Nebraska Auditor Mike Foley claims nearly $220,000 was embezzled in southeastern Nebraska. The conservation funds were paid through Five Rivers Resource Conservation & Development (Five Rivers RC&D) to Arley’s, a food truck based in Steinauer, Nebraska. According to the auditor, between 2020-2023, 91% of Five Rivers RC&D funding came from the Nebraska Environmental Foundation, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environment and Energy, and political subdivisions that established the nonprofit, which was active from 1993 to 2023. Foley claims That the former director of Five Rivers RC&D, Bobbie Mients, made “at least 200 improper payments to Arley’s via the Five Rivers RC&D credit card, which was under the control of the former director.” The food truck is owned by Mintz’s husband, the auditor said. “People weren’t watching,” Foley said. “This was an intentional theft of public funds. One person who controlled a credit card and bank account was sending money directly to her husband’s company and getting nothing in return. Furthermore, the auditor points to ‘questionable’ payroll items that were allegedly The former director paid herself. Between 2020 and 2022, the audit team found 63 salary payments, totaling more than $86,000, and more than $28,000 in expense reimbursement payments, “all of which she directed to be released unilaterally.” However, the report acknowledges that the office “was unable to determine how many, if any, of these payments were legitimate” because they lacked proper documentation. Public funds totaling $182,395.27 came to Five Rivers RC&D from the NE Environmental Trust (NET) between 2020-2023, Auditor .NET told KETV Newswatch 7 that they conducted an audit last year, “part of an ongoing effort…to ensure public funds are spent…properly.” Foley said NET took responsible action, but he believes someone should have To slam on the brakes on the food truck. The scheme before hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent wrongly. He has forwarded the findings to the Attorney General for possible prosecution. “I’m amazed that people think they can get away with it. You know, they try it once with one transaction. No one says anything, and they say, ‘Okay, that’,” Foley said. “That was crazy. Let’s try it again.”
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA –
Nebraska Auditor Mike Foley claims nearly $220,000 was embezzled in southeastern Nebraska. The conservation funds were paid through Five Rivers Resource Conservation & Development (Five Rivers RC&D) to Arley’s, a food truck based in Steinauer, Nebraska.
According to the auditor, between 2020 and 2023, 91% of Five Rivers RC&D’s funding came from the Nebraska Environmental Fund, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environment and Energy, and the political subdivisions that founded the nonprofit, which has been active since 1993. -2023.
Foley alleges that the former director of Five Rivers RC&D, Bobbie Mients, made “at least 200 improper payments to Arley’s via the Five Rivers RC&D credit card, which was under the control of the former director.” The food truck is owned by Mintz’s husband, the auditor said.
“People weren’t watching,” Foley said. “This was an intentional theft of public funds. One person who controlled a credit card and bank account was sending money directly to her husband’s business and getting nothing in return.
Furthermore, the auditor points to “questionable” salary items the former manager allegedly paid herself. Between 2020 and 2022, the audit team found 63 salary payments, totaling more than $86,000, and more than $28,000 in expense reimbursement payments, “all of which were directed to be released unilaterally.” However, the report acknowledges that the office “was unable to determine the number of such payments, if any,” because they lacked proper documentation.
Public funds totaling $182,395.27 came to Five Rivers RC&D from the NE Environmental Trust (NET) between 2020-2023, according to the auditor. NET told KETV Newswatch 7 that they conducted an audit last year, “part of an ongoing effort…to ensure public funds are being spent…properly.”
Foley said the network took responsible action, but believes someone should have stopped the food truck scheme before hundreds of thousands of dollars were wrongly spent. He referred the results to the Public Prosecutor for possible prosecution.
“I’m amazed that people think they can get away with it,” Foley said. “You know, they try it once with one transaction. No one says anything, and they say, ‘Well, that was crazy. Let’s try it again.'”
