NMFA Comptroller on bogus audit: Not malicious
Posted at: 07/20/2012 6:25 PM
| Updated at: 07/20/2012 7:03 PM
By: Chris Ramirez, KOB4 On Your Side
The KOB 4 On Your Side team found and interviewed the man at the center of a statewide investigation into a forged state audit.
State investigators and other media outlets have been looking for former New Mexico Finance Authority Comptroller Greg Campbell to question him about the audit. State officials have said he’s responsible for creating a fake audit full of fraud and lies.
The effects of the fake audit may be devastating for New Mexico’s future. The state’s overall credit rating could be lowered and there is growing distrust from Wall Street.
Campbell left the NMFA in June after submitting the 2011 audit, but hasn’t been heard from since the scandal broke last week; that is until KOB 4 On Your Side Investigative Producer Peter St. Cyr tracked him down at his Albuquerque home.
St. Cyr questioned Campbell about state officials's finger pointing.
“It probably is fair because it was under my supervision to get the audit done and completed," replied Campbell.
Campbell said he did put the audit together without full care, but said he had no criminal intent. And he said it was "probably" negligent on his part to assemble the audit in that manner.
He said, instead, he should have had the auditor and management sign off on not only the numbers, but also on the format and everything else in the report. Campbell said officials mistook his “draft” report for the “final” report.
But when questioned by St. Cyr as to why he didn't correct officials telling them is was a draft, Campbell responded stating that it was a "bad decision" on his part.
"I put those papers together with no malicious intent in terms of saying that the numbers were fraudulent or there's some monies missing or things of that nature. None of that is the case," Campbell said.
Authorities have said there is money that is not accounted for in the audit, but Campbell disputes that claim.
When KOB 4 On Your Side spoke with Campbell he had not retained legal counsel or spoken with any state investigators and just returned from a vacation.
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