Former Indiana schools food service bookkeeper owes taxpayers $1.1M, audit shows

ANDERSON, Ind. — Indiana officers are in search of $1.1 million in reimbursement from a former meals service bookkeeper whom they declare stole from a faculty district’s lunch fund account over a five-year interval, authorities stated.

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In keeping with a particular audit by the Indiana State Board of Accounts, Carla Burke, who labored for Anderson Neighborhood Faculties, cashed 312 checks in her title, WXIN-TV reported.

Burke was employed by Anderson Neighborhood College Corp. in 1998 and was named meals service division bookkeeper in 2006, The Herald Bulletin of Anderson reported. Burke resigned in 2019.

The audit discovered that from 2014 to 2019, Burke cashed the checks, which totaled $976,773, from the college lunch fund extracurricular checking account, in line with the newspaper.

“It’s exhausting to know the dearth of accountability,” Rodney Cummings, Madison County’s prosecutor, informed WXIN. “It’s exhausting for me to think about that anyone would haven’t observed what was taking place.”

In keeping with the report, Burke additionally didn’t remit payroll withholding tax funds in a well timed style to each the federal and state authorities, which resulted in $20,109 in penalties and curiosity, WRTV reported. The Indiana State Board of Accounts additionally incurred prices of $121,442 as a result of particular investigation, in line with The Herald Bulletin.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts stated Burke should pay $1,118,325.26 for unauthorized transactions, penalties and curiosity in addition to particular investigation prices.

The audit additionally criticized the college company, WRTV reported.

“Financial institution statements and canceled checks weren’t reviewed, so college company officers weren’t conscious that canceled checks or examine photos weren’t being supplied by the financial institution,” the audit said.

Burke was one in every of two required signatures on any checks, however the twin signatures had been utilized on the checks once they had been created electronically, The Herald Bulletin reported.

Anderson Neighborhood Faculties stated in a press release that the cash allegedly stolen “didn’t trigger any disruption in companies” to its college students.

“Carla Burke, former meals service worker with Anderson Neighborhood College Corp., orchestrated an elaborate scheme to steal cash from the division’s college lunch fund extracurricular account,” Anderson Neighborhood Faculties stated in a press release. “In the intervening time the theft was first uncovered, we instantly reported this to the correct authorities and took corrective motion.”

Cummings stated Burke has not but been arrested,” WXIN reported.

“The workplace has obtained the audit report at this time,” the Indiana Legal professional Common’s Workplace stated in a press release to WRTV on Thursday. “We’re reviewing it and will likely be pursuing the matter diligently to make sure the most effective restoration doable.”

A number of information organizations have reached out to Burke for remark, however she has but to reply.

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