| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 6726 | 2010-05-05 | Statewide | Independent Contractor Arrested for Defrauding LHSC |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent HEADQUARTERS- NEWS RELEASE Independent Contractor Arrested for Defrauding LHSC BATON ROUGE- Investigators with the Louisiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division arrested an independent contractor for illegally billing the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (LHSC) and receiving money for services that were never rendered. Gerald A. King, (B/M, 29 years old) of Baton Rouge, was contracted by the LHSC to provide highway safety-related presentations at four- year accredited universities and colleges throughout Louisiana using pre-approved educational material provided by the LHSC. King had been under contract with the LHSC as a College Speaker since October of 2007. As part of his contract, King was eligible for reimbursement of his expenses while performing work for LHSC. In 2009, King documented presentations that he had allegedly performed on an LHSC project claim form and an invoice form which showed the dates, locations, hours, mileage, meals, and lodging for each of these events. King submitted both forms seeking reimbursement for those expenses that he had allegedly incurred. A performance review was conducted by LHSC staff to ensure compliance with the terms of King’s contract. Records submitted by King in 2009 to LHSC showed he had made presentations on 47 different occasions at 12 different universities and colleges during the months of February, July, August and September 2009. LHSC employees interviewed various faculty, staff and law enforcement officials at the universities and colleges reported by King. LHSC learned King had not performed any of the presentations for which he was seeking reimbursement. State Police launched an investigation into these documents at the request of LHSC administrators earlier this year. Investigators determined King was paid in excess of $14,000 by LHSC during the four months in 2009, for services he had never rendered. State Police investigators arrested King on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 for Felony Theft, Filing and Maintaining False Public Records, and Public Payroll Fraud. He was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. For more information contact: Sgt. Markus L. Smith Public Affairs Unit Louisiana State Police – Headquarters Office: (225) 925-6202 markus.smith@dps.la.gov www.LSP.org | |||
| No attachments for this article. | |||