The Appraisal Institute is being sued by a former executive who accuses the organization of firing her when she uncovered widespread fraud in the publishing of testing results.
Bisnow.com reports Alissa Akins, a former director of education and publications at the agency, accused The Appraisal Institute of intentionally providing state regulators with fraudulent test results for the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, which includes examinations needed by appraisers to maintain their certification. Akins claimed The Appraisal Institute falsely attributed passing grads to appraisers who failed the test.
Akins’ lawsuit added the fraudulent test results were being offered since at least 2020 and that she became aware of the chicanery in September 2024. Akins said she lost her job after alerting the organization’s leaders to the situation and for asking for the removal of her signature from course completion certificates.
“Plaintiff was terminated from her job for reporting and refusing to participate in an ongoing fraud being committed by her employer,” said the lawsuit. “The fraud was occurring against both individual consumers and multiple state regulatory authorities, including the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.”
Akins is seeking back pay, punitive damages and attorney’s fees from The Appraisal Institute, which did not comment on the news report.
