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Thursday, December 15, 2022

Breaking: MoCo Inspector General Releases Investigation - Finds Misconduct In MCPS Credit Card Program By MCPS Transportation Staff

OIG Finds Misconduct in MCP... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

Megan Davey Limarzi, Esq.

Inspector General

NEWS RELEASE

______________________________________________________________________________

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 

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OIG/Resources/Files/PDF/IGActivity/FY2023/OIG-23-006.pdf

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

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