Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: Breaking: MoCo Inspector General Releases Investigation - Finds Misconduct In MCPS Credit Card Program By MCPS Transportation Staff

Thursday, December 15, 2022

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

Megan Davey Limarzi, Esq.

Inspector General

______________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release December 15, 2022

OIG Finds Misconduct In MCPS Purchase Card Program

Rockville, Maryland – Montgomery County Maryland Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi

announced today the release of a new Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report of

investigation, Abuse of Purchase Cards by Montgomery County Public Schools

Department of Transportation Employees, OIG Publication # 23-006, detailing the results of an

OIG investigation directed at abuses of MCPS’s purchase card program. The investigation was

initiated in furtherance of the OIG’s mission to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse in

government activities; and propose ways to increase the legal, fiscal, and ethical accountability

of County government departments and County-funded agencies.

The OIG analyzed the approximate $570,000 worth of transactions that occurred from July 2020

to June 2022 through P-Cards assigned to MCPS DOT staff and found approximately $133,000

in purchases made using P-Cards issued to the former MCPS DOT Assistant Director were

prohibited by policy. The OIG and MCPS deemed that approximately $6,500 was spent on items

that were possibly for non-MCPS related use. The OIG also found that MCPS DOT management

and staff regularly violated MCPS P-Card policies.

The OIG noted that MCPS took several steps to address program vulnerabilities since allegations

of misconduct emerged, however opportunities still exist for them to strengthen oversight

programs. The backstop against program abuses and failures is a strong audit and oversight

program. The OIG found that MCPS’ P-Card monitoring program is not consistently followed

and P-Card audits of central office departments, like DOT, are not a part of routine audits. The

OIG made similar observations in a 2016 review and recommended improved oversight. The

OIG made 5 recommendations as a result of this investigation, some of which are again targeted

at improving oversight of P-Cards.

The OIG pursued this investigation after consulting with the Montgomery County Police

Department about their investigation of alleged misconduct by the former MCPS DOT Director

and former MCPS DOT Assistant Director. The OIG shared the results of its investigation with

the State’s Attorney’s Office.

The full report can be found at

Please direct all inquiries to: Email: ig@montgomerycountymd.gov Phone: 240-777-8240