Question

John discovered his company's accountant was "skimming" money from the business. The accountant agreed to pay John a one-time payment of $25,000 not to report the skimming to company officials. The accountant promised she would pay the money back when she could. John accepted the money and never reported what he knew. A year later the accountant was fired when the accountant’s actions were discovered, she was also prosecuted for theft. The payment to John was never discovered. Which statement is correct?

Answer 1

There are no options listed, but what I can tell you for sure is that John's actions were both unethical and illegal.

What John did is unethical because it is not moral and it goes against all the principles that guide professional conduct. John also did something illegal because he was an accomplice in committing fraud against the company. He knowingly benefited from the accountant's illegal actions, and that is basically the legal definition of an accomplice to a crime.