Post by gramfamforever on Oct 16, 2013 5:43:52 GMT -6
Audit outlines possible fraud, abuse at ASU
The office of Gov. Robert Bentley released a forensic audit on Monday outlining what the firm believes are possible fraud, waste and abuse at Alabama State University that could be unlawful - evidence the governor feels is strong enough to turn over to authorities for possible criminal prosecution.
The audit and other documents point to concerns about family and friends of board members Elton Dean and Marvin Wiggins receiving work through contracts with the school.
Bentley said on Monday that the audit by Forensic Strategic Solutions Inc. would be turned over to the proper authorities including the office of the state attorney general and the U.S. attorney’s office. The governor commissioned the outside audit after former university president Joseph Silver accused university officials of unspecified wrongdoing in handling university contracts.
The governor said he has serious concerns about the governance of the university after the investigation and sent a letter to board members Monday afternoon asking them to stop the search for a new university president. Bentley said he plans to call a special board meeting in the coming weeks and discuss the findings.
“Despite the numerous impediments to the investigation … FSS has concluded that based on the documents and information reviewed to date, there is sufficient predication to believe that a jury or a trier of fact could conclude that multiple acts of fraud, waste and/or abuse are occurring and/or have occurred at ASU,” according to the preliminary update from FSS released by Bentley’s office.
The audit lists that there is or has been possible “conflicts of interest,” “numerous contracts with no deliverables,” “financial waste,” “inappropriate relationships,” “payments to family and friends of ASU board members,” “inappropriate payments and intentional obscuring of the inappropriate payments,” “circumventing policies and procedures,” and “ASU’s practice of charging administrative fees to fund the Center for Leadership and Public Policy reserve account.”
www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20131014/NEWS/131014015/Audit-outlines-possible-fraud-abuse-ASU?odyssey=mod%7Cbreaking%7Ctext%7CFrontpage&nclick_check=1
The office of Gov. Robert Bentley released a forensic audit on Monday outlining what the firm believes are possible fraud, waste and abuse at Alabama State University that could be unlawful - evidence the governor feels is strong enough to turn over to authorities for possible criminal prosecution.
The audit and other documents point to concerns about family and friends of board members Elton Dean and Marvin Wiggins receiving work through contracts with the school.
Bentley said on Monday that the audit by Forensic Strategic Solutions Inc. would be turned over to the proper authorities including the office of the state attorney general and the U.S. attorney’s office. The governor commissioned the outside audit after former university president Joseph Silver accused university officials of unspecified wrongdoing in handling university contracts.
The governor said he has serious concerns about the governance of the university after the investigation and sent a letter to board members Monday afternoon asking them to stop the search for a new university president. Bentley said he plans to call a special board meeting in the coming weeks and discuss the findings.
“Despite the numerous impediments to the investigation … FSS has concluded that based on the documents and information reviewed to date, there is sufficient predication to believe that a jury or a trier of fact could conclude that multiple acts of fraud, waste and/or abuse are occurring and/or have occurred at ASU,” according to the preliminary update from FSS released by Bentley’s office.
The audit lists that there is or has been possible “conflicts of interest,” “numerous contracts with no deliverables,” “financial waste,” “inappropriate relationships,” “payments to family and friends of ASU board members,” “inappropriate payments and intentional obscuring of the inappropriate payments,” “circumventing policies and procedures,” and “ASU’s practice of charging administrative fees to fund the Center for Leadership and Public Policy reserve account.”
www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20131014/NEWS/131014015/Audit-outlines-possible-fraud-abuse-ASU?odyssey=mod%7Cbreaking%7Ctext%7CFrontpage&nclick_check=1