DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - An outside audit found that a Des Moines library employee who died in April improperly charged more than $28,000 to a library credit card.
The auditors the city hired, RSM US LLP, found that Bekki Kirkland made 159 fraudulent transactions between 2016 and 2020. Roughly one-third of the improper purchases the former office manager made were to purchase prepaid VISA gift cards. Most of the purchases were made at Hy-Vee, Walmart and Walgreens stores, according to the Des Moines Register.
Library staff discovered several suspicious purchases on a credit card Kirkland was authorized to use shortly after her death, and the city hired the auditors to review the library’s books. The investigation didn’t find any other questionable transactions by other employees.
Library Director Sue Woody said in a statement that additional procedures have been put in place to protect library funds in the future.
“The Des Moines Public Library’s goal is to be a good steward of all of our financial resources. While participating in this investigation, we began putting additional checks and balances in place to ensure that the library is well protected in the future,” Woody said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.