FORMER EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO FRAUD, ORDERED TO REPAY FUNDS

A former university employee pleaded guilty to fraud and was
sentenced June 29 to five years' probation. She must also pay
full restitution.
     Dorothy Stokes, assistant administrator in the School of
Public Health's Department of Maternal and Child Health,
pleaded guilty to falsifying weekly payroll vouchers of
part-time employees and stealing $42,000 in payroll checks. The
fraud, which occurred between 1991 and 1993, was discovered by
employees who noticed their W-2 earnings were inflated. The
Office of Audits and Management Services, with the assistance
of the Controller's Office, investigated and turned over
evidence to the Baltimore city office of the Maryland State
Prosecutor's Office, which completed the investigation.
     Subsequent audits on departments with large weekly
payrolls indicated that some departments had weak internal
controls and were not in compliance with the university's
weekly payroll procedures.
     Departments are advised to divide among two or more
individuals the duties of weekly payroll voucher approval and
the receipt and distribution of payroll checks. They should
also use supervisor-approved time cards to report employees'
hours worked.
     Any violations or suspicious activity should be reported
to the Office of Audits and Management Services at 516-6391 or
the Office of the General Counsel, 516-8128.