ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOX) — KMOX News has learned the feds--and the state of Missouri--are looking into allegations of fraud at a federally-funded job agency run by the city of St. Louis.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith has been asking questions of a handful of former employees of SLATE, the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment.
The probe began after KMOV TV first reported whistleblower claims that some workers are falsifying time sheets, getting paid for hours they aren't working.
The whistleblowers have also alleged that SLATE is not helping as many people find jobs as it claims on paper, and some staffers feel pressured to put down false information. SLATE receives federal grant money, so Goldsmith is interested.
At this point, it's not clear whether the feds are doing some preliminary probing or a full investigation. However, Goldsmith is considered a veteran prosecutor who has handled high-profile government corruption cases before.
In keeping with Department of Justice policy, the U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis cannot confirm or deny there's an investigation of SLATE at this point.
Meanwhile, Mayor Lyda Krewson, who appointed the current director of SLATE, has issued a statement:
"Over the last few days we have and are continuing to gather information.
"As you know, I requested the state auditor to perform an audit.
"The Missouri Division of Workforce Development has notified us that they will perform onsite monitoring in the next 30 days.
"We will continue to investigate, provide information and cooperate with ongoing investigations or inquiries. It would be inappropriate to comment further."
The state portion of the investigation is understood to be not a criminal matter, but more a matter of compliance with state regulations.
State investigators are said to be checking up on SLATE time sheets and financial records.
And now, State Representative Bruce Franks, who has been at the center of the investigation, has released a statement of his own:
There continue to be many fallacies circulated regarding my employment with the Labor Employment Training Center (LETC), as a 24 hour mentor by Lauren Trager and KMOV.
The Labor Employment Training Center, is a non-profit, which uses zero dollars of taxpayer money, but is grant funded, even though the news organization KMOV tried to mislead the public otherwise. Moreover, It is important to clarify, that I was not hired by St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) for this role, but by the LETC; my W-2’s were actually provided by the LETC not the SLATE or the City of St. Louis. Many legislators work alternate jobs due to the pay not being adequate enough to raise a family. My hire date was July 3rd, 2017 and I stopped working the beginning of Feb of 2018, 5 out of 7 months worked I was out of session.
During my LETC on-boarding, it was reinforced that it's mentoring programming does not only occur during conventional hours, that mentoring does not only occur face to face, that mentors must meet young people where they are, and be readily accessible. All of this guidance reinforced that our youth needed support outside of conventional hours, and it was our responsibility to be available. My youth were able to contact me at any time of the day, which gave me the opportunity to deter them from making bad decisions, and coach them through dangerous situations. Furthermore, I was able to help them with a multitude of others things such as : advocate on their behalf in court, help them find employment, and provide tutoring, financial literacy and empowerment resources. Due to these various responsibilities, I often worked no more than 32 hours a week, as time sheets were due every two weeks, and due to the fact my hours were unconventional.
Even though I formally left my role at the LETC, I still volunteer as a youth mentor and continue to help youth, and various organizations, in a host of capacities, which LETC and SLATE can attest to. Below is a link to a news story done by KPLR 11 about our 24-hr mentoring which started in 2015.
Here you will find another video actually done by Lauren Trager, the investigative reporter from KMOV, who was then an employee of the Circuit Attorney’s office. In this 2015 video, Lauren highlights my mentoring approach and my reasoning for being a mentor, which she was very much supportive of at the time.
In summation, Lauren and KMOV has continued in a longstanding tradition of the local media trying to discredit, and intimidate black leaders in the City of St. Louis. Instead of media outlets using their platforms to raise awareness about the everyday realities of our community and the great work being done, they would in fact rather be divisive, and play into stereotypical tropes. In this moment, I have no time to consume my self with slander pieces, and attacks, as I have a community to be working with and for. However, I believe that my constituents deserve transparency, and also the truth. I will remain steadfast, in my efforts working toward a more equitable St. Louis and Missouri. Next time Lauren Trager, or KMOV would like a story, I hope they will contact me to highlight the positive work being done in our community, and uplift our city instead of continue to misinform and discredit our leaders.
As far as the questioning of working at those specific times, my times sheets were due every 2 weeks. Although some of those times may have been off, the actual work and amount of hours are all factual as well as the day those hours were worked. Questioning the work that is done 24 hrs a day to preserve life and protect our young people from the roughest communities is disrespectful and insensitive.
