John Roberts is the Managing Director of Ernst & Young LLP’s Forensic & Integrity Services Philadelphia practice. John’s over 34 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) includes nine in “Big 4" forensic accounting and 25 as a Special Agent and Supervisor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). John currently leads a team of forensics practitioners who specialize in providing investigative and litigation support, forensic accounting, dispute resolution, regulatory advisory services, and expert witness testimony. The forensics practice John leads focuses on complex financial matters, identifying and mitigating potentially fraudulent transactions, and evaluating the current state of his client’s systems of internal and other controls in mitigation of internal and external fraudulent activity. John and his team provide these services across industry lines, for domestic, international, private, and public service clients.

John has assembled and led global, multi-disciplinary teams crucial to successful work plan execution; collated and reported findings to key stakeholders, including client and firm executive personnel, general and outside counsels, audit committees, compliance officers, regulatory authorities, SEC and DOJ attorneys, and others. In over his 34 years of professional experience, John has provided direct, rebuttal, and expert witness testimony, on a wide array of highly complex and nationally publicized criminal and civil matters, in multiple jurisdictions to include U.S. District and Magistrate Courts; various State and Commonwealth courts; Federal and State grand juries; arbitration hearings, and other venues/proceedings.

During John’s 25 year with the FBI as a Special Agent and White-Collar Crime Squad Supervisor, he led the investigative efforts of 24 FBI direct reports responsible for initiating, evaluating, and investigating complex white-collar crimes, internal and external corporate fraud, illicit insider activity, and the multitude of schemes that victimize both financial institutions and their patrons/accountholders.

Through John’s direct involvement as an FBI Agent and Supervisor, and continuing into his current role, John has developed a deep knowledge of the various cyber-enabled payment fraud schemes, the manner and means by which they are perpetrated, and the unique regulatory environment(s) dictating the financial institution’s obligations in mitigating this activity.

John’s experience spans a cross-section of industries, to include: pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, financial services, real estate, life sciences, oil and gas/raw mineral exploration and extraction, as well as state, local, and federal governmental operations.

John is a frequent domestic and international speaker on these and other topics, including developing and presenting the course curriculum for a 40-hour classroom and practical problem seminar on the detection and mitigation of complex financial crimes to senior level investigators and prosecutors from Eastern Europe.

Additionally, John has taught multiple sessions to other FBI Agents and private sector colleagues on testimonial techniques, including preparing for direct and cross examination, mock trials, and depositions.

Cited below are several instances of direct, rebuttal, and/or expert witness testimony:

• Currently engaged by a financial services firm with $7 trillion under management.
• John leads an ongoing, enterprise-wide assessment, encompassing all client-facing business units, to evaluate the effectiveness of the current state of their control framework to identify and mitigate external account takeovers from fraudulent actors. Account takeovers were identified as their highest priority external threat and our work has helped bolster their internal capabilities and proactive identification and defense mechanisms. Testimony – currently TBD
• U.S. v. Corey Kemp, Treasurer, City of Philadelphia; Glenn Holck, President, Commerce Bank; Steve Umbrell, Regional Vice President, Commerce Bank; et al; United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania;
• John was the FBI Case Agent for the largest public corruption investigation in City of Philadelphia history. Overall responsibility for all facets of a 10 month, multiple line, court-authorized Title III wiretap investigation that generated >25,000 recorded conversations, >1,000 FGJ subpoenas, and >1MM documents. Kemp, Holck, and Umbrell charged with a total of 68 counts of wire fraud, and other offenses in various schemes relating to Holck and Umbrell’s positions at Commerce Bank and their illicit relationship with Kemp. John was the primary US Government witness in a five month, nationally publicized trial. Overall investigative results: 27 convictions. Testimony – Federal Grand Jury; Federal trial of Kemp, Holck, Ubrell, et al - 17 days of direct and rebuttal testimony.
• U.S. v. Armondo Felicetti, President, Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan; Carmen Calvanese; United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania;
• John was the FBI Case Agent responsible for the investigation into Felicetti’s override of internal controls through his position as Bank President to further his illicit relationship with Calvanese, a local real estate developer. Both charged with multiple counts of wire, mail, and bank fraud, and entered guilty pleas. Testimony – Federal Grand Jury and at the sentencing of both Felicetti and Calvanese.
• U.S. v. Craig Scher, President, Nova Savings Bank; Mike Sinko, Attorney; et al; States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania;
• John was the FBI Case Agent responsible for the investigation into Scher’s override of internal controls through his position as Bank President to further his illicit relationships with previously denied Nova loan applicants, and the involvement of Sinko in a scheme to launder illicitly generated funds through the construction and sale of a seaside condominium project. Both charged with multiple counts of wire, mail, bank fraud, and money laundering. Testimony – Federal Grand Jury and Sinko trial (Scher guilty plea).
•  U.S. v. Edward Kardin, et al; United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania;
• John was the FBI Case Agent in highly-complex, Ponzi scheme relating to the defrauding of multiple financial institutions in an automotive “floor planning” financing arrangement across several auto dealerships. Testimony - Federal grand jury.
• John O’Hanlon, et al v. City of Philadelphia; Philadelphia Police Department, Board of Arbitration;
• Testimony - Expert witness on common corruption schemes in the arbitration hearing of four Philadelphia Police Officers who were accused and acquitted of various acts of corruption and requesting reinstatement.