[Archived] Former City Employee Indicted for Theft of City Funds

For Immediate Release: July 11, 2016

The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney has announced that Monique Jackson Asante, a former employee of the City of Alexandria, was indicted by a grand jury this morning on one felony charge related to the theft of City funds.  Ms. Jackson Asante was employed as an administrative assistant in the Alexandria Fire Department until her employment was terminated on February 24, 2016.  She is accused of facilitating the submission and payment of fraudulent invoices for training and supplies.

On February 23, 2016, the Alexandria Fire Department received information that Ms. Jackson Asante may have mishandled City funds.  The City Manager’s Office directed the Alexandria Police Department to conduct a criminal investigation and directed the Office of Internal Audit to conduct an internal investigation, and Ms. Jackson Asante cooperated with these inquiries.  The City of Alexandria is seeking incarceration and full restitution of the stolen funds.  Pursuant to state law, if Ms. Jackson Asante is convicted of a felony in this case she will not be entitled to receive a public pension.

As a result of its internal investigation, the City is improving financial controls, increasing audit frequency, and strengthening approvals processes.   The Alexandria Fire Department is providing additional ethics and fiscal management training and focus to appropriate administrators, managers, and officers.  The City has also engaged a third-party auditing firm to conduct a review of internal financial controls beyond the annual reviews normally conducted by internal and external auditors.  Disciplinary action has been taken against employees who failed to provide appropriate oversight.

For media inquiries, please contact Craig T. Fifer, Director of Communications and Public Information, at craig.fifer@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3965.  However, because this matter is part of an ongoing criminal investigation and prosecution, it would be inappropriate for the City to publish additional evidence that may be necessary to prosecute the case.  The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney is the lead agency for the criminal prosecution, and has indicated that it will not make public comments about this case outside of regular courtroom proceedings.