Avoyelles Progress Action Committee Inc.

Approximately $27,000 was misappropriated from the Avoyelles Progress Action Committee by its former internal accountant during the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2013, according to an audit report released Monday by Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera.

The audit was performed by certified public accountant Roy K. Derbonne Jr., LLC, of Alexandria.

The former accountant, who was not identified in the report, has been charged by the Avoyelles Parish District Attorney’s Office. “The missing funds were discovered as part of the internal control procedures installed by the organization,” the report said.

The Derbonne firm also cited the community action agency that serves Avoyelles, Pointe Coupee and Evangeline parishes with being late in submitting its audit report to the state. “Due to the turnover in the accounting department, the records were late in being completed,” the report said. “This caused the auditors to delay some of the work, thus making the report late.”

At the end of the 2013 fiscal year, auditors said, the agency had $17,393 that was not “adequately covered at all times by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) insurance or collateral pledged by the financial institution” where the money was deposited.

“It is recommended that the organization have the financial officer review all collateral on a monthly basis to make sure the organization’s funds are adequately secured by either FDIC insurance or collateral pledged by the financial institution ” the report said.