Congressman John Tierney has joined the U.S. Commerce Department's inspector general in disputing the claim of NOAA's chief financial officer, Maureen Wylie, that an auditing firm had found "no abuse" of the Asset Forfeiture Fund, which was built upon fines levied against the fishing industry.
The Asset Forfeiture Fund, which held more than $90 million during a 41/2-year period examined by Inspector General Todd Zinser working with KPMG, a so-called "big four" national auditing firm, has been a centerpiece in the law enforcement scandal that has rocked the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and led to the replacement of its law enforcement leadership.
NOAA's reported mismanagement and poor oversight of the fund under now-ousted national fisheries law enforcement chief Dale Jones, as documented by Zinser and his investigators, also led to public apologies and reparations to 11 fishermen and waterfront businesses — including the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction — most hurt by excesses in enforcement and penalties.
On Thursday, Wylie issued a press release and released the reports of the auditing firm Clifton Gunderson, which was paid $427,000 to examine micro-transactions — those involving less than $3,000 — over a five-year period ending in early 2010.
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