DuPage Co. (ECWd) –
For months we have been exposing things done by the former Board of Trustees, President, and Senior Administration. All during that time frame we have received continued push back with denials, lies, and deception. On more than one occasion I have urged criminal charges for the actions of these people who have clearly violated the law and misapplied tax payer funds and breach of fiduciary duty.
I can honestly say I have never in my life seen such total disregard of their duty as I have seen with COD. Erin Birt will go down in history as the most incompetent board Chairman in the history of Community Colleges!
Once again I ask that criminal charges be brought. This time against those responsible for the concealment of an internal audit that has now led to Thomas Glaser, Treasure, and Lynn Sypata, Controller, being placed on administrative leave.
The Chicago Tribune article today did a fabulous job exposing the malfeasance by these people and I commend them for continuing to expose the bad actors at COD.
“The scathing review — which college officials now say was buried for months — found multiple instances in which the college violated its own investment policies. One decision cost the college nearly $2 million in a single, high-profile fund, according to the audit.” “It had been suppressed,” said school spokesman Randall Samborn. “People who had it did not act upon it.” (Chicago Tribune Coverage) (Updated Chicago Tribune article with more details)
Official Misconduct should be the charge for all that participated in the suppression of the internal audit from the Board of Trustees.
720 ILCS 5/33-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 33-3)
Sec. 33-3. Official misconduct.
(a) A public officer or employee or special government agent commits misconduct when, in his official capacity or capacity as a special government agent, he or she commits any of the following acts:
(1) Intentionally or recklessly fails to perform any mandatory duty as required by law; or
(2) Knowingly performs an act which he knows he is forbidden by law to perform;
In April I exposed the investment report at COD that was filled with problems and how a whistle blower could earn money by blowing the whistle. Has someone blown the whistle? (April article on investment issues)
Those types of problems exposed in the audit happen because of a failure to comply with board policies and a total breakdown of internal controls, assuming they ever had any. The very policy in place for COD investments cost the tax payers over $2,000,000.00.
When your top financial administrators continue to claim their house is in order when in fact an internal audit proves otherwise, that becomes a serious problem. Reading the audit it appears managements claim on several issues is to cast the blame onto the trustees however this appears to be yet another case of failing to tell the board everything! Specifically by keeping this audit from their review.
Thomas Glaser and Lynn Sypata have clearly, recklessly failed to perform mandatory duties as required by law and have knowingly performed acts which they know are orbidden by law to perform.
With two prongs of Official Misconduct being nailed, is there anyone that thinks they should not be charged?
If any of the board members were privy to this information they too should face criminal charges!
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/college-of-dupage-internal-audit.pdf” save=”1″]
17 Comments
michael palmisano
Posted at 20:13h, 16 JuneOk, you replied:
you ask for criminal charges be brought for concealment of an audit that led to Glaser and Sapyta being put on leave
Chicago Tribune did fabulous job of exposing malfeasance by these people
The audit report was suppressed
Glaser and Sapyta have clearly failed to perform mandatory duties as required by law and have knowingly performed acts which they know are forbidden by law to perform.
In response to your statements you claim Sapyta is responsible for her conduct, not your facts.
I could be wrong and you right, so I hereby offer to Lynn Sapyta the sum of up to $100,000 to pay for legal fees to bring your facts to a jury so they can tell you your facts are false, malicious and baseless.
jmkraft
Posted at 21:41h, 16 JuneSLAPP suits never work.
Tim Ashton
Posted at 16:24h, 16 JuneIts very sad the way public employees are treated. These people did not due anything wrong. Look at the public record. Every month I review COD’s board package. The investment report clearly showed the IMET investment and every board member voted to accept the report. Is Trustee McGuire the only board member that can tell the truth. Nobody should be prosecuted except Mr. Patel that actually committed the fraud with IMET.
The College will recover these funds. This just sounds like the new chairman wanted to get rid of these people.
She is the one that should be prosecuted for all the lies she has told.
DuPageLiberty
Posted at 10:23h, 13 JuneRT @ECWDogs: College of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/tAdDAVuvWd
Danni Smith
Posted at 12:47h, 11 JuneOf course criminal charges are in order. But further, that criminals get a reward of paid, outrageously paid amounts for salaries, by the way, administrative leave is not a punishment. I wish the clean slate would set a precedent-YOU’RE FIRED. If criminal charges are soo apparent as to muse among ourselves, whether that process should begin, what other info is needed to fire them, and this includes Brueder. Private company-break the rules=gone, government employee-commit crimes against the public trust=paid endless sabbatical. Be cutting edge Clean Slate. They are going to sue you anyway, just for the fun of it, even if they are in another public institution, e.g., prison. Lead the way for Illinois and be the first to stop these paid administrative leaves for caught criminals aka, public employees.
michael palmisano
Posted at 12:01h, 11 Juneoh boy r u confused. Lynn sapyta is the controller. She has never invested the funds of the college and she has never been assigned responsibility for investments. She has complied with the reporting requirements of the president and Board. She has documents to prove her compliance. Her job responsibilities as defined by the College are to maintain the records of the College, not to make the managerial decisions.
I sure hope you have documents proving your statements because to claim someone has engage in criminal conduct without documents is libel per se and as you well know her career has been ruin by your accusations and I have written you before to tell you your accusations against Lynn and the accounting department were false and yet with reckless disregard of my notice you continue to claim Lynn is a criminal.
Kirk Allen
Posted at 15:25h, 12 JuneNo, I am not confused. I know what her job is. I never said SHE invested the funds. You are confused. I never said she was responsible for investments. You are confused. I did not question her compliance to her duties. You are confused. I made no reference to her making managerial decisions. You are confused.
I have full confidence in our reporting and the call for charges for those responsible in the suppression of the audit. If her career has been ruined it was by her own doing, not our reporting of the facts. Disprove what is written and I will listen. To date, in spite of you claims, you have NEVER disproven a single thing I have written.
Unbelievable
Posted at 16:40h, 10 JuneIt’s awful how your website is focused on posting half the truth. First of all .. one thing that ALL companies\institutions practice is CHAIN OF COMMAND. . Something the new board thinks they can omit. Second of all… did u read the July 11 board packets ??? To accommodate for Tom and Lynns paid absence mis “save money” Hamilton hired a (no bid) firm to run the college. Consists of 7 people whose rate ranges from $200-700 per HOUR! It was stated that they may be there for up to a year.. DO THE TAX PAYERS HAVE A CALCULATOR? Or does Illinois Leaks only care about the US bank employees using bathrooms on tax payer dime ??
Kirk Allen
Posted at 17:25h, 10 JuneThe username you selected is perfect. It is unbelievable! Please dont talk to me about Chain of Command. I spent a huge part of my life in the service and its clear you know not what chain of command means. Your tongue speaks of loyalty with disregard to law. Chain of Command is not a term that forbids honest people from speaking up and taking matters to the proper authority.
Yes, I read the board packet. I see an item on the agenda that is a professional service that by all indications has to be approved by the Board, not the one person who you wish to find fault for fixing the sickness that has infested COD.
The firm is NOT to run the college, nor does it claim that in the board packet. Sadly you find no fault in the loss of over $2 million dollars yet you wish to focus on casting dispersions on those fixing it. Sad day when society sees things as you do.
Illinois leaks will proudly publish the numbers it is going to cost to fix the wrongs of these self serving people. It would appear you logic dictate nothing be done in order to save money. That is not how our system of government works! They must be held accountable, the problems must be fixed, and order restored. You cant put a price on that!
no words
Posted at 08:19h, 11 JuneIt is comical how unprofessional you people are. Just in your replies it clearly shows how rude and angry you are. Rude and angry = no logical thinking. But that is ok. Your opinion has no value.
SafeLibraries
Posted at 23:19h, 09 June“@ECWDogs: College of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/iTwyXO4TSf” #highered @CollegeDuPage @chicagotribune #COD #audit #IL
bbelanger23
Posted at 21:36h, 09 JuneRT @ECWDogs: College of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/tAdDAVuvWd
JoeOrsolini
Posted at 20:22h, 09 JuneRT @ECWDogs: College of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/tAdDAVuvWd
IllinoisCitize1
Posted at 18:32h, 09 JuneRT @ECWDogs: College of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/tAdDAVuvWd
Joyce Tucker
Posted at 17:59h, 09 JuneIn my opinion, there are many, many officials in the state of Illinois that need charges brought against them. One public ‘execution’ of these officials and I think we might get some people to straighten up or quit. Great article, Kirk.
Chris M. Gaines
Posted at 13:25h, 11 JuneI’m not a proponent of any type of executions/violence for anyone for obvious reasons, that being said though…I think simply applying the law as written, effectively against those who violate it is sufficient obviously to deter criminal activities and civil violations of our laws. Problem is with the actual law enforcement of OUR laws in Illinois and our judiciary failing us in Illinois evidently based on statistical data currently. Don’t be distracted or confused and focus on the implementation of a solution..focus your attention to the details of that. That requires your participation as a citizen in our democracy and accepting your duty and responsibility as an citizen within it. Get MORE involved by first getting more informed. Then take action please, based on informed decisions YOU make. Do something. Please.
Public humiliation of criminal activity is quite effective if nothing else. Exposure is key. Open Source Information/Intelligence is vital to making informed decisions based on credible evidence in real time. Share MORE information please. Blog more. Share your opinions more in public. Join us in this resistance to the status quo. Resistance NOT revolution. Power to the people! Protests these inequalities in our society. Join us.
ECWDogs
Posted at 17:49h, 09 JuneCollege of DuPage – Criminal charges in order? http://t.co/tAdDAVuvWd