SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Whistleblower complaints have helped California's auditor identify state employees who engaged in bribery, mail fraud and unjustified overtime and travel expenses.
In a report released Tuesday, State Auditor Elaine Howle says one scheme cost two state agencies more than $227,000 after employees of the Franchise Tax Board and secretary of state's office accepted bribes from a courier for providing documents.
Howle's office says it received more than 7,000 reports of illegal, wasteful and inefficient activity between April 2011 and June 2012.
The auditor also found that a state Department of Education employee posted nearly 5,000 comments on The Sacramento Bee's website from work.
And a former state employee falsified records so her friends could collect $93,000 in fraudulent unemployment payments.
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