Fun with state $$$

Yikes. Here's something you don't see every day - a civil servant going credit card happy right under her employers' noses.

A Natomas woman stands accused of bilking the state of more than $250,000, turning her procurement job into a means of buying a Lexus, hot tub and big-screen television, among other things. [...]

Aceves had direct buying power with a credit card, which she used to buy furniture and services for an office move during her 17 months with the agency. DSS officials said Aceves falsified invoices to make it appear she was making legitimate purchases. Meanwhile, she was buying iPods, speakers and stereos, and selling some items on the Internet auction E-Bay to save money for the Lexus, authorities said.

I myself have made purchases on those state credit cards. It's not that easy for us regular public servants. Once I was responsible for buying half-dozen Covey day-planners for my department. (Yeah, I know. He was a fad for a while with CA's time-management trainers.) They made me justify every cent I paid with e-mails from my boss, signatures, requisition forms, receipts, more signatures from each recipient, etc.

But at some point up the food chain, a state agency can sometimes neglect to watch the watcher.

$250K $320K! Check out her garage. It's stuffed full of boxes of karaoke machines and printers and little dresses. And she appeared relieved when the police finally showed up? She must have been a compulsive buyer. I don't know how else you embezzle so much and then hang around town, driving your new Lexus like everything's on the level.

Comments

[Anthony]

I seem to remember a certain vertically-challenged, beret-wearing "musician" who, during a serious state financial crisis for the universities, insisted on driving his Porsche to work on a regular basis. I was always tempted to key his car just on the grounds that you should really be over 5'5" to sucessfully get away with that kind of in-your-face behavior.
I wonder what happened to that guy. Did he finally have a growth spurt and catch up with Herve Villechez (from "Fantasy Islnad if you have pop culture ADD)....

[todd smith]

How strange. Carey had been a supervisor with the state for some time, which usually requires some judgement and maturity. Clearly she was no dummy.
What sets a person off on a kick like this? Was she married or with a man - apparently she had a nice house and at least one kid. Does it show to co-workers or friends that she is going off the deep end? Who did she drive around in her pretty new Lexus? did she enjoy the ride while it lasted?

[todd smith]

How strange. Carey had been a supervisor with the state for some time, which usually requires some judgement and maturity. Clearly she was no dummy. Somehow I feel for her -

What sets a person off on a kick like this? Was she married or with a man - apparently she had a nice house and at least one kid. Does it show to co-workers or friends that she is going off the deep end? Who did she drive around in her pretty new Lexus? Did she at least enjoy the ride while it lasted?