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SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

BISD sues fired auditor for $1M plus

Bisd

The Beaumont Independent School District is seeking more than $1 million in damages from a fired auditor.

The district filed suit against Gayle Botley on July 15 in Jefferson County District Court.

According to the lawsuit, BISD contracted with Botley to perform professional auditing services, including fiscal reviews from 2011 to 2013, as well as the audit for the district’s 2007 bond program.

“Despite years of accepting substantial compensation from BISD for these projects, Botley failed to provide objectively verifiable information to the district that could demonstrate progress made toward completing the fiscal year 2012-13 annual financial audit as well as the bond audit,” the suit states. “Instead, Botley’s refrain was a litany of assurances, incomplete work product and missed deadlines.”

While Botley was supposedly completing all three projects, significant funds subject to his audits were fraudulently stolen, the suit alleges.

“Botley’s inability to properly perform and the incompleteness eventually resulted in the termination of Botley’s relationship with the district,” the suit states.

The district was forced to hire subsequent auditing firms to accomplish the work Botley had already been paid for and seeks to recover actual and consequential damages from him, plus attorney’s fees.

BISD is represented in part by Greg Dykeman, attorney for the Beaumont law firm Strong Pipkin Bissell & Ledyard.

Judge Kent Walston, 58th District Court, has been assigned to the case.

Case No. A-197346

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