FIC3 Fraud and Internal Control Case Competition

Drexel LeBow’s Department of Accounting is pleased to host its 12th Annual Fraud and Internal Control Case Competition (FIC3), with co-sponsors The Institute of Internal Auditors Philadelphia Chapter, Mercadien and The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Student teams analyze a real-life–inspired case and then present their comprehensive analysis and solutions to a panel of judges. The top six teams earn gift card prizes. Students and local area business leader volunteers build network connections, friendships and mentoring relationships that extend beyond the event.

Kickoff Event

There is mandatory kickoff for participants to meet their teammates and get the case materials on Monday, Feb. 9, from 5–6:30 p.m. EST. Participants will also receive some tips. There will also be a zoom link available for those that cannot make it to campus. A link to a recording of the event will be made available to all teams.

Day of the Competition

Light breakfast and boxed lunch will be provided to all participants and volunteers.

Check in is from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. EST. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. with a guest speaker providing inspiration for the case solution.

Each team will have three and a half hours (9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. EST) to review the case and critical information provided that morning, update their response to the case questions, and finalize their PowerPoint-based presentation. Each team must submit an electronic copy of their presentation by 12:30 p.m. EST. No changes may be made to teams’ PowerPoint presentations after the 12:30 p.m. EST submission deadline.

Teams will be randomly assigned a time slot with one of our judging panels to present their results between 1 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. EST for the first round. Teams will have a strict 10 minutes to present plus 5 minutes of questions from the judges, followed by a 5-minute interval to transition between teams. The top six teams moving on to the finals will be announced at the conclusion of the first round of judging. The teams not in the finals may leave at this point. In the final round, the top six teams will present their findings and recommendations again to a new panel of judges . Awards will be presented as soon as the judges have ranked the top 6 teams.

Key Dates

• Registration Deadline: Jan 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST
• Kickoff Event: Feb. 9, 2026, 5–6:30 p.m. EST
• Competition Date: Feb. 13, 2026, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. EST

Team Structure

Students can request to be on a specific team when registering or indicate they would like to be on a team assigned by the accounting department. All teams must meet the below requirements:

• Four students per team
• At least one accounting major, one upperclassman or MS student, and one underclassman per team

Prizes

Gift card prizes will be awarded to the top 6 teams.

Registration and Requirements

Due to the nature of the competition, participation is limited. The first 60 eligible students who sign up and are assigned to teams will receive one of the available spots; not every application can be accepted into the competition.

You will be notified if you have been accepted into the competition no later than Jan. 30, 2026. If accepted, please plan to be there the entire day for the competition- this is a requirement.

To register, please complete the registration form. Once accepted to a team, you will be required to agree to a Gift Card Acceptance form before the event to receive your award should your team win.

Please note: We require a one-week cancellation notice if you can no longer participate. This will allos us to invite students on the waitlist to participate.

If you are with a company and would like to support or volunteer at the event, please also fill out this registration form.

Sponsors

• Mercadien
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• The Institute of Internal Auditors Philadelphia Chapter