This paper examines why CFOs become involved in material accounting manipulations.
We find that while CFOs bear substantial legal costs when involved in accounting
manipulations, these CFOs have similar equity incentives to the CFOs of matched nonmanipulation
firms. In contrast, CEOs of manipulation firms have higher equity
incentives and more power than CEOs of matched firms. Taken together, our findings
are consistent with the explanation that CFOs are involved in material accounting
manipulations because they succumb to pressure from CEOs, rather than because they
seek immediate personal financial benefit from their equity incentives. AAER content
analysis reinforces this conclusion.