The Iowa state auditor alleges that a former Delhi city clerk used more than $80,000 in improper and unsupported disbursements after city officials requested a special investigation.
Auditor of State Rob Sand released a report on an investigation that revealed that Lori Tucker spent $66,599 on improper disbursements and $13,525 on unsupported disbursements from January 2015 to June 2022.
Tucker used the city’s credit card and checking account for improper purchases in the seven-year period, according to the report. Tucker also paid herself excessive overtime and vacation payouts, which city officials were concerned about.
City officials were also concerned that Tucker was working as city clerk for the city of Ryan while employed at Delhi, according to the report. Officials said Tucker was “on the clock” in Delhi while performing work for the Ryan.
Tucker resigned in April 2022. In a resignation letter to the mayor of Delhi, she said that she would not be able to return to work because rumors regarding her work behaviors had spread throughout town and she faced a “hostile environment."
Investigators found missing timesheets, encrypted laptop in audit for Delhi
Tucker’s timesheets were not available for 13 of the 173 pay periods from January 2015 to April 2022, according to the report.
Investigators found that none of Tucker’s available timesheets included evidence of review and approval.
City officials determined that the laptop Tucker used for work had the password changed and encrypted with a software that would wipe the data off the laptop if someone attempted to log in to it, according to the report.
The software was installed without city officials’ approval, the report said.
The city had to purchase a new laptop and send Tucker’s computer to an out-of-state company to perform forensics on the laptop.
City officials were able to receive a report of the documents stored on the computer, according to the report.
Previous Delhi city clerk sent to prison after stealing more than $100,000 from city
In 2017, a Delhi city clerk was sentenced to prison for stealing more than $100,000 from the eastern Iowa city, the Associated Press reported . Angela Billings, who had stolen the money between 2007 and 2015, was sentenced for 15 months.
Sand recommended that city officials implement stricter procedures to ensure that city’s internal controls are strengthened to prevent the incident from happening again.
The report has been filed with the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Delaware County Attorney’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office to be investigated.
José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa state auditor claims former Delhi city clerk mishandled more than $80,000
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