Valley Metro—Plea Agreement—Fraudulent Schemes
Report
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office requested the Office of the Auditor General to assist in its investigation of potential fraud by Stephen Banta, former Valley Metro chief executive officer. Our investigation revealed that from April 2010 through October 2015, Mr. Banta may have abused his authority and caused Valley Metro to pay $32,491 of his and his wife’s personal travel, meal, and alcohol expenses, falsifying certain Valley Metro records to conceal his actions. On September 10, 2018, Mr. Banta pleaded guilty to one felony count of fraudulent schemes and practices.