CLEVELAND — The News 5 Investigators have uncovered a Cleveland Police investigation into hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing money from TV20, the City of Cleveland's television station.
In April, a police report was filed with Cleveland Police alleging grand theft and forgery inside TV20.
The city's director of human resources provided documents to the police, showing that over the course of more than 14 years, invoices were signed and paid totaling $672,050 to a man who investigators say there was no record of ever working there.
Instead, the report states that the man named is a relative who shared an address with a former TV20 office manager, who was in charge of scheduling freelance journalists.
Additionally, the HR director informed the police that several of the invoices contained a forged signature.
Investigators say the expenses came to light after a new director of TV20 started questioning the invoice process.
We're not naming the office manager who is listed as a suspect, as she has not been criminally charged. However, personnel records show she resigned from the city in April, just one day after the police report was filed.
The state auditor confirms it is reviewing issues that were brought to light during Cleveland's most recent financial audit.
A city spokesperson confirmed this is an active investigation and did not comment further.
