the recording of this unforgettable presentation, click on their respective button below.
We are excited to share access to this exclusive online lecture series with our MFAcc & DIFA community! Please email mfacc@utoronto.ca for the password. To access the recording, please click the button below.
MFAcc Proudly Presents
The Second Lecture in the MFAcc Legends of Forensic Accounting Series
Hazel de Burgh | Driving Results
On June 17th, 2025 the MFAcc Alumni Academy hosted a unique online lecture series featuring Hazel de Burgh, titled "Driven to Deliver: A Legacy of Reform and its Impact in Forensic Accounting". Hazel was instrumental in the development and growth of the DIFA program from its inception, playing a key role for many years. She designed the Capstone Comprehensive Case and Moot Court experience, and was a founding instructor for both the Advanced Investigative Techniques Course and the Capstone Course. In addition to these contributions, Hazel co-authored the Standards for Investigative & Forensic Accounting, as published by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA).
This session took us inside the mind of a pioneer who helped shape the field of forensic accounting. Hazel shared insights from her most significant career roles, detailing how her relentless commitment delivered meaningful results and contributed to key reforms in the field, This interactive session concluded with an open Q&A.
Bio
Hazel is a CPA, CA.IFA and a Corporate Director with many years’ experience as a forensic accountant and a C-Suite compliance officer. Her consulting practice involves a blend of forensic accounting, financial risk, compliance and governance services for corporate and not-for-profit clients.
Hazel's most significant career roles were as Corporate Chief Compliance Officer for Marsh & McLennan Companies, Independent Monitor of the audit reforms required by the Los Angeles and Detroit Police Departments, and Managing Director for Kroll Toronto/London. She is currently monitoring the reforms required by the Aurora Colorado Police Department. Throughout her career, and in her personal life, Hazel is known for "driving results".
Hazel currently serves as Chair of the Risk & Compliance Committee of Blue Cross Life Insurance Canada and as a member of its Audit Committee, and was recently a member of the Independent Review Committee of Forge First Asset Management Inc. She's also served as Chair of several NFP/Charity board committees including Audit, Finance and Governance.
Hazel is also a member of the team of the Independent Consent Decree Monitor for the City of Aurora, Colorado with responsibility for monitoring and reporting on the progress of the City, the Aurora Police Department, Aurora Fire Rescue and the Aurora Civil Service Commission in complying with the terms of a Consent Decree mandating various reforms.
Recent consulting roles include improving the investigative processes for an international telecoms company that violated anti-corruption laws in Eurasia, developing a values-based Code of Conduct for a multi-national life insurance company, conducting disciplinary investigations on behalf of a professional accounting association, developing a fraud risk management program for a sub-prime mortgage lender, establishing a start-up charity in Canada and setting up its controls/processes, and leading the implementation of improved compliance processes while handling tough regulatory examinations for a Fortune 500 global corporation.
EXPERTISE: Compliance • ERM • Ethics • Forensic Accounting • Fraud & Corruption • Governance • Investigations • Policies & Standards • Procurement Fraud • Process Improvement • Project Management • Regulatory Examinations • Police Monitoring
INDUSTRIES SERVED: Automotive • Charities • Construction • Consumer & Industrial Products • Education • Energy • Financial Services • Gaming • Government • Insurance • Legal Services • Mining • Policing • Retail • Shipping • Social Services
We are excited to share access to this exclusive online lecture series with our MFAcc & DIFA community! Please email mfacc@utoronto.ca for the password. To access the recording, please click the button below.