On 24 Oct 2004 14:16:13 GMT, (Fern5827) wrote:

Subject: Criminal investigations launched into DCF practices
From: (Fern5827)
Date: 10/22/2004 11:51 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

What we have been saying about all or most state CPS agencies.

And how many have you uncovered criminal conduct with fiscal fraud in
again?

Yes, Fern, we know. And in fact you and I now have a bet...all YOU
have to do is come up with 10 such instances of different state's
fiscal CPS corruption by April 23rd, midnight your time, and you've
got $200 bucks of my money.

So now it's all, or most states, eh? Tell yah what, make it 20 states
by April 23rd, and I'll double my bet, and give you the odds...your
200 to my 400.......fair?

You obviously are VERY sure of yourself, since you chant this mantra
endlessly. Yet we have only two states so far. You must know something
the rest of us don't.

Sure bet for you, right?

Lots of cover
in their budgets.

What cover? Enough for CPS higherups to commit a crime?

Please list those bookkeeping practices pecular to CPS that allow this
to happen more often than in the public sector.

Thanks, and remember, I've offering 2 to 1 odds if you come up with 40
by April 23rd. You ARE sure aren't you? Corruption was the word you
used, so it has to be "corruption" that causes the fiscal loss by
virtue of deliberate "corruption. You up for it? Heck, you must be,
you offered to bet. You actually have created the conditions of the
bet yourself.

By the way, alt.parenting.spanking? Is there a connection to CPS
criminal corruption, Fern? If so let me in on it. I'm going to, though
I'm quaking and terrified at the possible outcome, given you have
forbidden me to do this, post this across to ascps.

Please don't hurt me...whimper

Kane

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...22oct22,0,7700
268.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Criminal investigation launched into DCF practices



By Megan O'Matz
Staff Writer

October 22, 2004

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has opened a criminal
investigation
into contracting practices at the state Department of Children &
Families, an
FDLE official said Thursday.

Spokeswoman Kristen Perezluha declined to discuss specifics of the
inquiry or
its targets.

"It may involve former DCF employees, but I can't say who exactly
we're
investigating," she said.

The investigation was prompted by a report released in July by the
state
inspector general's office that found unethical behavior by
then-Secretary
Jerry Regier and two top DCF employees.

"Several weeks ago we concluded the review of the inspector general's
reports
and we found possible criminal violations related to the DCF
contracts,"
Perezluha said. "At that point, we decided to open a criminal
investigation."

The two employees named in the report resigned shortly after its
release. The
inspector general said Ben Harris, DCF's deputy secretary of
operations and
technology, and Glenn Palmiere, the department's information
technology
director, violated ethics rules by accepting gifts and trips from
software
companies doing business with the state. The report also said Harris
circumvented state purchasing requirements to give work to a favored
consultant.

Harris said Thursday that he was not told that he was a focus of any
FDLE
investigation.

"I've committed no crime and done nothing wrong," he said. "I'm not
sure what
they're trying to accomplish with this."

Palmiere could not be reached for comment at his Sarasota residence.

Perezluha would not say whether the investigation involves Regier.

On Thursday Regier said he was unaware of any criminal investigation.

He apologized publicly in July after the inspector general's report
said he
acted improperly by attending a birthday party in his honor thrown by
Florida
State University researcher James A. Bax, who secured millions of
dollars in
no-bid contracts from DCF for the university.

The report also faulted Regier for staying overnight with his wife at
Bax's
Longboat Key home.

Regier resigned in late August, after enduring weeks of bad press
involving
reports of cronyism and favoritism in DCF's business dealings.

Regier said Thursday, "These investigations have been a witch hunt
and
character assassination from the beginning. There's no truth to the
many
allegations that have been made against me, and I have no idea if
there's some
new investigation."

Earlier this week another DCF deputy secretary, Celeste Putnam, quit
in the
wake of an internal DCF investigation that found questionable
spending
practices in a $623,208 mental health contract with FSU.

Putnam, who managed the state's substance abuse and mental health
programs, was
responsible for ensuring that the contract was executed properly.

DCF spokesman Bob Brooks declined to comment Thursday on the FDLE
inquiry,
saying, "We cooperate fully in all law enforcement investigations,
but do not
discuss any specific details."

Megan O'Matz can be reached at or
954-356-4518.

FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, CPS, FOSTER CARE,
CONFIDENTIALITY, ACCOUNTANCY, CORRUPTION, EMBEZZLEMENT, QUI TAM
LAWSUITS,
WHISTLEBLOWER LAWS, KIN CARE, KINSHIP CARE, CHILD PROTECTIVE,
SUNSHINE LAWS,
CONFIDENTIALTY