Robert E. Bates, CPA, CFE

Robert E. Bates, CPA, CFE

Rob is an Avant Advisory Senior Consultant. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with over 22 years of experience in accounting and finance. He comes with a public accounting background at Deloitte & Touche and has accumulated a breadth of experience leading and managing the financial and operational functions of companies whose industries include real estate, manufacturing, and distribution.

He has served as expert witness in situations involving financial, forensic and investigative accounting and real estate matters. Rob has managed fraud investigations, provided litigation support, and assisted in dispute resolution. He has testified in court and presented investigative findings at mediations and arbitrations. His cases have involved payroll fraud, real estate scams, and loan fraud, and his expert witness and financial forensics projects have involved both plaintiffs and defendants:

  • As testifying expert at the arbitration, he opined in support of the defense that profits were appropriately allocated to the minority interest partner.
  • In two other related cases, Rob testified as an expert in support of the plaintiff. He prepared economic damages calculations by accumulating amounts past due and applying a present value factor. The plaintiff prevailed in both cases as a result of his court testimony.
  • As an expert for the plaintiff, he analyzed documentation to determine that the evidence supported a claim of fraud in a real estate investment partnership.
  • In another case, he performed a fraud examination to support claims of falsified wages and ghost employee scheme against the plaintiff.
  • He prepared economic damage calculations in over 50 breach of lease transactions by present valuing accumulated past due amounts. These damage calculations were used for obtaining unlawful detainer judgments and request for judgment motions in support of the plaintiff.

Rob has held VP of Finance, Treasurer, and Controller positions in real estate development and manufacturing companies. In these capacities, he has executed budgeting processes and disciplines that have driven improvements in revenue and margin. He has designed and implemented improved analysis, reporting, and controls over inventories, significantly reducing exposure from excess and obsolete inventories. Rob has extensive experience in assessing and training finance and accounting staff to support company growth initiatives and has also trained operational and sales managers. He has also led or assisted in securing over $175 million in short and long term financing to meet company liquidity needs, as well as assisted raising $10 million in investor equity for a manufacturing start-up company.

Rob is a member of the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (LA-ACFE) and is an Ambassador of the LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce. He has taught college level accounting and fraud examination courses over the last several years. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California and received his Masters in Forensic Studies – Digital Forensics from Stevenson University.

Robert E. Bates, CPA, CFE

Rob is an Avant Advisory Senior Consultant. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with over 22 years of experience in accounting and finance. He comes with a public accounting background at Deloitte & Touche and has accumulated a breadth of experience leading and managing the financial and operational functions of companies whose industries include real estate, manufacturing, and distribution.

He has served as expert witness in situations involving financial, forensic and investigative accounting and real estate matters. Rob has managed fraud investigations, provided litigation support, and assisted in dispute resolution. He has testified in court and presented investigative findings at mediations and arbitrations. His cases have involved payroll fraud, real estate scams, and loan fraud, and his expert witness and financial forensics projects have involved both plaintiffs and defendants:

  • As testifying expert at the arbitration, he opined in support of the defense that profits were appropriately allocated to the minority interest partner.
  • In two other related cases, Rob testified as an expert in support of the plaintiff. He prepared economic damages calculations by accumulating amounts past due and applying a present value factor. The plaintiff prevailed in both cases as a result of his court testimony.
  • As an expert for the plaintiff, he analyzed documentation to determine that the evidence supported a claim of fraud in a real estate investment partnership.
  • In another case, he performed a fraud examination to support claims of falsified wages and ghost employee scheme against the plaintiff.
  • He prepared economic damage calculations in over 50 breach of lease transactions by present valuing accumulated past due amounts. These damage calculations were used for obtaining unlawful detainer judgments and request for judgment motions in support of the plaintiff.

Rob has held VP of Finance, Treasurer, and Controller positions in real estate development and manufacturing companies. In these capacities, he has executed budgeting processes and disciplines that have driven improvements in revenue and margin. He has designed and implemented improved analysis, reporting, and controls over inventories, significantly reducing exposure from excess and obsolete inventories. Rob has extensive experience in assessing and training finance and accounting staff to support company growth initiatives and has also trained operational and sales managers. He has also led or assisted in securing over $175 million in short and long term financing to meet company liquidity needs, as well as assisted raising $10 million in investor equity for a manufacturing start-up company.

Rob is a member of the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (LA-ACFE) and is an Ambassador of the LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce. He has taught college level accounting and fraud examination courses over the last several years. Rob holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Southern California and received his Masters in Forensic Studies – Digital Forensics from Stevenson University.