Misappropriated Funds Linked to Undisclosed Engagement
A Bellevue College program specialist authorized payments for leadership events that never occurred, according to a state audit, with the misused funds totaling $70,000 over two years.
The State Auditor’s Office determined that the specialist, working in the Student Engagement Department, approved 13 payments to a single vendor between November 2022 and May 2023. While documentation for many transactions was sparse, four distinct payments totaling $20,000 were found to lack evidence of actual event activity—including no attendee lists, schedules, or post-event reports.
College leadership first flagged the issue in July 2023 after observing an unusual concentration of spending in round-dollar amounts, a pattern uncommon for the department’s typical expenditure habits.
During interviews, the specialist admitted to selecting the vendor but struggled to recall event details or produce supporting records. An internal review later uncovered that she had been engaged to the vendor’s owner, a relationship she did not disclose despite college policy requiring such disclosures for conflicts of interest.
Social media analysis corroborated the connection, revealing public announcements and shared photos indicating the couple’s engagement during the period when payments were being processed.
Investigators pointed out that the specialist took several personal trips coinciding with the payment approvals, raising questions about whether she directly benefited from the funds she authorized.
In response, Bellevue College placed the employee on administrative leave in November 2023. Administration officials stated they accepted the auditor’s conclusions and initiated procedural enhancements, including mandatory division Vice President sign-offs for new contracts and expanded conflict-of-interest disclosures.
The State Auditor’s Office has forwarded the matter to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for possible legal proceedings. It also recommended recovering the $20,000 in lost funds and $6,353 in audit-related expenses from the vendor or its insurer.
State Auditor Pat McCarthy’s team underscored the importance of protecting public resources and said follow-up reviews of internal controls are planned as part of future audits.