Accountants (in general) may rely upon information given to them by the client and are not under a general requirement to investigate.  This state of affairs doomed Deane v Brodman 2021 NY Slip Op 01842 [192 AD3d 577] March 25, 2021 Appellate Division, First Department.

“Defendants are entitled to summary judgment dismissing the professional negligence claims asserted against them as plaintiff has not offered evidence of a departure from a recognized and accepted professional standard for accountants. “A party alleging a claim of accountant malpractice must show that there was a departure from the accepted standards of practice” (KBL, LLP v Community Counseling & Mediation Servs., 123 AD3d 488, 488 [1st Dept 2014]). Plaintiff does not identify any applicable professional standard which would have required defendants to inquire whether the transactions at issue were approved in accordance with the procedures contained in the operating agreement. To the contrary, the standards proffered by plaintiff’s expert permit an accountant engaged for tax preparation services to rely on information furnished by the taxpayer unless it appears to be incorrect, incomplete or inconsistent. There is no allegation here that the information provided to defendants was incorrect, incomplete or inconsistent.”