June 14, 2017 — Emails published as part of a Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s report show a cozy relationship between a former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries employee with purchasing authority and a company that ultimately got a big contract with the agency.
The report details a months-long investigation into nearly $55,000 worth of missing fishing equipment that was purchased by Eric Newman and a team he managed in Venice to collect fish tissue samples after the BP oil spill. Auditors found nearly $20,000 worth of fishing equipment matching the description of the missing gear at a home and camp shared by Newman and his wife, Monique Savoy, who was part of the Venice team.
The report also documents relationships Newman had with vendors seeking to do business with the department, including Bloodydecks, LLC. As part of the investigation, auditors found emails between Newman and Bloodydecks representatives, and presented those emails in the report: