Michael K. Bernstein is an associate managing director with K2 Integrity’s Investigations and Disputes practice. With more than a decade of experience in public accounting, private finance and operational management, forensic accounting and fraud investigation, and risk management and advisory, he leads a variety of investigatory and advisory assignments for government, corporate, and high-net-worth individual clients.
At K2 Integrity, Michael contributes to the protection of clients’ financial, operational, and reputational interests through engagements that identify and investigate fraud, waste, and abuse; quantify losses and prepare evidence of allegations of financial crimes; and develop and improve internal controls and compliance programs to deter misappropriations. Michael is also experienced in corporate contests, disputes and litigation, information security, and data analytics cases. He has assessed the anti-money laundering, internal audit, and internal controls programs of global banks on behalf of government regulators and has evaluated internal controls over federal grant management for major city disaster response and recovery efforts.
Michael started with K2 Integrity as director of finance, providing financial and operational insight to inform key decisions that fueled the organization’s growth. He also guided practitioners through client engagements and advised the firm’s various practices on engagement management.
Prior to joining K2 Integrity, Michael served as the accounting manager of a fixed-base operator at Teterboro Airport, where, following the organization’s purchase by Goldman Sachs, he built its accounting and finance department into one that provided timely, precise financial and operational reporting and insight. He also supervised airport operations, secured airport assets, and worked with various state and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure facilities security during special events.
Michael began his career with Sobel & Co., LLC, a regional public accounting firm, where he managed a diverse range of audit, tax, and consulting clients in the financial services, retail, manufacturing, distribution, real estate management, construction, services, and not-for-profit sectors. At Sobel, Michael served as the senior auditor in charge of the brokers and dealers in the securities, investment advisors, and pension plan groups, and as a quality control reviewer of the firm’s internal controls audit group.
Michael received a B.S. in accounting and entrepreneurship from Hofstra University. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Chartered Global Management Accountant, and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He serves as an active director on the New Jersey Society of CPAs Essex Chapter Executive Board and as a director on the Advisory Board of the Arc of Essex County.
