(The Center Square) - Gov. Kevin Stitt is blaming a vendor for mishandling thousands of dollars in COVID-19 relief dollars from the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Funds, also known as GEER.
The governor said Tuesday he filed suit against Kleo, Inc., which does business as ClassWallet.
The U.S. Department of Education found that $652,720 of GEER funds were "questionable," according to previous reports. Families were given between $1,000 and $1,500 in grants to purchase school-related items but instead purchased items, including televisions and electronic items. The federal government asked the state to either return the money or provide documentation as to how the money was used.
Stitt places the blame on ClassWallet, which was overseeing the program. He said the vendor disbursed funds to families without ensuring proper protocols were in place and then "failed to maintain records to support its work."
“A vendor, which said it would eliminate the possibility of fraudulent use of grant funds, didn’t uphold its end of the contract and taxpayer dollars were misused," Stitt said Tuesday. "We have to hold this vendor responsible and protect Oklahoma taxpayers from being left holding the bill.”
Attorney General Gentner Drummond has voiced his concerns about the GEER funds. He dismissed a lawsuit against ClassWallet filed by his predecessor, John O'Connor, and said it was without merit.
"It is clear that a number of state actors and other individuals are ultimately responsible for millions in misspent federal relief dollars," Drummond said at the time. "My office will continue engaging with various state and federal agencies to investigate this egregious misuse of tax dollars."
ClassWallet didn't respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
The case is filed in Oklahoma County District Court by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, which oversees state operations, according to online court records.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News