If memory serves well so, it is quite a while I read Dan McCrum's book, Wirecard produced documents from the Asian banks (fake ones, as we now know). Of course, and I couldn't agree more, they should have at least called the banks up. Especially since a German fin-tech start-up, with on-going bad press, claims to hold billions with some Asian banks from business activities directly related to said accussations circulating in the press. EY deserves all the flak it got.

That being said, again, if a company wants to defraud its auditors, they can for surprisingly long periods if they try hard enough.

I think, we basically agree.

Didn't they setup a whole fake bank branch? Sufficiently motivated actors can circumvent any preventative measures.