Organizational integrity: the silent antidote to internal fraud
Organizational Integrity: The Silent Antidote to Internal Fraud
By Luana Cristina Romero de Souza
In my 15+ years of experience in preventing and combating money laundering and fraud, I’ve learned that internal threats often represent an underestimated risk.
As a subject matter expert, I’ve witnessed how the most severe cases don’t stem from external threats, but from within: employees who know the processes, the loopholes, and the warning signs that go unnoticed.
In many organizations, there’s a strong focus on external controls, brand protection, or cybersecurity. Yet the silent—and often invisible—risk is born inside. This is where organizational integrity becomes the first line of defense, and more importantly, the silent antidote against internal fraud.
Fraud committed by employees, executives, or internal partners is not uncommon. On the contrary, research shows that the greatest financial losses usually result from internal fraud, precisely because the perpetrator understands the systems, the workflows, and—most dangerously—the cultural gaps.
According to data from the ACFE, organizations lose an estimated 5% of their revenue to internal fraud. This is a key indicator that companies must not only focus on external threats, but also pay close attention to what happens within.
Beyond Control: Building Trust.
Organizational integrity is not imposed by rules; it is built through consistency. Technological solutions to combat internal fraud, in addition to helping us monitor risks, also foster an environment of accountability and transparency.
When employees perceive that the organization takes ethics seriously and invests in specific tools to protect it, engagement increases and the room for deviant behavior decreases.
It’s not just about identifying the person responsible after the damage has occurred. It’s about anticipating it.
I can assure you that, in the financial sector, the segment where most of my clients are concentrated, where trust is everything, internal risks are often the most underestimated… and also the most costly.
That’s why, some time ago, we decided to implement Sentinel’s Internal Fraud solution, both in my own organization and with clients in the banking sector, fintechs, cooperatives, central banks, and others.
The result?
Total visibility, early warnings, and, above all, a cultural transformation based on integrity.
When I learned about Sentinel’s solution as a client and specialist, I understood that it wasn’t simply a detection tool, but a true ally in building an ethical and sustainable culture.
This solution operates with analytical intelligence and comprehensive visibility: it integrates data from different sources, identifies atypical behaviors, and generates automatic alerts that enable a rapid and accurate response. But its greatest value lies in its ability to reinforce the organizational culture of integrity by combining technology, governance, and awareness.
Since implementing this solution in several corporate groups I work with, we’ve been able to detect critical cases that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.
Beyond the numbers, we’ve restored trust, strengthened internal compliance, and gained senior management support to evolve the integrity program.
Recommendation to my Clients: Act Before Regretting
And my response is always the same: “That doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”
Risk lies in silence, in the absence of signals. Therefore, my recommendation to clients is clear: invest in proactive solutions that combine technology with a strategic vision of integrity.
Conclusion: Prevention is Protecting Culture
Integrity is not just an abstract value. It is a strategic asset— a shield against risks that can damage reputations, break business relationships, and cause irreparable financial loss.
The fight against internal fraud begins with the awareness that everyone is responsible, and with the decision to equip our organizations with tools that allow us to see beyond the obvious.
As both a specialist and a client, I can say: the Internal Fraud module by Sentinel is more than just a solution. It is a silent yet powerful ally on the path to building an ethical, resilient, and integrity-driven corporate culture. And in increasingly complex times, there is no smarter strategy than staying ahead of risk.
This is not just about detecting fraud. It’s about creating a culture where integrity is not just a declared value—but a daily practice, protected by technology, robust processes, and ethical leadership.
My recommendation to those in the financial sector: don’t wait for fraud to happen to start making decisions.
Organizational integrity is your best shield. And Internal Fraud by Sentinel is, without a doubt, a silent yet strategic ally.
To prevent is to protect your culture. To prevent is to protect your business.
Ready to protect your organization from within?
Discover how Sentinel’s Internal Fraud solution can help you today.
Autor:
Luana Cristina Romero de Souza
AML, GRC & Regulatory Executive
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- LinkedIn Top Voice – Brazil Fintech Top 100.
- Specialist in Regulatory Compliance for the International Financial Market and Cryptoassets.
- International speaker and lecturer in courses on Compliance, Risk Management, Finance, Blockchain Technology, and Cryptoassets.
- Academic Director for international certifications in GRC and AML.
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting Sciences, MBA in Auditing, Controllership, and Finance – Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), Brazil.
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