If you haven't read it yet, stop what you are doing and go to the journal's website, or if you don't have a subscription, find a copy of either today or yesterday's Abqjournal, and read Martin Salazar's in-depth reporting on embezzlement and fraud by state and county employees.
Below is just a quick snapshot of some of the instances covered in the special series.
If you haven't read it yet, stop what you are doing and go to the journal's website, or if you don't have a subscription, find a copy of either today or yesterday's Abqjournal, and read Martin Salazar's in-depth reporting on embezzlement and fraud by state and county employees.
Below is just a quick snapshot of some of the instances covered in the special series.
ABQjournal: Embezzlement or Fraud Cases:
Here's a sampling of unresolved embezzlement or fraud cases being tracked by the State Auditor's Office:The Children, Youth and Families Department reported in October that an unknown perpetrator stole the identity of another individual and used that identity to establish a fictitious child care provider with the department's child care assistance office. The perpetrator obtained warrants and forged endorsements totaling $3,104.62;
A secretary at West Las Vegas Schools Tony Serna Jr. Elementary was suspected of taking $9,436 in fund raising money; she and the district reached on agreement on restitution, and the secretary repaid $4,718 on Oct. 6. The district attorney in Las Vegas is reviewing case;
Two employees of the student nutrition and food services department at Taos High School were suspected of taking around $18,000 in money and products, according to a report to the State Auditor's Office in May. One employee was exonerated and the other resigned. Taos Police are investigating;
A city of Santa Fe Senior Services Division employee is suspected of forging several payment requests for $8,031 for personal benefit in 2003. The terminated employee repaid part of the money but still had an outstanding balance of $4,035 as of March. The matter was referred to Santa Fe Police;
Two former Santa Fe Public Schools student nutrition employees were suspected of embezzling $15,307 from the district in 2003. No restitution had been made as of October 21, 2003, and the matter was referred to police;
The courier service responsible for transporting the state Taxation and Revenue Department's daily funds and reports to Wells Fargo reported a vehicle burglary in Santa Fe on Nov. 1, 2004. A courier bag containing roughly $280,826 in checks being transported by Distribution Management Corporation was stolen;
A Santa Fe County Sheriff Department employee was suspected of mishandling bond account funds. The county discovered the problem in late 2001 and notified the state Auditor's Office that an unknown amount of money was missing, between $250 and $25,000. The employee was terminated.
-- Journal Staff Report
Articles by Martin Salazar that appeared in yesterday and today are listed below.
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: N.M. Theft Falling Through Cracks (Sunday, December 18, 2005)
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: Health Dept. Case Awaits Justice Four Years Later (Sunday, December 18, 2005)
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: Auditors Battle Embezzlement
In a series of stories that began Sunday and continues today, the Journal examines how theft at public agencies in New Mexico often falls through the cracks among the agencies in charge of finding and prosecuting embezzlement and fraud. (Monday, December 19, 2005)
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: Embezzlement or Fraud Cases
Here's a sampling of unresolved embezzlement or fraud cases being tracked by the State Auditor's Office: (Monday, December 19, 2005)
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: Suspected Forgery Case Stops With Firing
Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron didn't recognize the scrawl on a form giving one of her employees a promotion and a $5,700 annual raise. (Monday, December 19, 2005)
| ABQjournal | The Albuquerque Journal Online | Journal North: Tax Fraud Unit a Success Model
If Alvan Romero comes off sounding a little cocky when talking about his work with the state Taxation and Revenue Department, you should excuse him. (Monday, December 19, 2005)
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