Barton County Administrator Richard Boeckman said the County was running a clean audit until the recent email scam came to surface. A material deficiency will negatively affect the 2016 audit after $48,600 was wired to a Georgia bank after fraudulent emails told the Treasurer to pay a consultant.
Oddly enough, Barton County IT Director John Debes sent out an email the week before the incident happened that made its way to all the department heads warning county employees of phishing scams.
John Debes Audio
The emails began on Friday, May 13 but the money was not wired through until the following week due to Treasurer Kevin Wondra missing the wire transfer deadline at Sunflower Bank in Great Bend. Although Barton County is looking at insurance coverage that might reimburse the amount lost, the theft by deception investigation does not point to the county getting their money back.
For commissioners like Jennifer Schartz, this mishap is another blunder coming out of the Treasurer’s Office.
Jennifer Schartz Audio
The Barton County Treasurer’s Office has come under fire the last two years for its tardiness in completing the tax reconciliation process. The delays forced extra money to be spent for training and extended audits.