State Auditor Says Town of Lone Wolf Employee Misused Funds

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October 7, 2021

By News Director Jared Atha

According to findings released by State Auditor Cindy Byrd, an employee with the Town of Lone Wolf allegedly misused local funds.

Byrd released the results of the audit on Wednesday.

The town’s board requested the audit after a private auditing firm questioned certain expenses. The audit covers Lone Wolf finances between July 2015 and December 2017.

The audit states that the town’s office manager used more than $17,000 to purchase health insurance for her children.

It also states that the employee may have taken an additional $47,000 from 2011 to 2015.

The audit alleges that the employee profited at least $2,300 when she and two other employees sold fireworks to the town for its July 4th celebration.

In a statement, Byrd said that “the town treasurer and the town board let (the employee) basically run the town. She made the bank deposits, wrote the checks, and had unfettered access to its bank accounts and debit card,”.

The audit also allegedly uncovered $23,000 in questionable spending from the town’s general fund, as well as $22,000 in unauthorized purchases with the town’s debit card.

As of press time, no charges have been filed in Kiowa County District Court.

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