Tip on $162,700 theft leads UM to fire three employees as investigation continues
(The Center Square) – An internal audit and ongoing law enforcement investigation found University of Missouri employees in the College of Engineering stole $30,700 in electronic equipment and other unauthorized purchases.
A news release from the university on Thursday said additional allegations of theft of approximately $132,000 are being investigated by law enforcement. The university said three employees were terminated and others were addressed through personnel and human resources procedures.
The university announced in January it initiated an internal audit and criminal investigation by the MU Police Department after a tip was reported to the University of Missouri System Office of Ethics, Compliance and Audit Services. The investigation found theft “was aided by employees who felt intimidated by their supervisor,” according to the release.
The university announced Brandon Guffey, the director of financial services for the College of Engineering, was terminated following the preliminary investigation in January.
“We are grateful to those who spoke up and informed the university about their concerns as it led to us uncovering this financial mismanagement,” Michelle Piranio, chief audit and compliance officer for the University of Missouri, said in Thursday’s release. “Other employees did tell us that they were scared to speak up for fear of retaliation. We want to ensure everyone that we take every report seriously, and concerns can be reported anonymously through the UM System Integrity and Accountability Hotline. We want to strive to be a place where every employee feels valued and safe.”
In addition to the hotline, the university stated it provides numerous checks on financial transactions. However, it noted Guffey was “trusted and given a high level of authority on financial matters, which led to breakdowns of the university’s financial check process.”
The university announced a new process to strengthen financial accountability, including audits of the financial processes of schools and colleges on a recurring basis. The university will provide annual training in the Surplus Property department serving as the only authorized unit to sell university assets. The university also will identify specific employment levels or job titles of individuals for periodic background and credit checks.
“We are confident of our current processes, but know that we should always review and adjust to ensure no one can benefit personally by taking advantage of our financial processes,” Piranio said.
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