Police investigating after accounts 'significantly compromised' at Virginia association

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia State Police are investigating allegations that a former employee of the Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation (VAPT) embezzled funds from the group, according to VSP spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica Shehan.

VAPT President Darrin Wills sent a memo to the association’s members alerting them to “missing funds” in mid-March.

Willis said in the memo that “an internal review of VAPT’s financial records showed bank and other accounts have been significantly compromised.”

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Wills added the VAPT Executive Board “immediately turned its findings over to the Virginia State Police department who is currently conducting a criminal investigation into the missing funds.”

Due to the missing funds, Wills said the association was forced to cancel its annual conference in Richmond scheduled for June 16-20.

It is unclear how much money went missing.

CBS 6 investigative reporter Melissa Hipolit connected with Wills by phone, but he said he could not speak to her due to the state police investigation.

After we posted our story, Wills contacted Hipolit to clarify that the person being investigated “was not an employee of the association.”

VSP said it was a former employee.

Shehan said state police are in the early stages of their investigation.

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