What Red Flag Mania does

Red Flag Mania is a Chicago-based educational technology company founded in 2019 by Roni Jackson and Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope that builds gamified, true-crime inspired learning simulations for accounting, audit, fraud, tax, ethics, AIS/cybersecurity, and project management education. The platform delivers content through three modalities: a self-study digital curriculum with on-demand access (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant and LTI-integrated with institutional LMS systems), facilitator-led in-person workshops (90 minutes to 5 hours, minimum 20 participants), and virtual workshops qualified for NASBA CPE and CFE credits. Its content library includes proprietary case-based modules such as Ethics Dash, Ethics Boss, Culture Dash, Audit Challenge, Fraud Scheme Hunt, Fraud Chase, Tax Challenge Parts 1-3, Nursing Ethics, and a 2026 cybersecurity/tech line covering ransomware response, HIPAA, disaster recovery, and project management scenarios, supported by documentary-style video, suspect profiles, and digital evidence documents.

The company monetizes through a mix of individual course purchases (e.g., Ethics Dash at $9.99), institutional and individual digital platform subscriptions, and professional services revenue from customized in-person and virtual workshops. Its go-to-market combines enterprise field sales targeting Chief Learning Officers and accounting department chairs, channel partnerships (notably the NASBA Center for the Public Trust Ethical Leadership Certificate Program reaching 50+ universities and 20,000+ students since 2022, plus Becker and CalCPA distribution relationships), industry conferences (IIA GAM 2022 with 1,150 concurrent participants), and content marketing anchored by a demo-booking conversion funnel. Major customer relationships span higher education (WGU, DePaul, Valparaiso, Weber State, MSU-Billings), accounting firms (Eide Bailly, Cohn Reznick), and professional associations, with the WGU School of Business course redesign (1,000 students, 50% completion-rate lift in 2025) representing a flagship institutional anchor. The firm is privately held, incorporated in Illinois, has 11-50 employees, has not disclosed institutional funding, and operates as a founder-led business without a parent company.

Name

Red Flag Mania

Legal name

Red Flag Mania, Inc.

Website

https://redflagmania.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Red Flag Mania is a Chicago-based edtech company that builds gamified, true-crime inspired simulations for accounting, audit, fraud, ethics, tax, and cybersecurity education, delivered via a self-study digital platform and facilitator-led workshops to universities, accounting firms, and professional associations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Learning Software

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy Management, Training & Ethics/Whistleblowing (BPAEAPAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whistleblowing, Speak-Up Culture & Investigations Training (EDABADAL), Fraud Prevention & Identity Theft / Account Takeover Awareness (EDABAGAO), Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH), Phishing, Social Engineering & Business Email Compromise (BEC) Training (EDABAGAB)

Keywords

• Experiential learning platform
• Gamified accounting education
• Interactive fraud investigation
• Ethics training simulations
• Professional development software

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Digital Platform Subscriptions: Self-study curriculum delivered through digital platform with on-demand access. Institutions and individuals subscribe for course content including audit, fraud, ethics, tax, and AIS modules.
2. Professional Workshops (In-Person and Virtual): Live and virtual team-building workshops with expert facilitators. Customized sessions ranging from 90 minutes to 5 hours. CPE-eligible training for professionals. Minimum 20 participants for workshops.
3. Individual Course Purchases: Individual course purchases such as Ethics Dash at $9.99. One-time purchase options alongside subscription models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Red Flag Mania operates a gamified experiential learning platform that uses true-crime-inspired interactive case studies to teach business, accounting, ethics, fraud, audit, tax, cybersecurity, and technology concepts. The company delivers content through a self-study digital platform, virtual workshops, and in-person facilitator-led workshops, with Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) integration into institutional Learning Management Systems.

Product overview

Red Flag Mania is an immersive educational and training platform that combines gamification, digital storytelling, and experiential learning through true-crime investigations. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of interactive case-based simulations organized into content categories: Ethics (Ethics Dash, Culture Dash, Ethics Boss series, Nursing Ethics), Audit (Audit Challenge), Fraud (Fraud Scheme Hunt, Fraud Chase, Knead2Know), Tax (Tax Challenge series with three parts and bundles), AIS/Cybersecurity (Cyberattack series), and Technology (All Things Considered, The Perfect Storm, Aftermath, PayDay). The platform is delivered through three modalities: a self-study Digital Platform for on-demand learning, Virtual Workshops for remote team building, and In-Person Workshops for live facilitator-led experiences. Products like the WWP Bundle and Tax Bundle combine multiple modules into integrated investigation sequences. The platform targets both higher education (undergraduate and masters-level courses) and professional development (CPE credits, licensure-based training) and integrates with Learning Management Systems via LTI. Notable partnerships include NASBA's Ethical Leadership Certificate Program (50+ universities, 20,000+ students since 2022) and WGU School of Business course redesign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ethics Dash An interactive fraud investigation game where users solve real-life cases to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to recognize red flags within organizations. Users determine 'Who stole the money?' while learning about internal controls and ethical decision-making. Priced at $9.99 per individual course with 2 CPE credits.
• Ethics Boss An ethical decision-making simulation where users act as executive decision-makers navigating complex stakeholder dilemmas. Focuses on evaluating whether global companies are ethically responsible to stakeholders versus shareholders. Offers 2 Live CPE Credits for business professionals.
• Ethics Boss Analytics An executive-level simulation where learners evaluate a complex situation through data analysis, focusing on ESG considerations and data ethics. Users interpret information that shapes organizational decisions.
• Ethics Boss Foundry A crisis leadership simulation where a major auto manufacturer faces disaster. Learners act as the executive team making real-time decisions on how the company survives, communicates, and answers for what happened, applying ESG principles.
• Ethics Boss Tayuko An executive team simulation where a manufacturer faces mounting disaster involving injuries, loss of life, and financial fallout. Learners navigate competing stakeholder interests, incomplete information, and high-stakes tradeoffs using the Stakeholder Salience Model.
• Culture Dash A personal bias management simulation that helps learners recognize how bias impacts professional decision-making. Uses a whodunnit mystery to apply the fraud triangle for identifying perpetrators while teaching bias prevention skills.
• Nursing Ethics A medical mystery adventure for nursing professionals that uncovers the nurse's role in patient care and healthcare organizations. Empowers nurses to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and ethical decision-making for complex healthcare scenarios.
• Audit Challenge A hands-on audit simulation where learners investigate fraud, test internal controls, and build auditor trust through the Montague Fellowship Church mystery, learning about internal control weaknesses and segregation of duties.
• WWP Bundle (When We Prey Bundle) A comprehensive three-part investigation bundle combining Ethics Dash, Audit Challenge, and Fraud Scheme Hunt. Learners assume roles of investigator, auditor, and fraud protector while solving the Montague Fellowship Church money mystery. Includes 5 CPE credits.
• Fraud Scheme Hunt A fraud prevention simulation set at Montague Fellowship Church where users classify fraud schemes, fraudulent disbursements, and bank reconciliations while developing analytical skills and fraud awareness. Includes 3 CPE credits.
• Fraud Chase A medical industry fraud detection simulation where users track fraudulent disbursements in a medical facility. Follows a medical mystery while learning about internal controls and the fraud triangle components (Opportunity, Pressure, Rationalization).
• Knead2Know: Fraud Scheme Hunt A bakery-themed fraud investigation where sales are up but profit is tanking. Learners dig into evidence to uncover what's hidden beneath the surface, analyzing financial statements to spot red flags and identifying internal control weaknesses.
• Tax Challenge Pt. 1 The first part of a tax investigation following Dennis Harvey of Dawson PharmaLab who faces IRS correspondence. Users learn to classify expenses as personal or business deductions while reviewing record-keeping policies.
• Tax Challenge Pt. 2 Part two of the Dennis Harvey tax investigation where users review receipts and statements to determine if expenses were properly deducted on Form 1040 and its schedules, focusing on tax preparer professional responsibilities and taxable income determination.
• Tax Challenge Pt. 3 The final part where users step into the role of IRS agent John McGuire investigating Dennis Harvey's 2018-2019 tax returns, understanding the IRS tax return examination process, penalties for tax evasion, and real estate taxation.
• Tax Bundle A three-part tax investigation bundle combining Tax Challenge Pt. 1, 2, and 3, following Dennis Harvey's complete tax journey from deduction classification through IRS examination.
• Cyberattack Part 1 A cyber crisis simulation at Ashwood Hospital where learners respond to a sudden system disruption, examining evidence and learning about ransomware response stages, security countermeasures, and post-attack response strategies.
• Cyberattack Part 2 The continuation of the Ashwood Hospital cyber crisis where new information emerges, focusing on evaluating evolving risks, internal policies, and external requirements including legal and regulatory compliance (HIPAA).
• All Things Considered A project management simulation where Mekra Systems faces a new project dropped on an already maxed-out team, with learners managing delivery without burnout across Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid approaches.
• The Perfect Storm A disaster recovery simulation where a Category 4 hurricane threatens Mekra Systems' data center, with learners evaluating recovery plans, identifying vulnerabilities, and testing protocols.
• Aftermath A post-attack simulation where Ashwood Hospital faces crisis after a sudden disruption raises questions about critical systems, with learners recommending appropriate responses and applying legal regulations.
• PayDay A ransomware response simulation where Ashwood Hospital faces a high-stakes demand that tests trust and leadership, with learners analyzing incident reports, policies, and HIPAA regulations to recommend responses.
• In-Person Workshops Live, facilitator-led investigation workshops where participants view a film, review evidence, interview suspects, and solve crimes together. Customizable from 90 minutes to 5 hours. CPE-eligible. Minimum 20 participants.
• Virtual Workshops Remote team-building investigation workshops enabling global participation, with active engagement without boring lectures. Includes optional hybrid format with in-person teams and online facilitator. NASBA and CFE qualified.
• Digital Platform A self-study curriculum platform incorporating multimedia and real-life scenarios for developing practical skills. Offers on-demand access for learning at one's own pace with an engaging gamified approach. Covers undergraduate, masters-level courses, and CPE-eligible professional development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% increase in course completion rates at WGU
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASBA Center for the Public TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, NASBA integrated Red Flag Mania's Ethics Dash into its Ethical Leadership Certificate Program (ELCP). The program has expanded across business colleges nationwide, reaching 20,000+ students at 50+ universities. Students earn certificates from NASBA CPT upon completion. LTI integration enables seamless LMS connectivity.
• Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022IIA GAM 2022 Conference featured Red Flag Mania's live investigation simulation. 1,150 total participants (750 in-person in Las Vegas, 400 online) engaged simultaneously with the same investigative experience. Platform unified massive multi-modal audience.
• Western Governors University (WGU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRed Flag Mania partnered with WGU School of Business for full-scale course redesign including the 'Knead2Know Bakery' scenario. Pilot launched in 2025 with 1,000 undergraduate management students, achieving 50% increase in course completion rates. Includes nursing ethics course collaboration with WGU Labs.
• DePaul UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope serves as Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University. University listed among company partners with ongoing academic collaboration.
• BeckerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccounting education company shown in company logos, indicating partnership or distribution relationship in the accounting education market.
• CalCPAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalifornia Society of Certified Public Accountants shown in company logos, indicating partnership or distribution relationship.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wiley Efficient Learning: Wiley's CPA and accounting review division offers test prep and CPE to the same accounting student and professional demographic that RFM targets with fraud, audit, and ethics content.
• Becker Professional Education: Becker provides CPA exam prep and accounting continuing education, serving the same accounting student and professional audience as Red Flag Mania. Already shown as a channel partner in RFM's logo list, indicating overlapping buyer relationships in accounting education.
• Roger CPA Review: Roger CPA Review delivers CPA exam preparation with adaptive learning and engaging video content, competing for the same undergraduate and professional accounting learner base that RFM addresses through experiential simulations.
• Surgent Accounting & Financial Education: Surgent provides CPA review, CPE, and accounting firm training with adaptive technology, serving the same accounting student, professional, and firm segments as Red Flag Mania's audit, tax, and ethics modules.
• KnowBe4: KnowBe4 is the leader in gamified security awareness and phishing simulation training — directly analogous to RFM's Cyberattack and BEC-style experiential learning approach, but with significantly larger scale and enterprise footprint.

Emerging players

• SANS Institute: SANS Institute delivers immersive cybersecurity training and simulations, with overlapping subject matter in RFM's Cyberattack and PayDay modules that teach ransomware response, HIPAA compliance, and security countermeasures.
• Mursion: Mursion provides VR-based simulations for corporate soft skills, leadership, and compliance training, sharing RFM's experiential learning philosophy and corporate L&D buyer overlap though delivered via virtual humans rather than documentary content.

Broad incumbents

• Skillsoft: Skillsoft is a large incumbent corporate learning platform offering compliance, leadership, and technology training including ethics and fraud content — competing with RFM for enterprise L&D budget with a much broader catalog but less experiential specificity.
• Kaplan Financial Education: Kaplan offers CPA, CFA, and financial services exam prep plus continuing education, addressing the same accounting professional audience with a broader curriculum footprint and stronger consumer brand recognition.

Others

• Stratifyd: While not a direct competitor, Stratifyd represents the broader analytics and AI-enabled enterprise learning technology ecosystem where experiential platforms like RFM increasingly layer data-driven personalization and outcomes measurement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@redflagmania
• Facebookfacebook.com/RedFlagMania
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-flag-mania
• Instagraminstagram.com/redflagmania
• Xx.com/redflagmania

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Red Flag Mania