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MAPLETON — An investigation found 6 percent of the Mapleton Irrigation District's budget was being embezzled over the past nine years, but apparently no one noticed.
The state auditor's office says someone at the irrigation district embezzled $100,000 since 2006. However, it went unnoticed due to lax oversight and failure to comply with the law by not submitting financial reports — perhaps to cover up the crime — according to the auditor's office.
The report does not name a suspect, but it does say when an irrigation district officer was questioned, she admitted loaning herself more than $100,000. The report says there were no documents about the loan nor was there a repayment plan.
The embezzled money was part of the annual operating budget, the report said.
It also stated that a board member was a paid employee of the district, which is prohibited by law.
