As a result of an investigation of alleged violations of the codes of professional conduct of the AICPA and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs, Mr. Stiver, with the firm of John A. Stiver, CPA entered into a settlement agreement under the Joint Ethics Enforcement Program, effective April 12, 2021.
Information came to the attention of the Ethics Charging Authority (ECA – AICPA Professional Ethics Executive Committee and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs Professional Ethics Committee) alleging a potential disciplinary matter with respect to Mr. Stiver’s failure to ensure his firm obtained an appropriate peer review.
The ECA reviewed the allegations in the referral and Mr. Stiver’s responses to such findings. Based on this information, the ECA charged Mr. Stiver with a violation of the AICPA and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs codes of professional conduct as follows:
Violation
1.400.001 Acts Discreditable Rule
Mr. Stiver failed to ensure his firm complied with AICPA requirements to be enrolled in peer review and committed an act discreditable when he issued an audit report after he had been terminated from the AICPA Peer Review Program.
Agreement
In consideration of the ECA forgoing further investigation of Mr. Stiver’s conduct as described above, and in consideration of the ECA forgoing any further proceedings in the matter, Mr. Stiver agreed as follows:
To waive his rights to a hearing under AICPA bylaws section 7.4 and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs Article XIV, Section 2.(b).
To neither admit nor deny the above specified charges.
To his expulsion from membership in the AICPA and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs from the effective date of this agreement. His expulsion from the AICPA includes the loss of his AICPA credentials and certificates.
That the ECA shall publish his name, the name of his firm, the charges, and the terms of this settlement agreement.