(The Center Square) – A new audit on the Pierce County Housing Authority finds that the agency is still unable to fully implement internal controls of oversight of its financial activities since a previous audit in 2020.
In the prior audit, it was determined that the Pierce County Housing Authority’s former Finance Director Cova Campbell misappropriated nearly $7 million between March 18, 2016 and July 17, 2019. Since then progress has been limited to address internal controls within the agency.
Campbell was sentenced to 51 months in prison for wire fraud in connection with her scheme to steal the money. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of Washington , Campbell used a variety of schemes to divert $6.9 million in public money to her own bank accounts between March 2016 and July 2019.
The latest audit finds that the housing authority staff is reviewing automated clearing house payment amounts, but they are still developing controls to ensure amounts transferred to the intended accounts are valid and appropriate.