PCAOB bars Zwick CPA, owner and manager

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board sanctioned an audit firm, its owner and a former audit manager for multiple violations.

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One order sanctions Zwick CPA and Jack Zwick, while another sanctions Jeffrey Hoskow, who served as the engagement partner, in relation to the audit of Genie Energy for the year ended Dec. 31, 2022. 

The PCAOB found the firm and Zwick failed to:

• Properly plan, identify and assess the risks of material misstatement;
• Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to support the firm’s opinion on internal control over financial reporting;
• Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence as to Genie’s reported and unbilled revenues;
• Prepare the audit documentation pursuant to PCAOB standards; and,
• Zwick failed to properly supervise the work of the engagement team.

The PCAOB found that Hoskow:

• Took the predecessor auditor’s workpapers, replaced their name with “Zwick CPA,” updated the audit year and added workpaper sign-offs; and,
• Prepared various workpapers that inappropriately included documentation related to other issuers and that was inaccurate and irrelevant to Genie’s operations.

The board’s order censures the firm and Zwick, revokes the firm’s registration with the ability to reapply after three years, bars Zwick from being an associated person of a registered accounting firm with the ability to petition the board after three years, imposes a $50,000 fine (jointly and severally) on the firm and Zwick, requires the firm to undertake remedial measures concerning quality control and provide evidence of such implementations, and requires Zwick to complete 40 hours of continuing professional education, as well as any CPE required in relation to any professional license.

In a related order, the board also censured Hoskow, barred him from being an associated person of a registered firm with the ability to petition the board after two years, and required him to complete 40 hours of CPE relating to PCAOB auditing standards, as well as any CPE required in relation to any professional license.