YES Bank Fraud: Examining the softer underbelly of the fraud from a behavioral model

Poor corporate governance, insufficient regulatory supervision, and lack of compliance are susceptible factors for fraudulent activities in the Indian banking sector. This study examines the role of softer aspects like the CEO’s personality traits that instigate an organization's involvement in fraudulent activities. Our study proposes a conceptual model to examine the behavioral fabric of fraud by widening the scope of the existing corporate fraud models. The conceptual model is built upon three primary components: dark personality traits of the CEO leading to CEO hubris, internal firm factors, and external firm factors. The proposed model aims to analyze the massive fraud done at YES Bank, considered a pioneer for the Indian private banking sector. The study aims to contribute towards existing fraud theory literature by proposing a new model. It aims to contribute to the increasing sensitivity of forensic accountants towards examining the psychological and behavioral traits of a fraudster.