From Debits and Credits to Fighting Crime
Anthony Crisera (MSA ‘18)
From Debits and Credits to Fighting Crime
Why did you pursue an MSA degree and why Wake Forest?
I received a BS in Accounting while playing Division II lacrosse. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career with the FBI. To do so, I sought to gain tangible skills that would make me a unique candidate and provide a practical background for my future endeavors. I was aware of the prestige of the MSA program, its national reputation with a high CPA pass rate, and its outstanding employment track record, so I knew that completing the Wake Forest MSA program would grant me career visibility to the Big Four, as well as access to the outstanding alumni network, allowing me to really build my resume. When I was offered an opportunity to join the Wake Forest MSA program, I felt extremely fortunate.
How has the degree you earned at Wake translated to what you do now in your career?
Upon arrival at Wake Forest, I focused on keeping my grades strong and completed an internship at PwC, which was very helpful in acclimating me to the business world. After graduating with my MSA and passing the CPA exam, I spent two years at PwC in its assurance practice. That experience allowed me to build my analytical and critical thinking skills, which I still use in my role as an FBI Special Agent. Currently, I am assigned to a financial crimes squad at the FBI, where I utilize the accounting and financial skills I developed at Wake Forest. While I am not performing assurance audits as I once did at PwC, it does help that I approach issues from an accountant’s perspective. Also, it is imperative that we work in teams at the FBI, and I had an opportunity to develop extensive teamwork skills at both Wake Forest and PwC.
What inspired you to join the FBI after earning a degree in accounting?
I grew up in a law enforcement family and developed an interest in pursuing a career as an FBI Special Agent at an early age. While I enjoyed playing lacrosse in college, I knew that was not something I would pursue professionally after school. At the beginning of college, I researched the FBI’s hiring process and discovered that the FBI hired professionals with very diverse backgrounds and noted there were high academic and ethical standards. From that point forward, I knew I had to build my skills as broadly as possible in order to achieve my goal of joining the FBI. I identified that the FBI sought accountants as Special Agents, and as luck would have it, I had just taken a business class my freshman year of college, and I really enjoyed the accounting portion. At that moment, it clicked in my mind that accounting would be a good path to pursue, as it would help me achieve my goal while also giving me a broad business background. As an undergraduate, I was determined to become an expert in accounting. I tutored other students, completed two internships and set my sights on attending a prestigious MSA program. This set me on a path to obtain my CPA license, gain work experience at PwC and then ultimately join the FBI as a Special Agent.
How did your accounting background help you qualify or stand out during the FBI hiring process?
My background in accounting helped me tremendously in pursuit of my role at the FBI. The time spent pursuing the MSA degree, passing the CPA exam, and ultimately working in audit allowed me to establish a set of skills I use on a day-to-day basis. I learned how to gather evidence, assess facts, and evaluate issues from an analytical perspective, which is exactly what I do as a Special Agent. Additionally, the client-facing experience I gained while in public accounting allowed me to learn how to communicate effectively, which is similar to how I conduct interviews or interact with other members of the FBI. My accounting background taught me to dive into logic while assessing information. These skills transferred to the application process at the FBI.
What kind of cases do accountants (or you) typically work on within the FBI?
Some roles within the FBI are fully focused on forensic accounting, as almost any serious crime that we investigate will have a financial component to it. However, my role as a Special Agent has a broader scope, so I use the general skills I gained in accounting to support my analysis of cases. Although I’m a CPA with an accounting background, I can investigate all types of federal criminal violations, not just financial crime.
What does a typical day look like in your role?
Really no two days look the same in my role! I could conduct interviews, executing search warrants, analyzing data, or processing documents and reports. On another day, I could be executing a high-risk arrest warrant with my SWAT team or completing firearms training – scheduling changes can happen quickly. At any point in time, any aspect of my job can take center stage. The diversity of activities and the variability of my schedule keeps the job interesting each day.
What are some common misconceptions people have about working for the FBI?
A simple misconception is that when I tell people I work for the FBI and that I am a CPA, they often assume I am in the accounting department for the agency or that I’m a Forensic Accountant. I find it fun to explain to people that there are all types of professionals in the FBI, and Special Agents come from all backgrounds – including accounting!
What is your motto or philosophy you live your life by?
I have always believed in continuous personal and professional development. However, recently I have focused on trying to allow myself to be comfortable with “good enough.” For years, I have strived to be a perfectionist, constantly trying to develop my life skills. But as I have gained more life experience, I realize there is more to life than getting everything perfect. In fact, sometimes striving for perfection can be detrimental to your long-term health and happiness. Understanding that things are not always going to be perfect can increase success and your mental outlook.
What’s something you’ve learned that you think every young professional should hear?
I think the best advice I would share with younger professionals is to stay the course and be persistent. There are lots of steps in the process to achieve any worthwhile objective. And while it may be natural to question yourself along the way, you can achieve your objectives if you set a plan, follow it and stay focused on the goal. You also must be prepared to overcome obstacles and failures that you encounter during the pursuit of your goals. I had an objective of becoming an FBI Special Agent relatively early in life, which inspired me to do the best I could to achieve that goal.
Spotlight interview conducted by Alumni Council member Ashley Rogers (‘15, MSA ‘16).
