From the Inside Out: Ethics, Fraud, and
the Power of Gratitude in Financial Services
How a Former Advisor's Experience and Academic Research Insights
Can Help Prevent Ethical Failures
Speaker:
Bill Carlson
Ethics speaker and former investment advisor
Date/Time:
Tuesday, August 12th
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Location:
Virtual through Zoom
This presentation is pending approval for 1 General CFP CE (not Ethics).
About the Presentation: "Dad, what were you thinking?" That heartbreaking question from his daughter became the turning point in Bill Carlson’s life. Once a trusted financial advisor, Bill now shares the hard lessons learned following a personal and professional crisis involving fraud. In this candid, research-informed session, he explores how pressure, rationalization, and misplaced trust can lead even experienced professionals off course. Blending 25+ years in the industry with academic insight, Bill introduces gratitude as a powerful tool for staying grounded in values and integrity. More than a compliance talk, this session challenges and empowers financial planners to recognize warning signs and strengthen their commitment to principled decision-making.
What we'll cover:
- Explore how pressure, opportunity, and rationalization—elements of the Fraud Triangle—can drive lapses in judgment in financial services.
- Consider how trust, while essential, can also create blind spots in advisor-client relationships.
- Identify behavioral cues and internal weaknesses that can increase vulnerability to misconduct.
- Discover how gratitude can counter feelings of entitlement, excuse-making, and gradual moral compromise.
- Apply decision-making models that incorporate behavioral finance and real-world examples.
- Build a practical framework for maintaining integrity under stress, uncertainty, or conflicting demands.
About the Speaker:
Bill Carlson is a speaker and former investment advisor with more than 25 years in financial services. His journey from respected professional to convicted fraudster gives him a rare, firsthand perspective on the internal and external forces that can undermine judgment and lead to serious consequences.
Before entering federal prison, Bill’s daughter asked him a question that changed his life: “Dad, what the hell were you thinking?” That moment inspired his mission to help others avoid similar missteps—not just by knowing the rules, but by addressing the real-world conditions that pave the way for poor choices.
While incarcerated, Bill developed a deeper understanding of the Fraud Triangle and proposed a critical addition: trust. He also discovered that gratitude can serve as a powerful tool for resisting pressure and self-justification. Today, he speaks to professionals and organizations about building cultures that prevent misconduct from within
Bill has presented at institutions including Yale School of Management, Chicago Booth, the Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson University, Fordham University, and Northern Illinois University. His signature talk, “Trust: The Missing Corner of the Fraud Triangle,” offers a compelling blend of lived experience, behavioral insight, and practical strategies for fostering integrity and resilience in high-stakes environments.
