What Verdica's 656 score means for Michael Oconnell
Michael Oconnell's composite score of 656 out of 850 places him in the "elevated risk" band (580–669). This means his profile shows mixed compliance signals that warrant attention before engagement, but does not automatically disqualify him from consideration.
A score in this range typically indicates that while some regulatory dimensions are solid, others fall short of the "acceptable" threshold (670+). In Oconnell's case, the score reflects a strong PCAOB audit record paired with notable gaps in license and credential documentation. For a business owner or individual seeking accounting services, an elevated-risk score suggests you should conduct additional due diligence—verify his current licensing status independently, confirm insurance coverage, and ask for references—rather than assume he meets baseline industry standards across the board.
No independent customer reviews have been indexed for this entity yet, so you cannot cross-reference Verdica's assessment against real-world client feedback.
How the sub-scores break down
License & Credentials (340 / 850): This score reflects documented or verifiable proof of standing with Arizona's state accounting board and, where applicable, CPA certification or permits. A score of 340 is well below the acceptable threshold and suggests either incomplete credential documentation in state records, lapsed licensing, or missing required registrations. In the accounting industry, this dimension is foundational—practitioners must maintain active, current licensing to legally perform audit, tax, and attest services. A low score here is a red flag that warrants direct verification with the Arizona Board of Accountancy before proceeding.
PCAOB Record (810 / 850): This score reflects the entity's audit inspection history as tracked by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. A score of 810 is in the "excellent" range and indicates no significant audit quality deficiencies, inspection findings, or sanctions on record with the PCAOB. For accounting firms and individual practitioners who conduct audits of public companies, a high PCAOB score is a meaningful positive signal of audit quality and compliance discipline.
Disciplinary (850 / 850): This perfect sub-score indicates no recorded disciplinary actions, complaints, or enforcement findings in the underlying regulatory database. This suggests a clean history on file with state boards and federal regulators. It is worth noting, however, that the absence of recorded discipline does not confirm active compliance—it only reflects that no formal enforcement action has been documented or made public.
What regulators in AZ track for accounting providers
Arizona's Board of Accountancy maintains the state licensing register and enforces continuing education requirements, ethical conduct standards, and permit renewal deadlines. Verdica's License & Credentials score draws from this registry to confirm whether an individual holds an active CPA license, an accounting firm registration, or other required permits.
The PCAOB inspects audit firms and individual auditors who conduct audits of public company clients. Its inspection program evaluates audit quality, testing procedures, documentation, and compliance with auditing standards. The PCAOB publishes inspection findings and may levy sanctions if audit deficiencies are material. A high PCAOB score reflects no significant findings from these inspections.
Disciplinary records are maintained by both the state board and the PCAOB. These include complaints from clients, enforcement actions for ethics violations, fraud, tax evasion, or failure to comply with regulations. A perfect disciplinary score means no such records exist on file.
These three dimensions—state licensing, federal audit oversight, and disciplinary history—form the regulatory backbone for assessing accounting provider compliance.
Bottom line
Oconnell's elevated-risk score is primarily driven by credential documentation gaps rather than audit quality or disciplinary concerns. Before engaging him, verify his Arizona state accounting license directly through the state board website, confirm insurance, and request client references. His strong PCAOB record is a positive sign, but it does not offset the licensing concerns flagged by the low credential score.