InvestigationAudit

No, an investigation audit is not a mandatory statutory filing like a standard annual audit. It is usually commissioned by shareholders, a board, a regulator, or a court when fraud, mismanagement, or a dispute is suspected. Whether one is needed for you depends on the trigger event, such as a partner dispute, missing funds, or a whistleblower report, rather than a fixed legal deadline.

There is no fixed fee, because the scope depends on the suspected issue, the volume of records involved, and how far back the review must go. A fraud investigation covering several years of transactions and multiple bank accounts costs more than a narrow review of one contract. We quote after a scoping discussion, once the objective and likely evidence trail are clear.

Common triggers include suspected fraud or theft, unexplained cash shortfalls, a shareholder or partner dispute, irregular supplier or payroll transactions, or a regulator or lender requesting confirmation before taking action. An investigation audit is targeted at answering a specific question, unlike a general annual audit, so the scope is set by the concern that raised it.

There is no fixed UAE deadline for this type of engagement, so timing depends on the volume of transactions, the number of years under review, and how accessible the underlying records and staff are. A focused review of one account can take a few days, while a multi year fraud investigation across several entities takes considerably longer.

Typically bank statements, general ledgers, invoices, contracts, payroll records, correspondence, and any internal reports already raised about the concern. Access to relevant staff for interviews is often needed as well. The exact list is set once the specific allegation or question is defined, since an investigation audit follows the evidence rather than a standard checklist.

The findings are set out in a factual report to whoever commissioned the audit, typically the board or shareholders, covering what occurred, the amounts involved, and the control weaknesses that allowed it. That report can then support internal disciplinary action, a civil claim, or a police or regulatory referral, depending on what the client decides to pursue.