Audit: 'High risk of fraud' in LB towing operations

By Paul Eakins on October 12, 2009 5:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

A lack of oversight and controls in Long Beach's Towing Operations creates "a high risk of fraud," according to an audit by City Auditor Laura Doud.

The audit will go to the City Council next week for discussion and was provided to the Press-Telegram on Monday.

"We don't have any hard factual evidence to prove that there was fraud," Doud said Monday.

But she said the opportunity was there for employees to "pocket cash" and erase records of the transaction with no oversight.

Read the rest of the story tonight at www.presstelegram.com. The full audit: Towing Operations Audit.pdf.

Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Telegram, he previously has covered local and state government and politics in San Diego County, Mexico and his home state of Kansas.

E-mail Paul at paul.eakins@presstelegram.com.

Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port. He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”, appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.

E-mail Kris at kristopher.hanson@
presstelegram.com.

Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
Telegram in April 2002 as a beat reporter, covering the cities of Lakewood, Bellflower and Paramount. She now covers business, specifically redevelopment, tourism and small businesses. She also writes Eye on Redevelopment, a monthly column that appears in the Business Monday section.