Firms have tendencies to manipulate their financial statements when it is at risk of bankruptcy due to financial distress. Based on the Fraud Diamond Theory, there are four factors that motivate firms to perpetrate fraud, namely pressure, opportunity, rationalization and capability. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of these fraud diamond factors on the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting among financially distressed firms in Malaysia. In addition, this study investigated whether the new amendment of code of corporate governance on risk management practices can mitigate the effect of these four factors on the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting. Based on a sample of 53 financially distressed firms from 2014 until 2019, this study found that two fraud diamond factors which are pressure and capability significantly influenced firms’ financial distress and thus influenced the likelihood of fraud. The study found that risk management can reduce pressure and thus reduce the likelihood of fraud of financially distressed firms. Meanwhile, distressed firms change directors to replace with competent ones. Nevertheless, the study found that distressed firms may increase their risk disclosures to cover up their distress by changing directors. This study investigated the prevalence of fraud among distressed firms. Furthermore, it extends the literature of risk management among distressed firms.

Keywords: fraud, fraud diamond, risk management, financial distress