Accounting Academic - Keynote conference presenter on AI, forensic analytics, and ethics - Author of Forensic Analytics / Morgantown, Virginia Occidental
Mark J. Nigrini is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics at West Virginia University, where his work focuses on forensic analytics, fraud detection, and the application of Benford’s Law to identify anomalies in financial and operational datasets. He is internationally recognized for pioneering the practical use of Benford’s Law in auditing and forensic investigations, shaping how organizations detect irregularities in large volumes of numerical data.
His research and academic work have become foundational in the field. He is the author of Forensic Analytics and Benford’s Law: Applications for Forensic Accounting, Auditing, and Fraud Detection, two of the most widely referenced texts on digital analysis and fraud detection. His academic work spans topics such as earnings management, taxpayer compliance, analytical procedures, and occupational fraud patterns, and his articles have been extensively cited across peer reviewed journals. His co authored article Lessons from an $8 Million Fraud received the Lawler Award from the Journal of Accountancy.
Beyond academia, Prof. Nigrini has served as an expert witness and consultant for international organizations and U.S. state level government agencies, applying forensic analytics to real world investigations and compliance reviews. He also serves on the executive editorial boards of the International Journal of Disclosure and Governance and the Journal of Forensic & Investigative Accounting.
He is a frequent keynote speaker at international professional forums, where he shares practical techniques for detecting anomalies, strengthening audit analytics, and improving fraud detection methodologies. His sessions are known for translating complex statistical concepts into accessible, actionable tools for auditors, investigators, and analysts.
Prof. Nigrini was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and holds a B.Com (Hons) from the University of Cape Town, an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch, and a PhD in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati. He passed the Chartered Accountant (South Africa) exam early in his career and worked at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG) before entering academia.
Across his academic, consulting, and thought leadership roles, Prof. Nigrini is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on forensic data analysis and the statistical detection of fraud and irregularities in financial information.