Free Treasury Enforcement Agent: Problems for Investigation 2 Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Recently, there have been issues with the teller drawers at Geeks Bank running out of money. Bank executives were not very concerned until they started to discover a trend because banks anticipate a certain amount of this kind of loss. Over six months, the cash at Teller Station 3 would periodically run low every two or three days. Authorities were contacted after Vice President Dennis Jansen reported the practice. There are 12 teller stations, but it is uncommon for all twelve to be open at once. The volume of business being done and the number of tellers employed determine how many stations are open. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Vice President Jansen stated that he tallied the drawer totals at the end of each business day; on days when he did not work, the tallies were done by Vice President Diaz. <br> 2. Glenda Shimmer, the teller supervisor, said that she usually opened teller stations in order, that is, station 1 would be opened first, station 2 second, and so on. Each teller is assigned to a station for the shift, but they cover for each other on breaks. <br> 3. Shimmer also stated that an average of five stations are open at any given time, but sometimes as few as two stations are open. <br> 4. Teller Mark Feller said that the tellers came and went from work at staggered times and that more than half of the tellers only worked part-time. <br> 5. Teller Jasmine Nguyen said that Leticia Ralphson, another teller, had recently gotten divorced and complained that her ex-husband was not paying child support. <br> 6. Vice President Enrique Diaz stated that the tallies had never been short on the days he did them. <br> 7. Teller Leticia Ralphson said that recently a new customer, John Davor, had been coming in every few days and often he only wanted change for a large bill. Ralphson thought he might be a drug dealer. <br> 8. Teller Mike Allen said that, although tellers were not assigned to particular stations all the time, each teller had a favorite station and Glenda normally let them work at those stations. Mike said that both Ralphson and Ngyuen liked the station. <br> 9. Head of Personnel Heidi Tuy checked the records and said that tellers Ngyuen, Ralphson, Allen, Ford, Beloit, and Rawlings were all working on days when station 3 came up short. In addition, Glenda Shimmer and Jansen worked all of those days. Teller Feller worked all but two of those days. <br> 10. Teller Justine Beloit said that she saw Vice President Jansen and Teller Allen have lunch together once or twice weekly for the last six months. <br> <br> Which of the following statements could be an attempt by one teller to divert suspicion to another teller?
- Statements 5 and 8 (Correct answer)
- Statements 1 and 4
- Statements 3 and 6
- Statements 7 and 10
- Statements 1 and 6
Correct answer: Statements 5 and 8
Statement 5, made by Teller Jasmine Nguyen, provides a potential financial motive for Teller Leticia Ralphson by mentioning her divorce and child support issues. Statement 8, made by Teller Mike Allen, links both Ralphson and Nguyen to Station 3, where the shortages occurred, by stating it was a 'favorite station' they liked. Together, these statements from other tellers create suspicion around Ralphson by suggesting a motive and connecting her to the scene of the crime.
Question 2: Recently, there have been issues with the teller drawers at Geeks Bank running out of money. Bank executives were not very concerned until they started to discover a trend because banks anticipate a certain amount of this kind of loss. Over six months, the cash at Teller Station 3 would periodically run low every two or three days. Authorities were contacted after Vice President Dennis Jansen reported the practice. There are 12 teller stations, but it is uncommon for all twelve to be open at once. The volume of business being done and the number of tellers employed determine how many stations are open. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Vice President Jansen stated that he tallied the drawer totals at the end of each business day; on days when he did not work, the tallies were done by Vice President Diaz. <br> 2. Glenda Shimmer, the teller supervisor, said that she usually opened teller stations in order, that is, station 1 would be opened first, station 2 second, and so on. Each teller is assigned to a station for the shift, but they cover for each other on breaks. <br> 3. Shimmer also stated that an average of five stations are open at any given time, but sometimes as few as two stations are open. <br> 4. Teller Mark Feller said that the tellers came and went from work at staggered times and that more than half of the tellers only worked part-time. <br> 5. Teller Jasmine Nguyen said that Leticia Ralphson, another teller, had recently gotten divorced and complained that her ex-husband was not paying child support. <br> 6. Vice President Enrique Diaz stated that the tallies had never been short on the days he did them. <br> 7. Teller Leticia Ralphson said that recently a new customer, John Davor, had been coming in every few days and often he only wanted change for a large bill. Ralphson thought he might be a drug dealer. <br> 8. Teller Mike Allen said that, although tellers were not assigned to particular stations all the time, each teller had a favorite station and Glenda normally let them work at those stations. Mike said that both Ralphson and Ngyuen liked the station. <br> 9. Head of Personnel Heidi Tuy checked the records and said that tellers Ngyuen, Ralphson, Allen, Ford, Beloit, and Rawlings were all working on days when station 3 came up short. In addition, Glenda Shimmer and Jansen worked all of those days. Teller Feller worked all but two of those days. <br> 10. Teller Justine Beloit said that she saw Vice President Jansen and Teller Allen have lunch together once or twice weekly for the last six months. <br> <br> Which of the following statements casts suspicion on Jansen?
- Statements 6 and 10
- Statements 1 and 6 (Correct answer)
- Statements 1 and 9
- Statements 6 and 9
Correct answer: Statements 1 and 6
Statement 1 establishes that Vice President Jansen was responsible for tallying drawer totals on most business days. Statement 6, made by Vice President Diaz, explicitly states that the tallies were never short on the days *he* performed them. This contrast directly implicates Jansen, as it suggests the shortages only occurred when he was in charge of the tallies, casting strong suspicion on his involvement or oversight.
Question 3: Recently, there have been issues with the teller drawers at Geeks Bank running out of money. Bank executives were not very concerned until they started to discover a trend because banks anticipate a certain amount of this kind of loss. Over six months, the cash at Teller Station 3 would periodically run low every two or three days. Authorities were contacted after Vice President Dennis Jansen reported the practice. There are 12 teller stations, but it is uncommon for all twelve to be open at once. The volume of business being done and the number of tellers employed determine how many stations are open. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Vice President Jansen stated that he tallied the drawer totals at the end of each business day; on days when he did not work, the tallies were done by Vice President Diaz. <br> 2. Glenda Shimmer, the teller supervisor, said that she usually opened teller stations in order, that is, station 1 would be opened first, station 2 second, and so on. Each teller is assigned to a station for the shift, but they cover for each other on breaks. <br> 3. Shimmer also stated that an average of five stations are open at any given time, but sometimes as few as two stations are open. <br> 4. Teller Mark Feller said that the tellers came and went from work at staggered times and that more than half of the tellers only worked part-time. <br> 5. Teller Jasmine Nguyen said that Leticia Ralphson, another teller, had recently gotten divorced and complained that her ex-husband was not paying child support. <br> 6. Vice President Enrique Diaz stated that the tallies had never been short on the days he did them. <br> 7. Teller Leticia Ralphson said that recently a new customer, John Davor, had been coming in every few days and often he only wanted change for a large bill. Ralphson thought he might be a drug dealer. <br> 8. Teller Mike Allen said that, although tellers were not assigned to particular stations all the time, each teller had a favorite station and Glenda normally let them work at those stations. Mike said that both Ralphson and Ngyuen liked the station. <br> 9. Head of Personnel Heidi Tuy checked the records and said that tellers Ngyuen, Ralphson, Allen, Ford, Beloit, and Rawlings were all working on days when station 3 came up short. In addition, Glenda Shimmer and Jansen worked all of those days. Teller Feller worked all but two of those days. <br> 10. Teller Justine Beloit said that she saw Vice President Jansen and Teller Allen have lunch together once or twice weekly for the last six months. <br> <br> Which of the following statements indicates that the drawer shortage might not be a case of employee theft?
- Statement 7 (Correct answer)
- Statement 9
- Statement 3
- Statement 5
- Statement 1
Correct answer: Statement 7
Statement 7 introduces an external factor: a new customer, John Davor, who frequently requests change for large bills and is suspected by a teller of being a drug dealer. This suggests that the cash shortages could be related to large, potentially illicit, transactions by an outside individual rather than internal employee theft. It provides an alternative explanation for the missing funds that doesn't involve a bank employee stealing money.
Question 4: Carlo Kreig, a high school student, informed the neighborhood police that he had proof that Shane Merfull, another student, was using fake money. Carlo admitted after being questioned that he had observed Merfull taking several hundred dollars to the school. She said that her brother, Josh, gave it to her when he inquired where she obtained it. Carlo overheard her later telling a different pupil that the money was fake and that there was a lot more of it. The Secret Service was contacted by local police. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Student Buffy Slater said that Shane had a lot of new clothes lately. <br> 2. Student Jeff Mccoy said that Carlo asked Shane out three times, but she always turned him down. <br> 3. Thalia Doe cashier at the Sound Wave, said Shane had purchased several new CDs in the past week, always paying cash. <br> 4. Principal Mark Pull said that Shnae's brother Josh had been a troublemaker who consistently made poor grades, was expelled from school, and had never graduated. <br> 5. Teacher Nobert Ross said that Carlo had seemed troubled lately and he heard Carlo's parents were getting divorced. <br> 6. Counselor Mitchell Delivine said that Josh Merfull was a genius, with an I.Q. over 150, and was an excellent artist. <br> 7. Shane Merfull said that her father had recently gotten a promotion at the paper factory where he worked and her mother had just gone back to work as a bookkeeper. <br> 8. Lara Mason, Shane's friend, said that Shane had recently had a lot more money to spend when they went to the mall. <br> 9. Josh Merfull said that he suspected Shane might be dealing drugs. <br> 10. May Gibson said she was Carlo's girlfriend and had been for two years. <br> <br> Which statement might be an attempt to divert the investigation?
- Statement 5
- Statement 6
- Statement 8
- Statement 9 (Correct answer)
- Statement 10
Correct answer: Statement 9
The initial report is about Shane Merfull using fake money, which her brother Josh gave her. Josh Merfull's statement (9) that he 'suspected Shane might be dealing drugs' attempts to shift the focus of the investigation from the counterfeit money (which he supplied) to Shane's alleged drug activities. This diversion could be an effort to deflect suspicion from himself regarding the source of the fake currency.
Question 5: Carlo Kreig, a high school student, informed the neighborhood police that he had proof that Shane Merfull, another student, was using fake money. Carlo admitted after being questioned that he had observed Merfull taking several hundred dollars to the school. She said that her brother, Josh, gave it to her when he inquired where she obtained it. Carlo overheard her later telling a different pupil that the money was fake and that there was a lot more of it. The Secret Service was contacted by local police. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Student Buffy Slater said that Shane had a lot of new clothes lately. <br> 2. Student Jeff Mccoy said that Carlo asked Shane out three times, but she always turned him down. <br> 3. Thalia Doe cashier at the Sound Wave, said Shane had purchased several new CDs in the past week, always paying cash. <br> 4. Principal Mark Pull said that Shnae's brother Josh had been a troublemaker who consistently made poor grades, was expelled from school, and had never graduated. <br> 5. Teacher Nobert Ross said that Carlo had seemed troubled lately and he heard Carlo's parents were getting divorced. <br> 6. Counselor Mitchell Delivine said that Josh Merfull was a genius, with an I.Q. over 150, and was an excellent artist. <br> 7. Shane Merfull said that her father had recently gotten a promotion at the paper factory where he worked and her mother had just gone back to work as a bookkeeper. <br> 8. Lara Mason, Shane's friend, said that Shane had recently had a lot more money to spend when they went to the mall. <br> 9. Josh Merfull said that he suspected Shane might be dealing drugs. <br> 10. May Gibson said she was Carlo's girlfriend and had been for two years. <br> <br> Which two statements appear to corroborate each other?
- Statements 2 and 5
- Statements 4 and 6
- Statements 3 and 8 (Correct answer)
- Statements 7 and 9
- Statements 9 and 10
Correct answer: Statements 3 and 8
Statement 3, from cashier Thalia Doe, indicates that Shane had recently purchased several new CDs, always paying with cash. Statement 8, from Shane's friend Lara Mason, independently corroborates this by noting that Shane 'had recently had a lot more money to spend when they went to the mall.' Both statements independently confirm that Shane has had an unusual increase in disposable cash and has been spending it, supporting the initial claim of her using fake money.
Question 6: Carlo Kreig, a high school student, informed the neighborhood police that he had proof that Shane Merfull, another student, was using fake money. Carlo admitted after being questioned that he had observed Merfull taking several hundred dollars to the school. She said that her brother, Josh, gave it to her when he inquired where she obtained it. Carlo overheard her later telling a different pupil that the money was fake and that there was a lot more of it. The Secret Service was contacted by local police. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Student Buffy Slater said that Shane had a lot of new clothes lately. <br> 2. Student Jeff Mccoy said that Carlo asked Shane out three times, but she always turned him down. <br> 3. Thalia Doe cashier at the Sound Wave, said Shane had purchased several new CDs in the past week, always paying cash. <br> 4. Principal Mark Pull said that Shnae's brother Josh had been a troublemaker who consistently made poor grades, was expelled from school, and had never graduated. <br> 5. Teacher Nobert Ross said that Carlo had seemed troubled lately and he heard Carlo's parents were getting divorced. <br> 6. Counselor Mitchell Delivine said that Josh Merfull was a genius, with an I.Q. over 150, and was an excellent artist. <br> 7. Shane Merfull said that her father had recently gotten a promotion at the paper factory where he worked and her mother had just gone back to work as a bookkeeper. <br> 8. Lara Mason, Shane's friend, said that Shane had recently had a lot more money to spend when they went to the mall. <br> 9. Josh Merfull said that he suspected Shane might be dealing drugs. <br> 10. May Gibson said she was Carlo's girlfriend and had been for two years. <br> <br> Which statement along with statement 2 is most damaging to Carlo Kreig?
- Statement 4
- Statement 7
- Statement 10
- Statement 5 (Correct answer)
- Statement 9
Correct answer: Statement 5
Statement 2 reveals that Carlo Kreig had been rejected by Shane Merfull three times, establishing a potential motive for Carlo to fabricate a story out of resentment or jealousy. Statement 5, from Teacher Nobert Ross, adds that Carlo 'had seemed troubled lately' and his parents were getting divorced. This suggests Carlo might be emotionally unstable or prone to acting out, further undermining his credibility and making his accusation against Shane appear less reliable when combined with his personal rejection.
Question 7: Carlo Kreig, a high school student, informed the neighborhood police that he had proof that Shane Merfull, another student, was using fake money. Carlo admitted after being questioned that he had observed Merfull taking several hundred dollars to the school. She said that her brother, Josh, gave it to her when he inquired where she obtained it. Carlo overheard her later telling a different pupil that the money was fake and that there was a lot more of it. The Secret Service was contacted by local police. <br> <br> During the investigation, the following statements were made: <br> <br> 1. Student Buffy Slater said that Shane had a lot of new clothes lately. <br> 2. Student Jeff Mccoy said that Carlo asked Shane out three times, but she always turned him down. <br> 3. Thalia Doe cashier at the Sound Wave, said Shane had purchased several new CDs in the past week, always paying cash. <br> 4. Principal Mark Pull said that Shnae's brother Josh had been a troublemaker who consistently made poor grades, was expelled from school, and had never graduated. <br> 5. Teacher Nobert Ross said that Carlo had seemed troubled lately and he heard Carlo's parents were getting divorced. <br> 6. Counselor Mitchell Delivine said that Josh Merfull was a genius, with an I.Q. over 150, and was an excellent artist. <br> 7. Shane Merfull said that her father had recently gotten a promotion at the paper factory where he worked and her mother had just gone back to work as a bookkeeper. <br> 8. Lara Mason, Shane's friend, said that Shane had recently had a lot more money to spend when they went to the mall. <br> 9. Josh Merfull said that he suspected Shane might be dealing drugs. <br> 10. May Gibson said she was Carlo's girlfriend and had been for two years. <br> <br> Which statement is purely circumstantial evidence?
- Statement 10
- Statement 4
- Statement 1 (Correct answer)
- Statement 7
- Statement 6
Correct answer: Statement 1
Circumstantial evidence implies a fact but does not directly prove it; it requires an inference. Statement 1, 'Student Buffy Slater said that Shane had a lot of new clothes lately,' is purely circumstantial. While having new clothes might suggest Shane has more money, it doesn't directly prove she is using fake money or involved in any crime; it merely allows for an inference.
Recently, there have been issues with the teller drawers at Geeks Bank running out of money.
Bank executives were not very concerned until they started to discover a trend because banks anticipate a certain amount of this kind of loss.
Over six months, the cash at Teller Station 3 would periodically run low every two or three days.
Authorities were contacted after Vice President Dennis Jansen reported the practice.
There are 12 teller stations, but it is uncommon for all twelve to be open at once.
The volume of business being done and the number of tellers employed determine how many stations are open.
During the investigation, the following statements were made:
1.
Vice President Jansen stated that he tallied the drawer totals at the end of each business day; on days when he did not work, the tallies were done by Vice President Diaz.
2.
Glenda Shimmer, the teller supervisor, said that she usually opened teller stations in order, that is, station 1 would be opened first, station 2 second, and so on.
Each teller is assigned to a station for the shift, but they cover for each other on breaks.
3.
Shimmer also stated that an average of five stations are open at any given time, but sometimes as few as two stations are open.
4.
Teller Mark Feller said that the tellers came and went from work at staggered times and that more than half of the tellers only worked part-time.
5.
Teller Jasmine Nguyen said that Leticia Ralphson, another teller, had recently gotten divorced and complained that her ex-husband was not paying child support.
6.
Vice President Enrique Diaz stated that the tallies had never been short on the days he did them.
7.
Teller Leticia Ralphson said that recently a new customer, John Davor, had been coming in every few days and often he only wanted change for a large bill.
Ralphson thought he might be a drug dealer.
8.
Teller Mike Allen said that, although tellers were not assigned to particular stations all the time, each teller had a favorite station and Glenda normally let them work at those stations.
Mike said that both Ralphson and Ngyuen liked the station.
9.
Head of Personnel Heidi Tuy checked the records and said that tellers Ngyuen, Ralphson, Allen, Ford, Beloit, and Rawlings were all working on days when station 3 came up short.
In addition, Glenda Shimmer and Jansen worked all of those days.
Teller Feller worked all but two of those days.
10.
Teller Justine Beloit said that she saw Vice President Jansen and Teller Allen have lunch together once or twice weekly for the last six months.
Which of the following statements could be an attempt by one teller to divert suspicion to another teller?