This chapter begins with the definitions of creative accounting, fraud and financial statement fraud and explains the relationship between them. Next, it presents the classical theories on the determinants of financial statement fraud. Section 1.4 presents the profile of accounting scandals. Section 1.5 presents the components of financial report fraud as well as the parties involved in in creative accounting. Section 1.6 presents the reasons and motivations for creative accounting. Specifically, the authors analyse manipulation practices, the methods and the opportunities for creative accounting and address why financial frauds occur. Finally, they offer conclusions in Section 1.7.
