The Petro Group Home Audits

Jim Petro, former Ohio State Auditor, conducted a comprehensive series of foster care audits about 1998-2000. Luxury car leases, tickets to sporting events, country club memberships, a cruise, limousine service, personal loans, and political contributions. All at taxpayer expense--and all from money intended to be used for children in foster care. Among the Auditor's findings against one private foster care agency: "$1,209,680 in questioned costs for unallowed investments, a sports car, plastic surgery and health club dues." Among the Auditor's findings against another: "$492,974 for checks written to cash, a personal vehicle lease and other items." SAFY of Ohio, Inc., was charged by the Auditor with misallocating "$5,106,893 for high management fees paid to a parent company and other items." As of October 2002, a total of $9,150,048 was identified by the Auditor as having been expended by private foster care agencies in a manner often inconsistent with federal law and policy.