Tucson, Arizona (13 News) – Arizona State Auditor General Announces Santa Cruz County Treasurer He is suspected of embezzling nearly $40 million from county coffers over the past decade, shocking other counties.
Is it possible for that to happen here? Are there enough safeguards in place to prevent or prevent that from happening? How can you ensure that you are immune from this type of illegal activity?
The Comptroller’s Office reported that treasurers initiated 182 fraudulent wire transfers during that 10-year period.
“I was stunned,” said Pima County Supervisor Dr. Matt Heintz, District 2. “I’m still amazed at what happened in Santa Cruz County.”
I was stunned that county officials made off with $39 million without being noticed for 10 years.
This caused enough concern that Pima County Administrator Jean Lescher immediately issued a memo to the Treasurer asking, “What guarantee do we have that it won’t happen here?”
“We have a fiduciary responsibility to the residents of Pima County, and part of that is to ensure that no one is held accountable,” Heinz said.
While the county is confident in its process, it has decided to take it a few steps further to increase transparency in its financial transactions.
“Every month, we not only receive a report from the finance team, but we also receive a report from the treasurer, and we will rely on it and verify it,” Dr. Heinz said. “And you can actually see if the report on this side is similar to your bank statement on this side.”
Pima County is already audited annually by the state auditor to ensure money is being spent where it should be spent, but the county’s current proposal would expand the auditor’s duties to include the Pima County treasurer. It is to let.
This would likely require amending state law to expand the auditor general’s duties.
“I don’t think it’s a particularly partisan issue,” he said. “That kind of transparency and oversight, let’s make sure that we do that. I think that’s just good governance.”
The county, like other departments such as the county attorney, wants to meet with the treasurer in person on a quarterly basis to make sure things are on track and there are no problems.
The Board of Directors plans to discuss this change at its next regular meeting.
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