{
  "id": 15865129,
  "title": "Accounting watchdog launches enquiries into Man City auditor BDO",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/accounting-watchdog-launches-enquiries-into-man-city-auditor-bdo",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-21T08:46:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/watchdog-frc-launches-enquiries-into-man-city-auditor-bdo/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is probing Manchester City's accounts and external auditor BDO amid breaches of Premier League financial rules. In a letter to the government's business committee, FRC chair Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia disclosed the preliminary inquiry into BDO's audits of Manchester City, as well as any relevant club officials. Manchester City faces severe sanctions after being found guilty of all but one of 115 Premier League charges of financial regulation breaches from 2009 to 2018. The club, which won three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the EFL Cup during that period, is currently seeking to appeal the Disciplinary Commission's findings. However, the FRC's chair emphasized the limitations of its powers, as Manchester City is not a Public Interest Entity (PIE). Consequently, the regulator cannot hold non-PIE directors accountable or compel non-PIE entities to disclose information. Gadhia called for statutory reform, stressing the need for proper information-gathering powers and ending reliance on voluntary levies for effective investigations. The government scrapped the Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill (ARCG), which aimed to reform the FRC, citing goals to reduce bureaucracy and promote business growth. In response to Gadhia's letter, MP Liam Byrne questioned the government's responsibility to explain why reforms were abandoned and how accountability will be strengthened.",
  "summary": "The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is considering launching a formal probe into Manchester City’s accounts and its external auditor BDO, after the club was found to have breached the Premier League’s financial rules. In a letter to the government’s business committee, penned by the newly appointed chair, Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, the FRC said it is [...]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}