The state police notified the University of Rhode Island on Oct. 6 that the facilities coordinator for the Bradford R. Boss Arena, Ryan Mosher, an employee of Global Spectrum, was being investigated for alleged embezzlement at the arena. Global Spectrum, headquartered in Philadelphia, is the private management firm hired in March 2000, to manage the Boss Arena and the Ryan Center.
University officials met with the state police on Oct. 7, and following a review of the information provided by state police, requested that Global Spectrum immediately release Mosher of his duties.
On that same day, the University secured the facilities coordinator office and physically transferred a computer and six boxes of files from the arena to the University’s Internal Audit Department to begin a thorough audit of the records.
Mosher was placed on unpaid administrative leave on Oct. 7, and subsequently submitted his resignation to Global.
The University of Rhode Island forwarded the findings of its audit of the Boss Arena to the state police on Friday, Nov. 5.
The findings of the audit allege that the facilities manager embezzled $9,900 during a three-month period, July 1, 2004 to Oct. 6, 2004. The review also found that Mosher allegedly returned approximately $5,140 by way of two cash deposits in September, leaving a total of $4,760 in lost revenue.
Global has since reimbursed the University with $4,760 in lost revenue and asked the state police that it be named on the complaint against Mosher.
During the period of time of the alleged fraud, the facilities manager and former business manager positions for the Ryan Center and the Boss Arena had been vacant. So the facilities coordinator had complete access and control over the scheduling of ice time, contracts, customer invoicing, and collecting and depositing of monies. This is contrary to the operating procedures for the Boss Arena. The University’s review showed that there was inadequate supervision over the facility coordinator and that internal controls over cash transactions were deficient.
The findings in the report were based on a review of customer records and contracts, ice time scheduling software, University and Global records of daily deposits, information provided by customers of the Boss Arena, information provided by the state police and interviews with staff.
As a result, the University will exercise greater oversight of the operations of the Boss Arena and the Ryan Center and monitor on a regular and unannounced basis how procedures are being followed.
Global Spectrum has already made changes in the way in which invoices and cash receipts are processed.
The University applauded Global Spectrum’s prompt and professional response to the situation and its action to reimburse the University.