The scathing Erie County comptroller’s audit that revealed thousands of dollars missing and poor financial oversight in the Erie County Clerk’s Office raised the alarm over mishandled public money.
But to other financial auditors who looked at the Clerk’s Office procedures in the past, none of it came as a surprise.
A four-month audit of the Erie County Clerk’s Office has uncovered missing money, altered deposit records, bad fiscal oversight, bank-flagged discrepancies and numerous gun permit overcharges.
Three reports since 2012 raised concerns about the processing of millions of dollars in real estate, pistol, vehicle and court fees. Red flags regarding poor fiscal oversight predate current Clerk Michael “Mickey” Kearns.
Comptroller Kevin Hardwick said this week that based on his auditors’ review of money handled last year and part of this year, at least $90,000 in public money cannot be accounted for. The Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney’s Office and State Comptroller’s Office are all now investigating the Clerk’s Office to determine whether fraud occurred, how much money might have been lost, and how far back the losses extend.
The Clerk’s Office is a high risk for fraud because it processes so many financial transactions…
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