A Woodland Park School District audit has shown that more than $500,000 may have been embezzled by a former employee, and police are investigating.
“It appears a longtime and trusted district employee fraudulently manipulated our accounts over a period of at least four years for personal gains,” according to a school district release.
Woodland Park police identified the employee, who was terminated after the discovery, as former district supervisor of finance Deanna Lynn Moore, 60. She has not been charged with a crime.
Moore could not be reached for comment Monday. No other personnel from the district northwest of Colorado Springs are implicated.
Woodland Park police have searched her home and seized computers, financial paperwork and software, said Sgt. Thomas Kinney.
The district became aware of financial adjustments that had not been present in previous years during a 2007-08 annual financial audit.
They started a forensic audit late last month.
“Currently, auditors believe the activity began in the 2004-2005 school year. Years prior to 2004-2005 are also being investigated, but at this time no inconsistencies have surfaced,” according to the district release. Police investigators have received court orders to seek other records from financial institutions, Kinney said.The investigation is expected to take several months.
Tom McGhee, The Denver Post
