Folwell reimburses state to resolve expenses investigation Hunter Stedman, February 1, 2025 Dale Folwell, the former two-term state treasurer, has reimbursed the state $6,233 for non-official travel costs he should have been charged with, the Wake County District Attorney’s Office said Monday. Folwell had been accused of driving state-owned vehicles for personal use throughout North Carolina, including trips to a yoga studio and hotels. The investigation period covered July 2022 through February 2024. Folwell was running for governor during segments of that time. Folwell Allison Lee Isley, Journal Lorrin Freeman, Wake’s district attorney, said in a news release that the payment is part of the conclusion of a 10-month investigation by her office and State Bureau of Investigation of allegations that Folwell inappropriately used state vehicles. People are also reading… Freeman is requesting “that this matter be closed without further action,” in part because Folwell “is no longer employed in state government.” Folwell said in a statement Monday that he and his former staff “spent hundreds of hours” addressing the investigation that included emails and telephone calls with the N.C. Department of Administration. He said he and his staff sought guidance and a report of the department’s compliance review, “which was never received. Their responses were rare and confusing.” Freeman said Folwell “cooperated fully with the investigation, including participating in a lengthy and detailed interview with NC SBI agents.” Folwell said Freeman was “the only public official in this process who actually took the time to learn, look and listen” about the circumstances of the investigation. Background An SBI agent filed a search warrant application in Wake Superior Court on June 12 indicating that Folwell used three state-owned vehicles to travel to medical offices, a country club, residences, church, fast-food restaurants, a hot yoga studio, hotels, the Biltmore Estate and Republican Party offices throughout North Carolina. The impetus for the investigation was the review of a compliance audit conducted by the state Department of Administration’s Motor Fleet Management Division. Investigators reviewed whether Folwell received reimbursement for mileage driven that was outside of what is allowed by policy. Part of the review involved analyzing telematics location data for a vehicle assigned to Folwell that was compared with his daily calendar. Records and information pertinent to Folwell’s travels on official business also were examined. Telematic location data determined that “during these periods of travel Treasurer Folwell made a number of route detours that could be classified as personal in nature.” Investigators determined that some of those trips by Folwell violated state laws in that state vehicles should be used only for state business or approved commuting. According to state law, the misuse of a permanently assigned state vehicle is a Class 2 misdemeanor. “However, upon examination, these appeared to be de minimis from the travel route, and while against motor fleet management policy, were insufficient to support a successful criminal prosecution,” according to the news release. Some of those travels involved Folwell making appearances statewide to deliver funds to various agencies and individuals from the state Treasurer Department’s Unclaimed Property Division, commonly referred to as NCCASH.com, as well as raise awareness of the program. Folwell also routinely spoke to civic groups across North Carolina, and at the 2023 Public Funds Forum in South Carolina in September 2023. It was determined that Folwell received an email from Motor Fleet Management in October 2020 that led him to believe he was not required to maintain travel logs. “Travel logs were not maintained for the period in question,” according to the news release. Folwell response Folwell’s initial response in June was that an investigator “believed it necessary to obtain search warrants to look into use of my assigned state vehicle for the many public functions I routinely perform throughout the state, all of which are purposefully planned to accomplish the maximum job duties possible during the trips.” “We have provided pages of documentation throughout the course of this review,” Folwell said. On Monday, Folwell said that “based on my visual observation, I was the only member of the Council of State who drove themselves to Council meetings in a state vehicle with a tracker, no driver and no security. That was least costly to taxpayers.” “I am the only person who ever gassed or washed my assigned vehicle. Vehicle assignments are made with the intent to be efficient, productive, accessible 24/7, and to apply common sense. “This was evident by the fact that I kept two extra cars and a motorcycle in Raleigh for eight years to use for personal travel.” [email protected] 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Source link Pet News fleet managementjusticelawnorth carolina state bureau of investigation