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State auditor's team searches Niles mayor's office
By Jordan Cohen
NILES
A team from the Special Investigation Unit of the state auditor’s office spent Tuesday afternoon searching for documents and other records in the office of Mayor Ralph Infante, but investigators will not say what prompted their probe.
Last week, Niles was placed in fiscal emergency by Auditor Dave Yost and a financial audit of its books has been ongoing for several months.
According to the auditor’s website, special audits or investigations are initiated “to investigate allegations of fraud, theft or misappropriation of funds, or to quantify the extent of such losses.”
“I can tell you that the team was there, and it’s part of the audit we’re conducting,” said Carrie Bartunek, press secretary for the auditor’s office.
Bartunek would not confirm whether the team removed any computers or other records from the mayor’s office.
“They don’t give out much while they’re conducting their business,” Bartunek said.
“I don’t know if they were looking for something in the computer or other records,” said Neil Buccino, safety services director.
Buccino said he was not in Infante’s office when the investigators showed up.
A telephone message left by The Vindicator for Infante was not returned.
The special unit investigated two cases in Niles earlier this year that led to charges for thefts of city funds.
Phyllis Wilson, 61, a former treasurer’s office employee, was indicted for theft in office for purportedly taking $142,000, while Heidi Powell, 33, was indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury earlier this month after being charged with stealing $731 from the city’s billing office.
Police Chief Robert Hinton said he was not asked to meet with the team, but the chief said he was interviewed during the unit’s investigation of the earlier thefts.
Hinton was asked if the team’s latest appearance indicates yet another fraud probe in Niles may be underway.
“I have no idea,” the chief said.
Charles Nader, city auditor, said he, like Hinton, has met with the team previously, but did not Tuesday.
“They did not talk to me, and I wasn’t even aware they were here,” Nader said.
Several city hall employees said the team carried handguns, which Bartunek said is normal procedure.
The press secretary said the unit is the only state auditor’s group authorized to carry firearms on the job.