b******2
发帖数: 160 | 1 http://www.lsureveille.com/daily/lsu-agcenter-professor-arreste
After months of criminal investigation, LSUPD arrested LSU AgCenter
professor Todd Shupe Friday and charged him for 98 counts of fraudulent
activities costing the AgCenter $16,477.88 in losses according to the arrest
warrant.
Shupe is charged with for eight counts of theft, one count of unauthorized
use of a movable, 36 counts of forgery, 40 counts of second degree injuring
public records, eight counts of malfeasance in office, two counts of abuse
of office and three counts of payroll fraud.
Shupe, who specializes in wood science, properties and qualities, has been
at LSU since 1994, working his way up from graduate research assistant to
full professorship. He has taught forestry classes since 1995.
In a statement released to The Daily Reveille by the AgCenter, LSU Vice
President for Agriculture Bill Richardson said his department was not only
aware of the allegations against Shupe but also helped LSUPD during the
investigation process.
“Once we discovered the transactions of concern, we self-reported to
authorities, and we cooperated fully and assisted with the investigation,”
Richardson said.
According to the warrant, Shupe submitted nine internal LSU AgCenter Travel
Expense Reimbursement Request documents using the name of an LSU student
designated as the traveler. The vouchers, which displayed the student’s
forged signature, totaled more than $2500 in improper reimbursement.
Investigators then discovered Shupe allegedly reviewed 22 other internal
travel vouchers for financial reimbursement of a second LSU student’s
travel expenses, also with the student traveler’s forged signatures on each.
Shupe coerced the second student to create a fabricated hotel receipt,
according to the warrant, which put the student’s lodging price at $143.59
per night for a 22-night period while the rate was actually $56 per night.
The other 21 vouchers in the student’s name demanded a $7,888.97
reimbursement.
Mimicking the aforementioned offenses, Shupe also signed off on two vouchers
as a post-doctoral researcher from China in exchange for a reimbursement of
$492, according to the warrant. The report also reads that in December, he
forged the signature of a former LSU research associate on five occasions,
accumulating north of $750.
He illegally reimbursed himself for travel expenses incurred during business
trips with his private company, Wood Science Consulting, and collected
approximately $2,800 in return, according to the warrant.
In addition to the travel vouchers, Shupe had the AgCenter pay for his wife
’s mobile telephone account through an AgCenter account he maintained.
During 2011, the warrant reads, $826.47 was paid toward the cell phone.
As documented through a chain of emails, St. Andrews Methodist Church
received a donation from Shupe -- cypress wood valued at nearly $5,000 -- to
construct furniture for the church. LSUPD found the cypress was a result of
unauthorized transactions at Home Depot, Lowe’s and Netterville Lumber
using his LaCarte Visa.
“Fraud and misappropriation of funds are serious offenses, and we will
conduct a thorough review of our processes to ensure this won’t happen
again,” Richardson said. |
|
