Give Your CFO A Back Rub TodayGive Your CFO A Back Rub Today

A new survey indicates that CFOs at one in six public companies have felt pressure to cook the books at least once in the last five years. The poll, fielded by CFO magazine, indicates that 11% of financial execs at big companies have felt that pressure three or more times in the last five years. What's more, 5% say they've violated generally accepted accounting principles at least once during that period.

About 3,000 companies were surveyed, and the publication vetted the results to come up with responses from CFOs at 141 publicly traded companies, each of which reported revenue of $1 billion or greater. Given the stakes faced by CFOs if their identities were revealed, CFO editor-in-chief Julia Homer says the execs copping to violations might be trying to point out a more widespread problem than many people are willing to admit.

Homer says that while CFOs weren't asked details about the pressures they face, those pressures almost certainly come from Wall Street and CEOs.