By the time employers find a thief in their ranks, it's too late

Most workplace frauds are committed by long-time, 'trusted' employees who know the system, write Howard Levitt and Jack Powles. Photo by Postmedia files

Employee fraud is not new. What is new is how swiftly employers can now strike back when they discover company funds have vanished.

Not so long ago, only large corporations in major lawsuits reached for heavy legal weaponry like Mareva injunctions and Norwich orders. Today, mid-sized employers are using them too — because once money disappears, it is nearly impossible to recover it without immediate legal action.

A Mareva injunction freezes assets. A Norwich order forces disclosure of where the money went and who moved it. Together, they stop a thief from draining accounts or hiding cash behind relatives and shell companies. Once co