Accounting scandals have run rampant since the 1990s and people want to know how and why these scandals continue to occur. In this work, author Mike Brewster draws on his experience as communications director for KPMG to answer these and other burning questions. The idea that an accountant serves as an independent watchdog - an auditor - for clients is fiction. Like an attorney defending a client, the corporate accountant has become a fierce advocate for the paying client. This business narrative clearly tracks the fascinating transformation of auditors from an independent voice on behalf of the shareholder, to Corporate America's new best friend, and examines the implications of this shift for investors, the industry, and the economy.