Nova Scotia RCMP investigating Richmond County council expenses

Nova Scotia RCMP have started investigatingRichmond County's financials, days after an ombudsman's consultative report outlined a slew of irregularities in municipal officials' expenses.

RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke confirmed police involvement in the matter on Tuesday.

CBC News obtained a report that showed a county warden and chief administrative officer spent tens of thousands of dollars on things like travel and alcohol. The report shows they even spent public money on Valentine's Day flowers and a taxi fare paid to a Houston gentlemen's club.

When county financial staff questioned the expenses often filed without detailed receipts or justification they were told to "just pay it," the report says.

• Read the ombudsman's report into Richmond County's finances

The report comes less than two weeks before the municipal election on Oct. 15.

One of the people featured in the report former warden and current municipal councillor Steve Sampson is not running.

Richmond County officials have remained silent on the issue. Warren Olsen, the chief administrative officer, has declined several opportunities to comment and Warden Victor David said he wished he could speak directly to the report, but he has been instructed to wait.

Several reviews

The county is doing its own forensic audit into expenses, and Nova Scotia's ombudsman is calling for a provincial forensic examination of Richmond County's financial records over five years.

David expects the results of that first forensic audit will be released next week.

The ombudsman's office said a provincial forensic audit is needed to tell if the expenses werelegal. The report said it "may go beyond the careless spending of public funds."

Premier Stephen McNeil said he was following the situation. "Obviously there are some concerning issues in it, but we will wait to see what the final report does and what the outcome of the investigation is,"he said.

TheRCMPsaid it's hopingmore parties will come forward with related information to further the investigation.