Oklahoma DHS employee accused of embezzling $2 million from energy assistance program
By Kilee Thomas
Click here for updates on this story
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (KOCO) — An Oklahoma Department of Human Services employee is accused of embezzling $2 million from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides financial aid for utility bills to residents in need.
Court documents outline how the employee allegedly siphoned millions of dollars into their personal bank account by creating fake utility companies and forging bank letters and business P.O. boxes to make the companies appear legitimate.
Investigators said the first suspicious payments date back to 2017, but the alleged scheme was uncovered this spring during a state audit of the LIHEAP program.
In a statement, State Auditor Cindy Byrd said her office reported repeated oversight deficiencies within LIHEAP, and investigators identified “urgent concerns.”
The Office of Inspector General informed the state auditor that they believe a DHS employee “misappropriated” $2 million.
The DHS employee was arrested Monday on charges of embezzlement. A judge set bond at $100,000, which the employee posted.
The first court appearance is scheduled for June 2.
In a statement, DHS said they routinely evaluate oversight measures: “We can confirm the Office of Inspector General within Oklahoma Human Services initiated a coordinated investigation into potential criminal activity connected to one of our programs. Accountability matters, and this is exactly why our oversight and safeguards exist.
Because this is an active investigation, there are limits to what can be discussed publicly, but it appears to be a complex scheme by a single employee who has since been terminated.
OKDHS routinely evaluates oversight measures, and system changes implemented over the last year appear to have helped prevent this type of activity from continuing.
OKDHS remains committed to protecting the integrity of our programs and the people we serve.
“We applaud the dedication of our Office of Inspector General and Internal Audit teams as they work to uphold the integrity of our programs,” said OKDHS Director Jeffrey Cartmell. “We will continue working with state and federal partners strengthening safeguards against fraud to protect the programs serving vulnerable Oklahomans.
Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.