AMVETS audit discrepancy grows

CLOVIS — A $20,000 discrepancy found during the audit of local American Veterans Post #14 has grown more than tenfold. A five-month investigation turned up over $233,000 in debts and missing funds, according to Post 14’s board of trustees and the AMVETS Department of New Mexico.

The doors of the local post closed last July as AMVETS District VI began an investigation. Local leadership and post members said they were confused as they arrived to find the locks changed and sparse information available on the situation.

In September, the board of trustees for Post 14 issued an open letter claiming an investigation into misappropriation of funds at the post. That investigation found $12,000 in unpaid debts to the New Mexico Gaming Commission from 2016 and another $8,000 from the city of Clovis from as far back as 2010.

A second open letter from the board issued Jan. 15 claims five more months of investigations showed the post owes over $156,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, $14,000 to the city of Clovis, possibly $13,000 to a vendor, and possibly $3,000 on credit cards. There is also about $19,000 unaccounted for, the letter states.

The second letter states the board of trustees had AMVETS District VI begin the audit in California, where enough evidence was found to hire a forensic certified public accountant to continue work in New Mexico.

The Albuquerque-based forensic CPA then discovered enough evidence to file a complaint with the State Attorney General’s Office, with the board of trustees now awaiting an official response.

Head Trustee Rick Young said the scope of the investigation goes back to 2009 and if the AG’s Office and IRS conduct their own investigations they could review records as far back as 1984.

Young said he hopes the board of trustees will be able to come to an arrangement with the IRS and the board’s statement claims it will do everything it can to re-open Post 14 after the audit, as well as pay off all debts incurred while minimizing damage to post members.

The board’s statement then adds that it will need to uphold the AMVETS national, District VI, and department bylaws, as well as Clovis and state laws, while resolving the matter.

Post #14 Quartermaster Beth Knight declined to comment, while no other post members could be reached for comment.

Young expects an update on the AGl and IRS findings within the next three months.