George A. Saitta, Jr., CPA

George A. Saitta, Jr. is a leader in the SEC & Accounting Advisory practice for FTI Consulting in Washington, D.C. Mr. Saitta has spent the majority of his 24-year career as a forensic accountant in professional service, partnering with public companies, general counsel, boards of directors, audit committees, special committees and law firm counsel on investigative matters requiring application of forensic and technical accounting skill sets. He has led and performed engagements involving investigations of alleged accounting improprieties, financial statement fraud, financial fraud, asset misappropriation, embezzlement schemes and other forms of alleged financial and accounting malfeasance. Additionally, Mr. Saitta has performed investigations in response to inquiries raised by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Division of Enforcement, Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and other regulators.

Mr. Saitta has led, managed and performed forensic accounting investigations, many involving reviews of whistleblower or short-seller claims, technical accounting advisory engagements, business process and internal control remediation reviews, and litigation support engagements. Many of these projects have involved the application of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and SEC rules, among other regulations. Mr. Saitta has also been involved in a number of large, multiyear engagements, and several of his matters have involved partnering with company stakeholders following the results of investigations to remediate and improve internal controls.

Mr. Saitta has been proffered as an expert witness and has testified in defense of expert opinions issued at deposition and arbitration. In addition, he has presented at mediations to facilitate understanding of accounting issues and before the SEC Division of Enforcement. Mr. Saitta is peer-reviewed and recommended by counsel for Investigations as part of Lexology’s Global Investigations Review (“GIR”).

Relevant Experience:

• Investigated and responded to formal inquiries raised by the SEC Division of Enforcement for two large, multiyear engagements; inquiries related to alleged director and officer abuse of perquisites, improper revenue recognition and lease accounting, undisclosed related-party transactions, failure to record contingent liabilities and capitalization accounting, among other complaints
• Led a forensic team in a prominent case before the DOJ and SEC; investigated the officers and directors of a software company forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a result of a Ponzi scheme and the illicit acts used to raise capital that were substantiated by fictitious financial statements and business books and records