Garda not investigating RTE funds

THE Garda has not yet begun an investigation into accusations of "misappropriating funds" made against an RTE executive.

THE Garda has not yet begun an investigation into accusations of "misappropriating funds" made against an RTE executive.

A statement issued at the weekend by RTE said "the appropriate authorities have been informed" but a Garda spokesman said yesterday they were unaware of any RTE representative approaching them with details of the accusations.

An RTE statement said an internal inquiry was continuing "to determine the extent of the problem". Gardai are not obliged to investigate allegations of fraud until someone representing the company claiming the fraud approaches them.

RTE may be considering action to seize the assets of the former executive who resigned last week accused of misappropriating over 100,000.

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The man, who has worked in the company's engineering division for a number of years, is accused of misappropriating the funds by carrying out a large number of small fraudulent transactions that were only discovered in a recent internal audit.

An RTE spokeswoman would not comment on media reports that the amount of misappropriation could be in excess of £100,000. One report yesterday suggested that the fraud could amount to as much as £1 million.

It is thought the man may have used his purchasing authority within RTE to buy equipment which never ended up being used at the station.