The Locker Room Talk Ethical Case
The Locker Room Talk Ethical Case
ACC 260
March 25, 2012
The Locker Room Talk Ethical Case
Albert Gable is the certified public accountant highlighted in the ethical dilemma, “Locker Room Talk”. The ethical predicament, faced by CPA Albert Gable, is surrounded by ethical circumstances between himself, the Wilsons, a loan officer, and a local bank. Albert is a partner in a CPA firm located in a medium-sized city with a population of 65,000 people. As cities go, this is a fairly small city and many businesses have to rely on reputation and word of mouth for success. Although Albert’s forte is in the personal financial realm, he also performs the annual audit for the largest bank in the city. Larry and Susan Wilson solicited Albert’s CPA services to prepare a comprehensive personal financial plan. The comprehensive financial plan took approximately six months to prepare. During the six month preparation period, Albert was also commissioned to perform the annual audit at the bank. Albert also found he had become friends with the Wilsons on a personal level during this same six month period. Larry and Susan confided in Albert’s friendship their marriage had gone through many “rough patches” and they have been seriously contemplating divorce. There was never a clear indication that a divorce was imminent and Albert remained friends with both Larry and Susan. As Albert worked on the audit for the bank, he came to realize that one of the randomly selected personal loan audit files he was auditing belonged to Larry and Susan. Albert was shocked and became concerned after he read the file, as some of the information posted in the loan file did not agree with what Albert personally knew about the Wilsons. In an effort to clarify the loan file, Albert discussed the audit loan file in depth with a loan officer while never disclosing his personal relationship with the Wilsons. The loan officer was quite familiar with the Wilsons file and stated
ACC 260
March 25, 2012
The Locker Room Talk Ethical Case
Albert Gable is the certified public accountant highlighted in the ethical dilemma, “Locker Room Talk”. The ethical predicament, faced by CPA Albert Gable, is surrounded by ethical circumstances between himself, the Wilsons, a loan officer, and a local bank. Albert is a partner in a CPA firm located in a medium-sized city with a population of 65,000 people. As cities go, this is a fairly small city and many businesses have to rely on reputation and word of mouth for success. Although Albert’s forte is in the personal financial realm, he also performs the annual audit for the largest bank in the city. Larry and Susan Wilson solicited Albert’s CPA services to prepare a comprehensive personal financial plan. The comprehensive financial plan took approximately six months to prepare. During the six month preparation period, Albert was also commissioned to perform the annual audit at the bank. Albert also found he had become friends with the Wilsons on a personal level during this same six month period. Larry and Susan confided in Albert’s friendship their marriage had gone through many “rough patches” and they have been seriously contemplating divorce. There was never a clear indication that a divorce was imminent and Albert remained friends with both Larry and Susan. As Albert worked on the audit for the bank, he came to realize that one of the randomly selected personal loan audit files he was auditing belonged to Larry and Susan. Albert was shocked and became concerned after he read the file, as some of the information posted in the loan file did not agree with what Albert personally knew about the Wilsons. In an effort to clarify the loan file, Albert discussed the audit loan file in depth with a loan officer while never disclosing his personal relationship with the Wilsons. The loan officer was quite familiar with the Wilsons file and stated
References: Brooks, L. J. (2007). Business & Professional Ethics for Directors, Executives, & Accountants (4th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson Southwestern.